Adelaide Archbishop Patrick O’Regan has signed the final document of the Adelaide Diocesan Synod, just over 14 months since he first convoked the Synod. Source: The Southern Cross.
The official signing of the final document, which includes one decree and five supporting declarations, took place at Archbishop’s House on Thursday.
The decree is the culmination of 90 Synod members speaking with thousands of parishioners across the archdiocese over the past year about their hopes for the Church’s future locally and how to work together more effectively and in harmony.
The findings – each dedicated to a different topic – were first formulated into a working document and then further discussed and agreed to by the members at two Synod assemblies held in May and June.
This resulted in a final document, which Archbishop O’Regan then read and “lightly edited”, although he said the responsibility was anything but rubber-stamping.
“My task has been to hold what we discerned together in prayer, to test it against the Gospel and the tradition entrusted to me, and to give it back to you not diminished but clarified. That is the work I complete today,” Archbishop O’Regan said.
The five key themes which were identified and presented in the working document, “A Synodal Church on Mission”, are:
- Becoming Mission Disciples;
- Communion in Grace – Sacrament to the World;
- Mission of Catholic Education and Being Church Together;
- Formation for Mission and Leadership; and
- Structures and Planning for Communion, Mission and Participation.
The decree and declaration were signed by Archbishop O’Regan and notarised by his executive assistant Aida Joseph in front of 14 members of the Synod and Diocesan Pastoral Council.
In the decree, Archbishop O’Regan said a Synod Implementation Working Group will be established “to turn the Synod outcomes into practical, resourced and accountable actions”. He also said the five declarations would “inform the pastoral plan for the Archdiocese of Adelaide”.
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Finally… the 2026 Synod agreement is signed (By Richard Evans, The Southern Cross)
