{"id":6993,"date":"2026-05-07T23:40:40","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T23:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/6993\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T23:40:40","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T23:40:40","slug":"sydney-synod-sets-new-pastoral-priorities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/6993\/","title":{"rendered":"Sydney Synod sets new pastoral priorities"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP giving his welcome to the Synod. Photo: Alphonsus Fok.<\/p>\n

Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has accepted a series of key proposals from the Sydney Synod, setting new pastoral priorities for the archdiocese focused on more prayerful liturgies, Christ-centred\u00a0communities\u00a0and renewed missionary outreach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The decisions\u00a0\u2013\u00a0aimed at strengthening\u00a0sacramental life,\u00a0evangelisation, and formation\u00a0\u2013\u00a0came at the conclusion of the four-day synod, which closed with Mass at St Mary\u2019s Cathedral on May 3 after more than a decade of consultation and discernment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Requested by the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia and the\u00a0universal\u00a0Synod on Synodality, the synod was\u00a0also\u00a0the result of more than a decade of consultations, including three regional consultations held across Sydney in 2025\u00a0which\u00a0drew almost 1000 participants.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These yielded 500 submissions, compiled into 18 ideas for synod members to discern,\u00a0and\u00a0grouped under three \u201clongings\u201d of Sydney Catholics: that liturgies be more prayerful; that parish and other church communities be more Christ-centred; and that they be more mission-oriented.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIn these last four days, the Synod of Sydney has attempted to do what the disciples did in Jerusalem in the earliest days of the church,\u201d Archbishop Fisher said in his closing\u00a0homily.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Sydney Synod Day 2. Images by Giovanni Portelli Photography \u00a9 2026<\/p>\n

\u201cTo gather, pray, listen, and discern together what fidelity to the Gospel demands of the church in Sydney in our time. Against the temptation to trust in our own preferences, or to listen to the loudest voice, we have instead sought him who is the way, the\u00a0truth\u00a0and the life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The synod opened with\u00a0170\u00a0synod members and observers joining Archbishop Fisher at the cathedral for an evening Mass and informal reception on April 30.<\/p>\n

Then followed two days of speeches, discussions and voting on which ideas should be\u00a0implemented in the archdiocese, concluding with Mass and a BBQ for synod members.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Archbishop Fisher invited members to embrace the occasion with \u201ccandour, humility, gratitude and hope.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTo engage in\u00a0synoding\u00a0as Pope Francis described it is to stop, encourage the other, listen with the ear of the heart. Then to discuss and discern\u00a0so as to\u00a0come closer to Christ and one another,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a style of ecclesial living, marked by prayer above all.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

St Mary\u2019s Cathedral College Hall was\u00a0transformed into a carpeted room\u00a0with a stage, large\u00a0screens\u00a0and round tables to allow for smaller \u201cconversations in the Spirit\u201d between members, input to the whole assembly from speakers and table facilitators, and a transparent voting process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Dr Kevin Wagner and Mrs Helen Wagner, leaders in the Emmanuel Community speaking with Fr Dan Mccaughan. Photo: Alphonsus Fok.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a very grassroots synod,\u201d Bishop Daniel Meagher, vice chair of the synod working party, told the assembly. \u201cUltimately it\u2019s all about mission\u00a0\u2013\u00a0being truly, fully\u00a0catholic\u00a0\u2013\u00a0in drawing all people to Christ.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

He asked them to think and speak clearly,\u00a0so as to\u00a0bring forth the most practical, potentially\u00a0fruitful\u00a0and implementable ideas for the archbishop to consider.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cRelax, enjoy it. We\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have any idea what the outcomes will be, but most importantly, may God\u2019s will be done,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Observers\u00a0representing\u00a0other dioceses and other Christian traditions included\u00a0Archbishop of\u00a0Melbourne\u00a0Peter\u00a0Comensoli,\u00a0Bishop of Parramatta Vincent Long\u00a0OFM Cap,\u00a0Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia\u00a0Bishop Iakovos of\u00a0Miletoupolis, and\u00a0National Council of Churches Australia President\u00a0John Gilmore.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After\u00a0initial\u00a0guidance offered by synod working party members Daniel Ang and Sr Anastasia Reeves OP about the process, the first morning concluded with speeches by Philippa Manley, Natalie Limbers and Alison De Sousa.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each of the women offered guidance and insights from their own experience relating to the three longings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Sydney Synod working party. Images by Giovanni Portelli Photography \u00a9 2026<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen what a Christ-centred\u00a0community can be,\u201d said\u00a0Mrs\u00a0Manley. \u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0seen what it does to individuals, to families, and how it forms disciples.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHow good would it be if every parish across Sydney radiated that same warmth, that same welcome and sense of Christ alive amidst his people?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Liturgy was the afternoon\u2019s topic. Fr\u00a0Bijoy\u00a0Joseph\u00a0STL, a\u00a0member of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission\u00a0and\u00a0a lecturer in\u00a0liturgy\u00a0at the Catholic\u00a0Institute\u00a0of Sydney,\u00a0addressed the gathering to explain the role\u00a0of liturgy, drawing upon the Catechism of the Catholic Church,\u00a0and the six ideas\u00a0under consideration, briefly outlining possible benefits and challenges\u00a0relating to\u00a0their implementation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe primary\u00a0liturgy is in\u00a0heaven\u00a0and what we do on earth aims to participate in that one heavenly liturgy,\u201d he\u00a0explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would wager, based on this synodal longing, that most people\u2019s\u00a0general experience\u00a0of liturgy has been far from prayerful.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of experiencing heaven on earth, they experience something that is simply earthly, that drags them down rather than lifting them to heaven.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Synod members during lunch. Photo: Alphonsus Fok.<\/p>\n

