By Amanda Murthy
The recent decision to indefinitely postpone the First Assembly of the Plenary Council (scheduled for October 2020) due to the unavoidable circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, did not deter the absolute commitment of the bishops, and hopefully of all Australian Catholics, to the Plenary Council, and could instead buy more time for Catholics to discern, affirmed Plenary Council President Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB during the recent Holy Thursday Mass live telecast from St Mary’s Cathedral.
“Perhaps, in God’s strange providence, we are all being given the opportunity to reflect even more deeply than we have done so far on the fundamental question of the Council, what do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?,” Archbishop Costelloe stated during his homily.
“There are many ways in which we might prayerfully reflect on this question.
“One of those ways, and perhaps the most important of all, is to read what is going on around us in the light of the life and teachings of Jesus,” he added.
Contributing through their prayers, thoughts, and personal experiences, Perth lay delegates, Applecross Parish Youth Coordinator Emily Hardbottle and The Shopfront Director Damian Walsh have already been acting on the Archbishop’s suggestion, as they share some of their reflections and hopes for the upcoming PC assemblies with The Record.
Twenty-year-old Emily, represents one of the youngest of more than 250 lay delegates selected, and plans to use her platform to express the thoughts of young people, with the hopes of leading them closer to Christ, as the ‘Church experiences critical times.’
“There are many negative things that the Church has experienced in the past 10 years, and engagement with the Church has fallen as a result,” Emily expressed.
“We [the Church] need to learn from our mistakes and learn how to better engage people so that they feel welcome and part of the Body of Christ.
“I think it’s so important that young people in the Church are represented on the Council, and I’m excited that I was chosen to do that.
“Young people are the future of the Church, so it’s important they are in decision making roles as much as possible – we want to keep young people in the Church and engage them,” she added.
Since its inception in 2002, The Shopfront, supported by volunteers have been providing meals, in an inclusive, welcoming environment offering fellowship and hospitality to those in need of it.
Mr Walsh who personally attends to the needs of the poor and underprivileged on a daily basis together with his team, said that his hope for the process of the Plenary Council is for the people of God to take responsibility to take time to truly listen to their hearts, to the world around them, and listen to the voice of the Spirit, which can only be found in God.
“The Shopfront in many ways is at the forefront of the Church’s response to those in need, and I believe that through my role as a delegate, I will be able to listen and provide an aspect to the Plenary Council that ensures that the voice of the disadvantaged is heard.
“This is the true Catholic response to the poor and those crying out for meaning in life.”
Both delegates collectively agreed that they are passionate about spreading the message of inclusion, to groups like the young people, people of disability, and the underprivileged, not just through words, but by action.
Mr Walsh cited that “The Joyful, Hope Filled, Servant Community”, chosen as one of the seven themes of the PC focus, embodies that expression beautifully.
“As followers of Jesus we need to be seen to put into action what our fine words say,” Mr Walsh cited.
“The Church is the people and people vote with their feet, so as a Church, to prioritise the needs of the poor and provide an expression for us as the people to be the face of Jesus to the wider world by our actions,” he explained.
“From my own experience of living with a sister who faces disability, I think we can better engage young people, as well as other groups like those with a disability in our Church,” Emily added.
“Being welcoming and open to people needs to happen to ensure that the message of Christ can be accessible to everyone.”
Senior Lecturer in Theology at The University of Notre Dame Australia Dr Angela McCarthy and Centre for Faith Enrichment Director Dr Marco Ceccarelli join Ms Hardbottle and Mr Walsh as the other two Perth lay representatives.