Many thanks to Rob Egar & Bob Wilkinson for their guest editorship of this edition, and to the National Office team for the journal’s new format. It builds on the untiring work of John Jegorow over the past 10 years. We are still searching for a permanent editor, probably a priest.
Australia presents a changing face of priesthood. There is, for example, the growing number of priests born overseas who bring vital new cultures to enrich the Australian church.
We welcome articles from these priests and all others to keep The Swag a true voice of the priests.
The committee met on 11 March 2009 with the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry.
Subjects we considered included:
- the acculturation of priests
- care for ageing clergy
- decline of Eucharist in rural areas
- pastoral planning
- care for overworked priests
- the demise of the Encompass program
- formal recognition of Towards Healing and Integrity in Ministry
- ongoing liturgy translation issues
- an update on our 2010 convention
- affirming our bishops
Planning is well underway for the 2010 Convention – featuring Fr Donald Cozzens, author of The Changing Face of the Priesthood, Freeing Celibacy, Faith That Dares to Speak and many other reflections and Rev Dr Richard Lennan, an internationally-regarded ecclesiologist from the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, currently lecturing at Boston College.
Australia has matured into a broad theological, spiritual and ethnic spectrum among its priests. At this convention we are looking forward to a dialogue across this spectrum that goes well beyond our own membership.
The 2009 NCP Membership Form goes out to all priests in Australia at the beginning of April. Current members will receive the Bulletin for this year.
Our annual meeting of the NCP committee was held in Belmont, 16-19 February 2009. A report of this meeting will be included in the first Members’ Bulletin for 2009.
I write in the middle of the season of Lent with Easter fast approaching. May the Paschal Mystery revitalise us in our joint mission to build up the Body of Christ and to bring Jesus’ message of hope to a world concerned about the future – particularly in this time of unemployment and economic crisis.
Ian McGinnity