Time was allowed for table discussion and summaries of these to be shared with the whole assembly, as well as suggestions\u00a0identified\u00a0by members as especially valuable, before a short vote on the six ideas closed the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Day two began with\u00a0Dr\u00a0Kevin Wagner\u00a0and\u00a0Mrs\u00a0Helen\u00a0Wagner,\u00a0leaders in the Emmanuel Community,\u00a0presenting their testimony and explanation of the ideas relating to fostering Christ-centred\u00a0communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be deliberate and intentional about strengthening our communities and making sure they are Christ-centred. They\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0just come about. Just because\u00a0people are\u00a0attending church on Sunday\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0mean\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0a community there,\u201d said\u00a0Mrs\u00a0Wagner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important to remember, as Pope Benedict wrote in\u00a0Spe\u00a0Salvi, no one lives alone, no one sins alone, no one is saved alone.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Synod observer from the Diocese of Broken Bay and its\u00a0evangelisation\u00a0director, Patti Beattie, told\u00a0The Catholic Weekly\u00a0it was \u201ca beautiful moment to walk into the room this morning and find a sense of joy and connectedness, a real presence of the Holy Spirit alive within people as they are working and journeying together.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the afternoon,\u00a0Fr\u00a0Chris\u00a0Ryan MGL,\u00a0Director of the\u00a0Aret\u00e9\u00a0Centre for Missionary Leadership, addressed mission and the priority he places on evangelisation, including through the use of Alpha.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"r\u00a0Chris\u00a0Ryan MGL,\u00a0Director of the\u00a0Aret\u00e9 Centre for Missionary Leadership. Images by Giovanni Portelli Photography \u00a9 2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will become a missionary\u00a0church to the degree that we ourselves have fallen in love with Jesus Christ,\u201d he said, also warning that \u201cif we wait until everything is perfect before we begin to\u00a0evangelise, we will never begin.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are living in a privileged moment experiencing a fresh wave of faith particularly among young adults searching for meaning, happiness and a life\u00a0truly worth\u00a0living and increasingly open to finding that in God.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Holy Spirit is the principal agent of\u00a0evangelisation, but we are called and are privileged to participate in this mission.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following the final voting session, Archbishop Fisher and Bishop Meagher each thanked synod\u00a0organisers\u00a0and participants, and St Mary\u2019s Cathedral College for accommodating the gathering.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe prayerfulness, positivity, wisdom, practicality and sheer fraternity in this synod hall have been most uplifting,\u201d Archbishop Fisher told the assembly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have advised that ongoing liturgy formation in view of but not limited to the IEC 2028 should be a priority, recommended that parishes and communities collaborate to offer more options for sacraments and prayer, longer opening hours and active ministries of welcome and hospitality, and proposed there be more training for clergy and laity in different ways of\u00a0evangelisation, including digital\u00a0evangelisation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"The first longing being introduced at the Sydney Synod on being more Christ-centred communities. Photo: Alphonsus Fok.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pleased to announce that I readily accept all of these recommendations from the synod and will make these pastoral priorities for the archdiocese going forward.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Synod member and CEO of Catholic Schools NSW Dallas McInerney told\u00a0The Catholic Weekly,\u00a0\u201cit\u00a0was very collegial, very collaborative, very supportive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been impressed by the variety of ideas and voices that have been heard, and now it\u2019s up to all of us to work to convert these good ideas into action,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Synod\u00a0assistant\u00a0and family educator at Mt Prichard Primary School, Bonnyrigg,\u00a0Jamilie\u00a0Nicolas, told\u00a0The Catholic Weekly\u00a0she had been particularly encouraged by Fr Ryan\u2019s speech to deepen her own formation and training,\u00a0so as to\u00a0better serve the families in her community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the spirit of everyone, being so faith-filled and respectful of each other, was amazing,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was a blessing even to be in the room with everybody.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

During the closing Mass, Archbishop Fisher expressed great confidence in the Synod\u2019s discernment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe may trust that in 21st century Sydney as in first century Jerusalem, the word of God will spread widely, and the number of disciples increase rapidly as a result.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLord let your mercy be on us,\u00a0for we place our trust in you.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP giving his welcome to the Synod. Photo: Alphonsus Fok. Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6994,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[8384,6433,247,7792],"class_list":["post-6993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sydney","tag-go-make-disciples","tag-highlights","tag-sydney","tag-sydney-synod"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6993"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6993\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}