The Year of our Lord 2019

The year of our Lord 2019 opens up before us. With any new year we naturally anticipate what lies ahead. Some things we know to expect but most is hidden from us. What lies ahead for the Church here in Tasmania?

On the wider horizon is the Plenary Council 2020. The initial period of consultation is coming to an end. There has been widespread interest and many have chosen to offer their contribution to the process.

The Plenary Council will be a significant moment for the Church in Australia. It will influence our future in many ways. The question being asked of us is very useful to reflect upon. We are being asked what we believe God is asking of the Church at this time. This encourages us to turn to prayer and seek the mind of God. We all have our own ideas, but we are being asked to go a little deeper.

This year in June all the bishops of Australia are going to Rome for what is known as the Ad Limina visit. It is intended to be held every five years, though the last one was eight years ago. The bishop is required to submit a quite detailed report on the state of his diocese. The report on the Archdiocese of Hobart ran to some 70 pages. As well as the meeting with the Holy Father, bishops will also meet with heads of the various Roman Dicasteries, or departments.

As was announced towards the end of the last year, I am planning to do another series of Mission Evenings in each of the parishes during the course of the year. The theme of the Mission Evenings is “No Greater Love”. I was encouraged by the response of many people to the mission evenings held last year. I hope many will take the opportunity to be present when the Mission Evening comes to their parish.

In a rapidly changing culture deepening our faith and strengthening our Catholic identity remain a major focus for the mission of the Archdiocese. There will be a number of new initiatives to promote the work of evangelisation in Tasmania in the coming years. We held an inaugural Matrimonium Summer School in Hobart in late January. This will become an annual event. It is part of a broader pastoral strategy, the Matrimonium Project, which aims to renew the culture of marriage and family.

Tasmania had 20 young people attend the World Youth Day (WYD) in Panama in January. There will continue to be a special emphasis on helping young people to come to a strong and vibrant faith in Christ. This year a Catholic chaplaincy will commence in the Launceston campus of UTAS (A Catholic Society has been operating in Hobart for the past three years).  

As the new year opens before us, it is good for a person of faith to turn to God and seek what He wants of us. To do this we turn to prayer. We listen to the Scriptures. We are attentive to the promptings of the Spirit. May this year of our Lord 2019 be a year of blessing for each of us personally, and for the Archdiocese as a whole.

Archbishop Julian Porteous

February 10, 2019

Tags: Archbishop's Blog