Local Community Discernment

As Pope Francis remarked at the Welcoming Ceremony of World Youth Day in Portugal in 2023: “In the Church, no one is left out or left over. There is room for everyone. Just the way we are. Everyone. Jesus says this clearly. When he sends the apostles to invite people to the banquet which a man had prepared, he tells them: “Go out and bring in everyone”, young and old, healthy and infirm, righteous and sinners. Everyone, everyone, everyone! In the Church there is room for everyone… That is theChurch, the Mother of all. There is room for everyone. The Lord does not point a finger, but opens his arms.”

everyone. The Lord does not point a finger, but opens his arms.” 30

The Pope reminds us of Jesus’ call that everyone is welcome in the Church. As the baptised People of God, we each have a
personal responsibility to contribute positively to building a culture of welcome, hospitality and meaningful connection within the Church community. We acknowledge that people often live in complex contexts and situations, and thus there are different pathways and different stages of growth in coming to live lives that are faithful to the Gospel. In responding to Christ’s invitation for His disciples to “go out and bring in everyone,” we the People of God in Parramatta, need to be honest about the fact that we have often failed to welcome, and perhaps, continue to exclude many. Put another way, we need to ask ourselves if all people feel welcome in our gatherings? For example, what is the lived experience of a divorced person who feels alienated from the Church? How do we treat people seeking asylum in our communities? How do we understand the complexities and challenges faced by members of the LGBTQIA+ community who seek greater communion with the Church? Developing a shared understanding of a culture of welcome, hospitality and meaningful connection is critical to making ‘room for
everyone’. To explore what this looks like in our faith communities, we need to identify the areas of biggest need, and develop actions which uplift and create a truly Christ centred culture in the Church.

This responsibility does not only rely on priests and the ordained, but to all the People of God, who by virtue of their

baptism are called to participate actively in the life and mission of the Church. However, it is important to acknowledge the particular role that leaders, especially priests, have in cultivating a community where all the baptised see themselves as the Body of Christ in the world, and are empowered to use their gifts and talents to build up the community and reach out to others. The fabric of our Church’s culture is woven from the threads of its members. Intentionally seeking out the unique gifts of the faithful is essential if we are to build a culture of welcome and support local faith communities to accompany families, in all their diverse structures and circumstances.

Local community discernment questions

1. How can our faith community better understand and meet the needs of those who may feel excluded? What steps can we take to seek their participation and listen to their voices?
2. What are some concrete actions our faith community can take to better welcome and include all individuals, especially those who have historically felt marginalised or unwelcome?
3. Reflect on the unique gifts and talents within our faith community. How can we better identify, celebrate, and utilise these for the purpose of building a more inclusive and welcoming Church?
4. In what practical ways can we encourage and facilitate more meaningful connections among community members, particularly between those of diverse backgrounds or life situations? How can these connections strengthen our communal faith and witness to the broader society?