Three ground-breaking reports were launched at the Association of Ministerial Public Juridic Persons Forum in Cairns last week.
Australian Catholic University Associate Professor Fr Jamie Calder SJ launched his paper: “Called by Love – Called to the Service of Stewardship, Theological Foundations of Lay Ecclesial Leadership in Ministerial Public Juridic Persons.”
The paper explains why lay Catholics should be in leadership positions within the Church, and what that leadership might entail. It also explains aspects such as the positive involvement of non-Christian people in the Church’s mission through their roles as staff and volunteers.
It proposes that councils of canonical stewards/trustees should be small, intentional Christian communities, thus putting a particular focus on meetings and changing how trustees relate to each other outside of meeting times.
Dr Ruth Powell of NCLS Research shared the findings of the first comprehensive survey of the nation’s Catholic trustees. The report shows that, generally, the trustees feel confident and competent in areas of mission, governance and an understanding of charism.
Some trustees feel they need more education and formation in areas such as canonical and civil law as it applies to MPJPs, property and IT. There is also a need for a more diverse group of trustees in the future in terms of age and ethnic background.
In a third launch, Adjunct Professor Susan Pascoe outlined the first international study of the world’s largest lay-led ministries, the Inclusive Governance in a Synodal Church Report. This has illustrated the growing impact of MPJPs in the English-speaking world, which operate in Australia, the US, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Ireland and the UK. Australia has the biggest percentage of Catholic ministries in lay leadership through MPJPs.
AMPJP chair Moira Najdecki said that “after a period of consolidation, AMPJP and MPJPs are looking to play a key role in the Church in Australia and beyond. We are looking to improve our own work, particularly in formation, and support the wider Church in this and other key areas through decision-making based on quality theological and practical research.”
Details: ampjp.org.au
FULL STORY
Three Ground-breaking Reports launched at AMPJP Forum (AMPJP)
