A stronger parish voice, a continuing appetite for faith formation and a commitment to carry the work beyond the assembly have emerged as key fruits of the second Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocesan Assembly. Source: Catholic Voice.
In a pastoral letter after the August 22 gathering, Canberra-Goulburn Archbishop Christopher Prowse said almost 500 people participated across the archdiocese’s 88,000 square kilometres.
Participants joined hubs in Canberra, Tumut, Temora, Batehaven, Bega, Goulburn and Cooma, as well as online, allowing the largely rural archdiocese to gather for the same day of prayer, listening and discernment.
The assembly brought Archdiocesan Festival Week to its culmination after a week that included Fr Rob Galea’s visits to schools, the ordination of Don Gomez to the permanent diaconate, the launch of Catholic Education’s seven-year Apostolic Action Plan and the Ecumenical evening of prayer and testimony.
“I truly believe that the synodal way of expressing our baptism is becoming more and more embedded in our acting and our thinking as an archdiocese,” Archbishop Prowse said.
He said people were becoming more comfortable with listening to the Holy Spirit “not only as individuals but as a community”.
At the assembly’s close, Parish Animator Chloe Kelly and Chancellor Dr Patrick McArdle identified faith formation, outreach and deeper relationships among the themes emerging from the day.
They also highlighted a change in participation. While the 2024 assembly drew heavily from school communities, registrations in 2026 came predominantly from parishes
“This time, it’s mainly parishioners,” Archbishop Prowse said. “A big uptake in the parishes.”
“The people of this archdiocese are looking forward to be formed, to become equipped and confident to be able to not only welcome people who come into the Church, but to be an invitational archdiocese.”
That formation was closely connected to a stronger missionary focus, including reaching beyond existing communities.
The Interim Archdiocesan Council will now review the assembly’s fruits alongside parish and community reports.
Responses will contribute to a full report alongside written contributions from the hubs and online responses.
For Archbishop Prowse, the next step is both conversion and building on what has already begun.
“A key word that came up when we put words together right at the very end was the word change, and that to me speaks of conversion,” Archbishop Prowse said.
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Assembly points to stronger parish voice and missionary focus (By Jeanine Doyle, Catholic Voice)
