Diocese_Of_Sandhurst_YearInReview_2021

36 The first General Assembly of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia, took place in hubs and homes across Australia from 3-10 October. 276 Members tackled 16 questions in an endeavour to create a more missionary, Christ-centred Church in Australia. Daily Mass and the first plenary session of each day were live streamed. Sandhurst Plenary Members, Bishop Shane Mackinlay, Fr Brian Boyle, Cathy Jenkins and Ruth Lawlor gathered at the Chancery each day, while Fr Joe Taylor, due to pandemic restrictions, remained in Shepparton. Locally based Facilitators, Audrey Brown, David Walker and Dr Chris Cotter also joined the Sandhurst Hub. Chancery Staff worked from home for the duration of the First Assembly. The official Daily Plenary Mass was livestreamed from different dioceses across the country every morning. In Sandhurst, Members and Facilitators gathered each morning for Mass celebrated by Bishop Shane or Fr Boyle and listened to the Homily given at the official Mass via the internet. Mass celebrated by Bishop Shane Mackinlay at St Kilian’s Church, Bendigo on 4 October, the Feast of St Francis, was live streamed across the country. First Assembly of Fifth Plenary Council Sandhurst Hub Fr Brian Boyle celebrating Mass in the foyer of the Chancery, which became the Sandhurst Plenary Hub for the week of the First Assembly. “During this Plenary Council, we too are seeking to rebuild Christ’s Church, responding in a very concrete way to Pope Francis’ repeated call for us to become a more synodal church: a Church committed to journeying together in reciprocal listening to one another, listening to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, and most importantly listening to the Holy Spirit; a Church which gives witness to the Christian vision of community, participation, solidarity and joint responsibility.” Bishop Shane Mackinlay, in his Homily on 4 October