A Pilgrim People Prepare for the Plenary 

In recent years the Catholic church in Australia seems to have lurched from one crisis to the next. We have been called to account for past wrongs, cover-ups, and scandals. Many leaders in Catholic schools and ministries have struggled to remain loyal to the church and, at the same time, maintain their personal and professional integrity. In some of my darkest moments, I have latched onto Mary Ward’s ability to walk this tightrope with hope rather than cynicism. The Catholic church in Mary’s time was incredibly corrupt and imposed severe strictures on her mission and vision, and yet she worked within the Church, shaping new possibilities for women. The preparation process for this year’s Plenary Council provides a glimmer of light in our ecclesial landscape as members of the Loreto network continue to make positive and creative contributions to this unfurling process. 

In 2018 over 200 members of the Mary Ward network throughout Australia gathered in small groups to respond to the questions: 

What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time? … and …  

What questions do you have about the future of the Church for the Plenary Council to consider in 2020? 

The Province Report is a very powerful scaffold for reflection and is worthy of prayerful consideration and discussion as we move toward the Plenary Council to be held in Adelaide in October this year.  

At 90 years of age, Sr Ellen Moran has attended a few Plenary Council meetings in Perth, where she enjoyed the company of “a faith-filled and vital group.” Ellen reports being enlivened by the dialogue and discernment process and challenged members of the Loreto network to undertake renewal efforts, such as serious study of the Gospels, the practice of contemplative prayer and participation in parish groups, and RCIA and Alpha programs. Across the other side of our land in Ballarat Denise Desmarchelier ibvm was impressed by the preparatory process, which she found “Gospel-based, reflective and prayerful.” She was also touched… “by participants’ investment in the process and the openness and trust it generates.” As a member of one of the six Discerning and Writing Groups, Rachel McLoughlin ibvm also speaks about the robust humility and genuine listening experienced in her Plenary preparation. Rachel has found the prayer, listening, reading and discernment required in her group empowering and hope-filled. She articulated her desire for the continuing Plenary Council process as “a light that will be so bright that it won’t be able to be extinguished.” 

May all members of our network find ways to be that bright light for our broken church and world.  

For information about the Plenary Council:  plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au

Author: Anne Muirhead
Director of Mission, Loreto Ministries