History was last weekend made in the Diocese of Broome with the formation of a new Kimberley Aboriginal Catholic Pastoral Council (KACPC).
Meeting at the University of Notre Dame Australia Broome Campus Sunday 30 March, members of the Catholic community of Broome travelled from all corners of the Diocese for the occasion.
This included members of the Balgo and desert communities, Wyndham/Kununurra in the East Kimberley, the Dampier Peninsula and Western Australia’s largest Aboriginal community, Bidyadanga. Members from the towns of Broome and Derby were also in attendance.
Development of the KACPC commenced in 2024 on the Feast of Pentecost in the East Kimberley when representatives from the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council presented models of ministry with the aim of giving voice to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics.
Building on this, a group of Aboriginal Church leaders began to develop Terms of Reference. From this, with the endorsement of recently installed Broome Bishop Tim Norton, the Pastoral Council was formed.
Deputy Chair of the NATSICC and Chair of the newly formed Kimberley Aboriginal Catholic Pastoral Council, Shirley Quaresimin said the occasion is a milestone for (us) the Catholic church in the Kimberley.
“This has long been a dream for our people,” Ms Quaresimin said.
“It is a way that we can strengthen our faith and share culturally our place in the Catholic church,” she said.
As part of the celebrations, Bishop Norton celebrated Mass with the new Council using the Missa Terra Spiritus Sancti, a liturgy which was born in Bidyadanga and is widely used across the Kimberley region.
During this Mass, the new Council members were commissioned to be witnesses to the Gospel, to nurture and be of service to all and to encourage people to strengthen their relationship with God and each other.
Bishop Norton said he is delighted this body has come to fruition.
“I look forward to working together in the Diocese,” Bishop Norton said.
“I thank them for sharing their wisdom and spirituality and will seek their guidance as we work to build the Reign of God in the Kimberley”.