Northern region prepares for assembly
Events
Members of parishes in the northern suburbs are preparing for a day of discussion, planning and celebration when they gather for a regional assembly next month.
To be held on September 2, the assembly for region 5 will bring together people from the Greenacres-Walkerville, Clearview-Kilburn, Pooraka, Para Hills-Modbury, Dernancourt, Tea Tree Gully, Salisbury and Elizabeth parishes.
A planning team has been meeting regularly since March to prepare for the day and ensure it covers issues which are at the heart of the local area.
James Ellery from Dernancourt parish, who is a member of the planning team, described region 5 as “proportionally younger, more multicultural and less well-off” than many other areas.
“We have plenty of what Pope Francis would call the margins and so we have tried to shape our agenda and content to address these pastoral realities, consciously asking who is not represented,” he explained.
“The regional assemblies’ focus is local, aiming for a commitment to practical localised action, not a talkfest. Because the universal affects the local I’m sure it will be mentioned, but our local region is the focus.”
Another member of the planning team, Deborah Bittoto from the Salisbury parish, added that the assembly would enable participants to “listen to guest speakers, each other and provide the opportunity to learn, discern and come together”.
Keynote speaker will be Father Joshua Nash OMI, who is assistant priest at the Tea Tree Gully parish. The program also includes short reflections from groups working across the region and small group discussions on topics such as inclusion, hospitality and welcome, young people/intergenerational, and multicultural.
The September 2 assembly will be held in Sienna Hall, St Augustine’s Church, Salisbury Bookings by August 25 at trybooking.com/CJJPT
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