Bunbury Diocese clergy gathered in Busselton, Western Australia, for a conference on nurturing a culture for a synodal Church, emphasising the call from Bunbury Bishop George Kolodziej SDS for courage rooted in faith.
“If we are to be a synodal Church, we need more than strategies. We need courage – not the courage of human strength, but the courage that comes from faith,” Bishop Kolodziej said.
The two-day gathering brought together diocesan and religious priests, retired clergy, lay principals, leaders and diocesan staff — a rich mix of voices and charisms that fostered a truly synodal spirit.
In his homily at the conference Mass, Bishop Kolodziej said: “We come not simply to study a process, but to walk together, to listen to the Holy Spirit, and to renew our courage for the mission ahead.”
The conference was facilitated by Broken Bay Diocese’s Patti Beattie (head of pastoral discernment and accompaniment) and Kelly Paget (chancellor and head of mission).
Ms Paget shared with the conference delegates her personal experience of serving as a non-bishop member of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Across the sessions, clergy and lay leaders explored synodality through theological grounding, listening exercises, and concrete examples of parish and diocesan practice.
The conference immersed participants in the heart of synodal practice through “Conversation in the Spirit” – offering depth, practical formation, and tools used across Broken Bay Diocese.
Participants were invited to reflect on how similar frameworks, structures and processes might inform their own pastoral planning and parish renewal in Bunbury.
As Bishop Kolodziej reminded those gathered, “The call to synodality invites us to change how we walk together, how we listen, and how we discern.”
Reflecting further after the conference, he added:
“After listening prayerfully to my priests and lay faithful during our recent conference, I am strongly convinced that walking together is the way forward for our diocese,” he said.
“We are called to be a fully alive Church – a community where everyone is welcome, where synodality is not simply a concept but a lived reality and where the spirit of co-responsibility is embraced by all.”
FULL STORY
Bunbury Clergy Gathering Charts a Synodal Future (Bunbury Diocese)
