More than 70 Anglican and Catholic clergy from Queensland gathered for a day of shared Christian fellowship and learning at Holy Spirit Seminary, Brisbane. Source: The Catholic Leader.
The annual event is one part of an ecumenical covenant between the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane and the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba.
The July 17 event had presentations from Canberra-based Australian National University professor emeritus of politics John Warhurst, Brisbane Archdiocese government relations director Cathy Uechtritz and recently-elected federal Member for Griffith, Renee Coffey.
In a post on social media, Brisbane apostolic administrator Archbishop Mark Coleridge said it was a day that made clear “ecumenism isn’t an optional extra or something to be left to ‘those who like that sort of thing’”.
“It’s a key task for the whole Church,” he said.
Upper Mount Gravatt Wishart parish priest Fr Rony Kalapurackal Chacko said it was his third time at the annual gathering.
He said he had “come to treasure this gathering”, where he was able to learn from top minds across a range of public policy fields.
“My key takeaway from the meeting was the importance of nurturing friendships and collaboration between churches – working together to shape a society where Christian values inspire and guide both political leadership and public life,” he said.
“It was an inspiring and thought-provoking day that highlighted the Church’s vital role in engaging with politics.”
He said in today’s “complex and rapidly changing world”, the Church’s involvement in politics was not about partisanship but moral leadership, public witness and serving the common good.
Director of mission for Anglican Schools Commission Reverend Mary-Anne Rulfs said the church’s “proclamation of Jesus Christ must visibly witness to him through the quality of the church’s life as a community”.
“Just as Jesus spoke into the politics and lives of politicians of his day, (the speakers) challenged us as citizens and members of the church community in Australia to engage in the political life of our country, always in non-partisan ways, for the sake of proclaiming gospel values for the benefit of all,” she said.
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Combined Anglican and Catholic clergy day encourages shared Christian mission in political life of Australia (By Joe Higgins, The Catholic Leader)
