I.  Testimonials from Attendees:

 

‘Conference was very instructive and may be the beginning of a movement’

‘Very timely and Needed Town Hall’

‘Educational and Inspirational’

'We need to have our voices heard without asking permission’

‘Church must address the role of women and human sexuality’

‘Hard to talk about lay leadership when it has been lost with Partners in the Gospel’

‘Instead of combining parishes, tap into lay leadership’

              

II. Overall Themes Expressed at Town Hall:

 

A   The Necessity and Inevitability of CHANGE

The Church is in the process of rediscovering who and what it is to the people of faith. In that process it must be open to change and transformation.

Change is critical if the Church is to survive.  The structure has been held together by priests and religious who are fewer and fewer. We need to empower the laity to renew the church.

The synodal process needs to be reinvigorated to include open and honest discussion of the earlier synod responses which have been largely ignored.

                      

B   Partners in the Gospel (PIG) and LAY Leadership

 The PIG process was accomplished with little or no lay involvement and has resulted in a ‘hallowing out’ of the Church in this archdiocese.                    

The Archdiocese gives lip service to lay empowerment when, in fact, the laity are capable of administering their parishes in collaboration with the parish priests, many of whom are overworked and ill-equipped for the changes brought on by PIG and any subsequent iterations. To do so, there needs to be a competent and comprehensive training of lay persons, starting with lay parish coordinators, to rapidly replace the ongoing hierarchical approach to governance of parishes.

-Any decision to close or consolidate a parish or school should only be made in conjunction with lay representatives of the parish or school.

 

C   The Role of Women

This issue has plagued our Church for decades.The failure to prominently include women in positions of hierarchical authority has cost the Church dearly.This includes roles as ministers.It should not be simply the shortage of priests which dictates outcome here.It is only ‘right and just’ that the role of women be recognized at all levels of leadership.

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D   All are Welcome?

The mass and eucharist are central to our faith.Yet, the lack of participation in this sacrament by our young Catholics, many raised and educated in our institutions, is a grave problem.Dogma issues, as brought out in synod responses, are troubling to many but the grip of clericalism must be loosened. A good start would be to welcome all persons, especially the marginalized in our community – as Our Lord would do.

 

As described by Prof. Massimo Faggioli (our keynote speaker), the Church needs to answer Vatican II’s call for a Church of collaboration and unity between lay and clergy.

 

III. Action Plan:

 

• Prevent further implementation of PIG, especially closure of schools or parishes without the collaboration and approval of the parishioners.

•  Develop specifics to ensure lay leadership, especially for women, is a central part of the future of the Church.

• Plan further conferences like this one and include priests and hierarchy where laity and clerics meet as equals to address the serious issues facing our Church.

• Revive the synodal process and demand answers to issues raised in that     process.

• Solicit volunteers to bring their talents to parish administration.