Publisher's Synopsis
"... a realistic, hopeful and authentically Catholic roadmap for the forthcoming Australian Plenary Council....."
-Frank Brennan SJ, AO
The Catholic Church has gone 'off mission'. The scandal and tragedies of clerical child sexual abuse and the cover-up by bishops is symptomatic of a deeply ailing church.
Getting Back on Mission focuses on Jesus' mission for the Church; it exposes dysfunctional governance involving a grave lack of accountability and transparency, and the exclusion of the People of God - particularly women.
This is a contribution to the Australian Plenary Council 2020/21. Its purpose is twofold: to get the Church back 'on mission'; and to show how that can be achieved 'together'.
The reforms proposed are based on sound evidence and analysis. For Catholics wanting genuine renewal of their Church, this roadmap for change is a must-read and an essential companion book for the Plenary Council.
Getting Back on Mission is forward-looking and founded on trust in the Spirit - it is about hope.
Catholics for Renewal is a group of committed Catholics that has been advocating Church renewal for a decade. A legion of Catholics has supported its work involving surveys, open letters, articles, and public evidence at major government inquiries.
Catholics for Renewal believes that the Church will change only if individual Catholics take up the challenge and drive that change. Many renewal groups throughout Australia are doing just that.
Testimonials
"This new book is a most comprehensive compendium of necessary reforms for consideration not only for the Plenary Council 2020 but immediately by every church leader as a matter of urgency."
- Emeritus Professor John Warhurst AO, Chair of Concerned Catholics Canberra Goulburn, and Member of Australian Bishops' Church Governance Review Panel
"Want to know what the 2020 Plenary Council should be dealing with? The read Catholics for Renewal's Getting Back on Mission."
-Eric Hodgens (retired) Catholic Priest
"I hope this book helps navigate our Church's sacred pastors to the wisdom and action needed to get us out of this mess."
- Mary McAleese, former President of Ireland
"... the Church as an institution is in question, by the state and by the People of God... "
- Dr Hans Zollner SJ, leading Vatican expert in clerical child sexual abuse
