Agenda 22 August 2023

Archbishop’s Council of Priests 

Regional Meetings 

Tuesday 22 May 2023 

1. Opening Prayer and Welcome  

2. Summary of the meeting of May  

Questions or items arising from the summary of the meeting.

3. MACS and Parishes and Enrolment Policies  

• The MACS enrolment policy outlined in “Working Together in Mission” (p.21) aspires to be a policy based on joint responsibility of the Parish Priest and the Principal, collaboration, and an evangelising mission perspective as per Can. 781. Is this aspiration in fact congruent with the actual practice? 

• In the spirit of synodality, what opportunities and rights can and should be afforded the Parish Priest, Parish Councils, and the wider Parish community in formulating an enrolment protocol according to and for local needs? 

• My recollection (and I stand corrected) was that the former CEO policy recommended that the intake of non-Catholic students per se, be capped at 15%. In 2023 in the Western Region, 37 Parishes had at least one Parish Primary School, with many having multiple schools. Only 4 of the 37 Parishes (10.8%) had Schools that met the former CEO recommendation. In the pursuit of enrolments has the Catholic Primary School system and individual schools inadvertently eroded their Catholic identity and ethos? 

• Some school parents have asked me, given the large number of non -practising Catholic staff and the increased number of non-Catholic students in our schools are our Parish Schools becoming expensive State Schools? From the priests’ perspective is this lament reasonable and well founded? 

Submitted by Fr Gerard Keith  

4. World Youth Day (WYD) 

What was the experience like for those who attended? 

What hopes and plans are emerging post WYD for our parishes and our diocese? 

5. General Business 

Regional Meetings, Council of Priests 

Tuesday 22 August 2023 

VENUES 

Western Region 

Date: Tuesday, 22 August 

Time: 11:00 am - 1:00 pm 

Venue: St Andrew’s Parish Centre 

105 Greaves Street North  

WERRIBEE 

Eastern Region 

Date: Tuesday, 22 August 

Time: 11:00 am –1:00 pm  

Venue: Our Lady’s Church, Wattle Park 

301 Elgar Road,  

SURREY HILLS 

Southern Region 

Date: Tuesday, 22 August 

Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm 

Venue: St Peter’s Clayton  

258 Clayton Road 

CLAYTON  

Northern Region 

Date: Tuesday, 22 August 

Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm 

Venue: St Mary’s Church Gathering Space, Greensborough 

204 Grimshaw Street 

GREENSBOROUGH