Diocese_Of_Sandhurst_YearInReview_2021

11 Most Rev. Shane Mackinlay DD PhD Bishop of Sandhurst As we began 2021, we looked forward with a sense of cautious optimism. Vaccines were approved and had begun to be distributed; we had flattened the curve; schools had finished the year with face-to-face classes, and crowds had been able to gather for Christmas celebrations, even if we did have to wear masks and apply social distancing. Surely the coming year couldn’t be as bad as 2020? We were partly right and partly wrong. Vaccinations arrived and people across the country have taken every opportunity to use them. But, just as vaccines were being rolled out, the Delta variant arrived, and so we have endured another year of lockdowns, remote schooling, businesses closed, and plans cancelled or postponed. This year has also brought new challenges. In the second year of the pandemic, we have seen more uncertainty, frustration, impatience, mistrust and even anger. Some people have been so distressed that they have accepted they cannot continue in their employment. Our communities have been divided, with limits on who can participate. And, in recent months, the Omicron variant has reminded us just how volatile and disruptive this global pandemic continues to be in our interconnected world. The human cost has grown too, as we have had another year of limited contact with family and friends, of grandchildren growing up without seeing their grandparents, of being separated from family members overseas, of being unable to visit loved ones who have been sick, or even died. And yet, as was the case in 2020, the resilience and resourcefulness of the Catholic community has also provided meaningful connection and a sense of hope. Across the Diocese our parishes, schools and social services have continued adapting their ministries to circumstances as they changed, at times quite dramaticallyandat very short notice. I remainencouraged and inspired by the commitment of our communities to expressing and nourishing our Christian identity and mission as God’s Church. In the Chancery, we have continued taking steps to implement the recommendations of the Go Forth report that was published at the end of 2020. In early May I was very pleased to appoint Dr Chris Cotter as the Director of Mission and Pastoral Life, and plans are being developed for the establishment of a Diocesan Mission and Pastoral Council. The Australian Church has also demonstrated remarkable flexibility in staging the First Assembly of the Plenary Council; originally planned as a face-to-face event in Adelaide, then as a hybrid of state-based face-to-face hubs with online plenaries and small group sessions. The First Assembly was finally celebrated as a wholly online event in early October. Many wondered if it would be possible for the 276 Plenary Council Members to meet, deliberate, pray, and discern the movements of the spirit online. And yet, amid widespread restrictions and local lockdowns we did – thanks to the ingenuity and hard work of the national Facilitation Team and our local co-ordination team. In Sandhurst, four of the five Members, three Facilitators and a few support staff were blessed to be able to gather in a local hub at the Chancery in Bendigo. I look forward to the Plenary Council’s ongoing process of discernment, which will culminate with the celebration of the Second Assembly in Sydney in July 2022, and the implementation phase to follow. It is notable that our own Plenary Council is contributing to a broader commitment by the Universal Church, with similar processes in some other countries and Pope Francis announcing that the 16th Synod of Bishops “For a synodal Church” would include a world-wide consultation of the People of God. I encourage you to participate in the Synod consultation and ask for your prayers for both the Plenary Council and the Synod. Looking back on 2021, I am very conscious that these are just some of the signs of Christ’s enduring presence among us. There is much to give thanks for and still more that the Holy Spirit is yet to accomplish in us and through us. Whatever the new year brings, let us continue to walk together, supporting each other and trusting in God’s faithfulness and love. From Bishop Shane Mackinlay