Concerned Catholics Tasmania

Concerned Catholics Tasmania – Vision and Mission

Vision

Our vision is for an inclusive Church which welcomes all in the spirit of the Gospels, and in which the talents, gifts and wisdom of all Catholics, female and male, whether lay, religious or ordained, contribute at every level of participation and decision making in the Catholic Church in Australia.

As Canon Law itself clearly expresses: "The Christian faithful have the right and even, at times, the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful." (Canon 212.3)

Context

There is a growing sense in the Archdiocese of Hobart that the human dignity, capability and capacity of the faithful needs to be engaged more fully to build a truly collaborative and synodal Church. The social teachings of subsidiarity and solidarity provide the essential framework for such change.

As one significant example of the need for change nationally, the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, so far as they related to Church practice and governance, point to the need for profound system reform of the Church's governance and administration and clerical culture. Throughout the hearings, the lack of transparency and accountability, the absence or limitations of competent lay participation and leadership, and a culture of secrecy and non-disclosure were shown to be characteristic of Church administration and governance. Such behaviours are inconsistent with the Church’s social teaching with its emphasis on human dignity, solidarity and subsidiarity.

Sadly, these traits are also evident in other areas of Church structures and processes.

Mission

We are committed to ensuring Catholic lay people in the Archdiocese of Hobart have an effective role and voice in its administration and direction, and an effective means of providing support to one another as we work collaboratively to carry out the mission of our Church.

Aims

In a spirit of shared mission, mutual responsibility and genuine collaborative leadership, we seek to advance towards

·                agreement for a structure and work plan based on mutual partnership with our Archbishop, lay people and our committed priests and religious, to achieve a reform agenda that brings renewed life to the mission of the Church;

·                the establishment of an Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, with a view to enhancing lay leadership and a synodal Church;

·                new models of Church with more meaningful and effective lay participation in employed and honorary positions;

·                a focus on greater accountability, inclusiveness and transparency; and

·                greater women's participation in leadership and decision-making at all levels of the Church.