The agenda for the Plenary Council will be created through listening and dialogue in response to the question: What do you think God is asking of us in Australia at this time?

Our Diocesan responses to this question will also generate the agenda for the Diocesan Synod for the Diocese of Maitland- Newcastle.

“In order for those in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle to prepare for both the Plenary Council and the Diocesan Synod, we are encouraging all Catholic organisations within the Diocese to get involved and to assist,” says Teresa Brierley – Director Pastoral Ministries.

“To this end we are holding 15 meetings – between 21 August and 9 September – in the Newcastle, Hunter and Manning regions with the aim of identifying at least one animator from within each of these Catholic organisations.

“Animators will have a key role to play in first, ensuring as many conversations as possible take place across the Diocesan community and second, in helping maximise the number of people in our Diocese who participate in this extremely important process.

“Feedback from these conversations will be recorded on the Plenary Council’s website to ensure our voices contribute to both the Plenary Council and the Diocesan Synod,” she added.

Both the Plenary Council and the Synod have three stages:

• Preparation – involves a listening and dialogue process which will raise the agenda for the Plenary and Synod
• Celebration – both the Plenary Council and the Synod will have two sessions. The Plenary sessions will take place in Adelaide in October 2020 and around May 2021 in Sydney. The Synod sessions will take place in October 2019 and October 2021
• Implementation – this will start after the Plenary Council and the Diocesan Synod

The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle’s core Plenary Council team is made up of:

• Teresa Brierley – Director Pastoral Ministries
• Sr Louise Gannon rsj - Diocesan Co-ordinator of Liturgy
• John Donnelly – Office of Life and Faith Director
• Brian Lacey – Head of Religious Education and Spirituality Services
• Anne Heaney – Education Officer (Secondary Religious Education and Spirituality Services)
• Brad Fuller - Education Officer (Primary Religious Education and Spirituality Services)
• Mark Spencer - Education Officer (Primary Religious Education and Spirituality Services)
• Bernadette Gibson – Education Officer (Spirituality and Faith Formation)
• Sr Lauretta Baker rsj – Process Facilitator 

The dates of meetings to be held in August and September in the Hunter-Manning region are:

 

Date	Location	Place	Time
21 Aug	Booragul	St Paul’s College Hall, Primrose Street Street parking only for evening session as carpark generally pretty full during the day.	Session 1 - 1.00pm – 4.00pm    Session 2 – 5.30pm – 8.30pm
23 Aug	Raymond  Terrace	St Brigid’s Parish Hall, 52 Irrawang Street, Street parking	Session 1 - 1.00pm – 4.00pm    Session 2 – 5.30pm – 8.30pm
29 Aug	Maitland	All Saints College, St Mary’s Campus Hall Bent Street, Maitland Plenty of street parking and in staff carpark off Bent Street	Session 1 - 1.00pm – 4.00pm    Session 2 – 5.30pm – 8.30pm
30 Aug	Taree	Our Lady of the Rosary Parish Hall, Albert Street Parking in Albert St and also behind St Mary’s hall (via laneway off Albert Street)	Session 1 - 1.00pm – 4.00pm    Session 2 – 5.30pm – 8.30pm
4 Sep	Gateshead	St Paul’s Primary School Hall, 66 Felton Street Street parking or carpark off Felton Street	Session 1 - 1.00pm – 4.00pm    Session 2 – 5.30pm – 8.30pm
5 Sep	Newcastle    West	Cathedral House, Murray Room, 841 Hunter Street	Session 1 - 1.00pm – 4.00pm    Session 2 – 5.30pm – 8.30pm
6 Sep	Aberdeen	St Joseph’s High School Library, 49-53 Segenhoe Street Carpark off Segenhoe St. Overflow next door to school with driveway adjacent to church	Session 1 - 1.00pm – 4.00pm    Session 2 – 5.30pm – 8.30pm
9 September	Newcastle West	Cathedral House, Toohey Room, 841 Hunter Street	Session – 1.30pm – 4.30pm  Note: There is a 5pm Mass at the  Cathedral)

 

More information about the Plenary Council can be found on their website. 

Once an animator is selected, please have the animator fill out the submission form online at Local Animinator Submission Form.

If you have any queries, please contact Teresa Brierley, Director Pastoral Ministries at  Teresa.brierley@mn.catholic.org.au or on (02) 4979 1157

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