Pilgrims of Hope: Charisms for the Mission of the Church

Thursday 21 August – Friday 22 August 2025

MacKillop Place, North Sydney

In this Jubilee Year, the Australian Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry is gathering with leaders of a select group of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities. Bishops and lay leaders will journey together discerning the gathering theme: Charisms for the Mission of the Church.

The first gathering of its type in over a decade will explore the gifts and support of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities in Australia. The gathering aims to:

deepen relationships between the Bishops and the leaders of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities (EMNC)
encourage the EMNC to identify their charisms and share how they are placing their charisms at the service of communion and mission in local churches
promote and recognise the communion of charisms among EMNC
set a vision for the future which builds on the key themes of Evangelisation, Charism and Co-Responsibility.

The gathering will encourage synodal dialogue through spiritual conversations about BCELM statements on evangelisation, charism and a future statement on co-responsibility.

Registration details and links are provided through direct invitation to Bishops or a select group of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities. Enquiries can be made to: info@nce.catholic.org.au.

A program outline is below. Recordings of presentations will be available on Evangelise+ after the gathering.

REGISTRATIONS OPENING SOON

Thursday 21 August
8.00am	Mass - Mary MacKillop Chapel
9.00am	Greetings Pick up registration, greetings and be seated at assigned tables
9.15am	Welcome and Opening Prayer BCELM Bishop and BCELM Advisory Council
9.45am	Session 1: Universal – National - Local An introduction to the gathering and the dynamic between universal, national and local experiences and leadership.
10.30am	Morning Tea
11.10am	Session 2: Charisms for the Mission of the Church Input leading to table discussion and large group sharing, identifying gifts of EMNC and impact on the Church.
12.30pm	Lunch
1.40pm	Reflection
2.00pm	Session 3: Co-responsibility Input leading to table discussion sharing ways of carrying‘the Gospel into the world transforming it through witness, word, holiness, mercy and life’ (cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi n.66-73).
3.15pm	Afternoon Tea
3.50pm	Session 4: Relationship with Bishop and Diocese Panel sharing and large group discussion on good relationships with Bishops and walking synodally together.
5.00pm	Prayer and Reflection Personal reflection on the experience of the day Individuals to share in large group their reflections from the day
6.00pm	Dinner in own groups

Friday 22 August
8.00am	Mass - Mary MacKillop Chapel
9.00am	Welcome and Prayer
9.10am	Session 5: Synodality – Journeying together Reflecting upon EMNC charism, co-responsibility and relationship with diocese, how can we walk synodally for the mission of the Church?
10.30am	Morning Tea
11.15am	Session 6: Pilgrims of Hope Reflecting on the gathering experience and our journey together into the future.
12.30pm	Final Comments and Commissioning Prayer
1pm	Conclusion

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference acknowledges with sorrow the experiences of adults subjected to childhood abuse within the Church. Read the Acknowledgement of Victims/Survivors.

We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the traditional custodians of this great South land upon which we gather. We honour elders past, present and future, and thank them for their sacrifice and stewardship. We commit ourselves to the ongoing journey of reconciliation.