The fifth edition of the Mission: one heart many voices conference, held for the first time online and presented to a worldwide audience, was an outstanding success with over 500 participants actively involved and engaged in exploring the challenges of living the gospel and leading mission in Australia and globally.
The conference was held over three days, with an extra session organised by young people also included in the program for the first time. Catholic Mission partnered with Catholic Religious Australia to present the conference.
“The Mission Conference has shown that the Holy Spirit continues to call us as a Church into renewal,” says Peter Carroll FMS, president Catholic Religious Australia and Provincial of Marist Brothers, Province of Australia. “Presenters and participants alike brought an energy and passion to be co-responsible in the service of a prophetic, Mission-centred church.”
Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, also presented at the conference, speaking about leadership in mission. His words, urging participants to “get involved in a personal encounter”, resonated.
“The challenges for the church in the modern world will not be solved by the ecclesial bureaucracy or head office but by the personal encounter at the church door, the school gate, the shopping centre,” says Catholic Mission National Director, Fr Brian Lucas. “We cannot but continue to speak about what we have seen and heard as we take the gospel to the world as it is today.”
For the first time, the conference was presented digitally, with great success. The sixth edition of Mission: one heart many voices will be held in 2023.
The Conference speakers:
1. Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM - Aboriginal activist, educator and artist, 2021 Senior Australian of the Year
2. Mr Hugh MacKay AO - Social psychologist and researcher
3. Dr Ursula Stephens - Chief Executive Officer, Catholic Social Services Australia
4. Mr Craig Foster AM - Human Rights Activist, Sport & Social Responsibility, Author, Adjunct Professor, Broadcaster, Former Socceroo
5. HE Chiara Porro - Ambassador of Australia to the Holy See
6. Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle - Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of Manila
7. Sister Lyndall Brown rsj - Spiritual Accompanier of Retreats and Workshops
8. Mr Robert Fitzgerald AM - NSW Ageing and Disability Commissione
