Be flexible and don’t be afraid to change
Synod
Placing social justice and action at the heart of the 2026 Synod was the key theme of an open forum held at Sophia Centre in Cumberland Park last month.
More than 30 people attended the evening which was hosted by SA Catholics for an Evolving Church (SACEC) in tandem with the St Vincent de Paul Society SA and the Cross Rd Forum.
A panel of four moderated by Monica Conway, chair of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, gave brief introductory speeches on the topic of ‘Creativity and Courage in Mission’.
The thoughts were wide ranging but forthright.
Greg Schar, who has been president of Hallett Cove Vinnies conference for the past seven years and is a regular volunteer with Fred’s Van at Christies Beach, began the conversation by lamenting the many skilled people in parishes who are not being given opportunities to contribute to mission.
He said this was often due to a lack of awareness that they might be able to contribute.
Greg also spoke of the lack of affordable housing across Australia, querying whether parishes could use their available land for affordable housing.
The second panellist, Nastasha Egglestone, who is a nurse and a member of the Vinnies Youth Conference and State Council, followed up on Greg’s concern on volunteering.
“I believe a lot of young people want to pick up the (voluntary) work but they have different availability for meeting times,” she said.
“It’s about building a different framework that works for all ages and different backgrounds.”
The third panellist was Peter Bierer, assistant director, Pastoral Life and Mission for the Archdiocese of Adelaide, who is also a lead facilitator for the 2026 Diocesan Synod.
He reflected on his own experience as an artist and musician and said that the mere fact of being creative is to be courageous.
A major obstacle to new ideas is mindset, he insisted.
“Mission in this new era requires new ways of thinking and responding to current realities. Creativity, a work of the Spirit, emerges from deep listening and discernment. We are trying to help people to become comfortable with the Synod process and listening and discussing and working together.
“We can’t fit everyone in the room (at the Synod) but everything that happens will be shared for feedback and eventually for action.”
The final speaker, Mario Trinidad, recalled his time as a missionary in his native Philippines, as well as in Guatemala and Mexico. He challenged those gathered to see Christ in the poor, to put the disadvantaged at the centre of Church in a “dislocating and disorienting way”.
“Missionaries don’t bring Christ, we discover Christ that is already there,” he said.
More broadly, structures of an institution dating back more than 2000 years were debated, the upshot being that to move forward successfully, it needs to be as relevant as possible to people today.
Greg warned against mistaking words for action, adding “doing is imperative”.
“Statements can go nowhere, (the Synod) needs to be actioned and not just talk,” he said.
Nastasha perhaps summed up the mood for change best by asking how to get the right people involved in social justice. Find the busiest person in the room was her solution.
“You need to find people who will do it well and who are up for everything and know how to bring others along. Be flexible and willing to start something new,” she said.
The evening’s responder, Greg Bowyer, who has worked in Catholic Education for 38 years, summed up well.
“Matthew 25:35-36, is what it’s all about,” he said, referring to the parable of the final judgement.
“Christians are called to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger and visit the imprisoned.”
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