EXCLUSIVE: ‘Discernment both a call and a challenge given to us by the Holy Spirit,’ says Archbishop Costelloe

27 Aug 2020

By Jamie O'Brien

How can we be a constructive part of a renewed Church and not initiators of a new church which would, in the end, be our own creation rather than God’s?

This is the question presented by Plenary Council President and Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB in his paper on the theme of Discernment.

The key, continued Archbishop Costelloe, rests in a careful consideration of what fidelity to the Lord and the Lord’s will for the Church really looks like.

Accompanied by a short video, the topic of discernment “is a fundamental principle which guides us all in our engagement with the Plenary Council.”

“As we move further into the journey of the Plenary Council it is becoming clearer that simply listening to each other, essential though this is, does not exhaust or complete the task and challenge of discernment,” Archbishop Costelloe continues.

Plenary Council delegates listen to Archbishop Costelloe SDB speak during a recent meeting for all Perth Archdiocese delegates, from left, Vicar for Adult Faith Formation and Education, Fr Vincent Glynn, Redemptoris Mater Seminary Rector, Fr Michael Moore SM, Applecross parishioner Emily Hardbottle, Vicar for Clergy, Fr Brian McKenna, St Charles Seminary Rector, Fr Phillip Fleay and Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton. Photo: Matthew Lau.

“The very listening itself must be an act of discernment.

“The first Letter of Saint John reminds us of this when the author exhorts us to remember that, ‘it is not every spirit, my dear people, that you can trust; test them to see if they come from God (1 John 4:1).’

Speaking for the release of the paper, Archbishop Costelloe noted that our daily lives have been deeply affected by COVID-19.

“Firstly, discernment is both a call and a challenge given to us by the Holy Spirit.

“It is an ongoing process which enables us to listen to what the Spirit is saying as we engage with each milestone on the Plenary Council Journey.

Archbishop Costelloe continued by saying that the fruit of this discernment will continue for many years to come.

“In fact, we will need to make this responding to the call and challenge of discernment a feature of the life of the Church in Australia well beyond the end of the Second Assembly of the Plenary Council in 2022.”

Plenary Council delegates listen to Archbishop Costelloe SDB speak during a recent meeting for all Perth Archdiocese delegates. Photo: Matthew Lau.

“I encourage each of you to see discernment as being at the heart of our Plenary Council Journey – not only for the timeframe that takes us through to the second Assembly in July 2022, but as an integral part of your personal, daily faith journey as well as the faith journey of your local church community.”

Download and read the full paper by Clicking Here