Catholic Mission’s National Director, Fr Brian Lucas, expressed enthusiasm for this year’s theme, saying, “Pope Francis has given us a powerful and inspiring message. It is an invitation to walk together on the path of peace, hope and creation.”

In his main address, Pope Francis spoke about the day’s Gospel reading, John 20:19-31, which recounts the story of St Thomas doubting the other disciples’ claim that they had seen the risen Lord.

To begin drafting the working document, the group of experts – including Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB – have met behind closed doors to discuss the continental stage of the Synod on Synodality as a whole and analyse the seven final documents submitted by each of the regional assemblies.

Speaking Wednesday 12 April, Pope Francis focused on the need for missionary disciples to be ready to set out and to be open to exploring new paths as they seek to share the Gospel through word and deed.

The Fifth Plenary Council of Australia and the global Synod on Synodality were key discussion points for Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President and Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB and Pope Francis when they met in October.

“It’s all about recognising that we all have a part to play,” Archbishop Costelloe said, explaining that Pope Francis, throughout his pontificate, has been striving “to shift the Church’s culture to one of active engagement in this task of being the visible sign that Christ is with us.”

Secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Legislative Texts, Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, said the updated document was based on four years of experience operating under the previous version, but the update also was needed to incorporate changes Pope Francis made in 2021 to the Code of Canon Law’s “Book VI: Penal Sanctions in the Church.”

Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference is a member of the commission and brings with him the experience of the four-year process of the Australian Plenary Council, which concluded in July 2022.

Pope Francis kisses the hand of residential school survivor Alma Desjarlais of the Frog Lake First Nation during a welcoming ceremony at Edmonton International Airport 24 July 2022. Photo: CNS /Paul Haring. By Justin McLellan Establishing clear procedures for protecting vulnerable people against abuse "must become a priority in every local church," Pope Francis said. In a message to p...

Speaking in the third video for the Liturgical Renewal and Formation program, Mildred Rego explained that over the years, meaningful signs and symbols have come to occupy a key place in the Church that remind us of the history, teachings, and traditions passed down to us as followers of Jesus,