By Tony Pires
The Church flourishes when clergy and lay leaders walk side by side in shared responsibility for the mission of Christ. That was the primary conclusion from a recent formation day attended by a group of Parish Priests and Parish Pastoral Councillors from across the Archdiocese.
This echoes the teaching of Pope Francis who consistently called on the Church to resist isolation and self-sufficiency and rediscover itself as a people on pilgrimage.
“The Church is called to walk together at the side of others and never as lone travellers,” Pope Francis said.
“The Holy Spirit impels us not to remain self-absorbed but to leave ourselves behind and keep walking towards God and our brothers and sisters. Journeying together means consolidating the unity grounded in our common dignity as children of God. It means walking side by side. Let us walk together towards the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience.”
That call found concrete expression as representatives from eleven parishes gathered to reflect on their shared ministry and leadership within parish life. The day was shaped not by urgency or agenda, but by listening, dialogue and discernment.
The Formation Day was led by Nigel Haywood and Alan Wedd of the Diocesan Parish Renewal Team, who guided participants through the role of Parish Pastoral Councillor as outlined in the Archdiocesan Constitution.
Their reflections returned repeatedly to a simple truth. The Church is always on the move and is led by the Holy Spirit, sustained through conversation, attentiveness and the steady leadership of the Bishop and Parish Priest.
Central to this journey is the task of shaping parish life with intention and care. Participants were invited to reflect on the importance of a strong Parish Pastoral Plan grounded in the eight strengths of an effective parish – planning, spirituality and faith formation, liturgy, community building, welcoming and hospitality, outreach, evangelisation and leadership. Together, they form a living vision of a parish alive in faith and purpose.
The day also turned its attention to one of the most immediate and personal experiences of parish life: welcome. Marietta Russo, Director of Catholic Outreach, introduced a new tool currently being developed to help parishes reflect honestly on how they receive those who come through their doors. Framed around a simple but searching question – how inclusive and welcoming is my parish? – the tool offers parish leaders a practical way to examine the culture of hospitality within their communities.
That question was given added depth by Fr Nino Vinciquerra, Coordinator of the Parish Renewal Team and Parish Priest of South Perth, who spoke candidly of the human experience of worship.
“If you do not feel welcome at Mass, all the beautiful words and music go over your head and apply to others,” he observed.
In this light, welcome is revealed not as a courtesy, but as a spiritual threshold that shapes how the Gospel itself is encountered.
Participants were also introduced to Adsumus, an initiative designed to strengthen parish life by inviting every parishioner to reflect on their unique place within the community. Held over fourteen weekends within a parish setting, Adsumus gently calls people to rediscover their belonging, their responsibility and their baptismal identity.
This journey resonates with the words of Pope Leo XIV, spoken shortly after his election. “Baptism is my call to walk together in peace and justice.”
Adsumus reminds parishioners that belonging to a Catholic community both entitles and urges them to work with others, to be led by the Holy Spirit, and to carry forward the mission of Jesus by bringing His life and grace into the world. Still being refined, the initiative is expected to be available to parishes in 2026.
As the Formation Day concluded, what lingered was not simply information or new initiatives, but a shared sense of encouragement. Parish leaders were reminded that they do not serve alone, and that across parishes and ministries, others are walking the same path, facing similar challenges and seeking the same faithfulness.
In its openness and generosity, the day became more than a program. It became a quiet testimony to a Church learning once again how to walk together, attentive, patient and hopeful, guided by the Holy Spirit toward the mission entrusted to it.
