Section Archive: It Occurred to Me

What is it about women and the Church?

During the Second Assembly of the Fifth Plenary Council of the Australian Catholic Church, we learnt from experience that synodality is not for the faint hearted, writes Patty Fawkner SGS.

Posted on: July 19, 2022

Independents change the game through listening, dialogue and consultation

Following last month’s Federal election, are there lessons for the “official Church” in the rise of the independents who listened to the concerns of their communities, asks Patty Fawkner SGS.

Posted on: June 14, 2022

As Christians we are called to create a community of radical inclusion

A “preferential option for the other” is at the heart of the Gospel, and what it means to be Christian, while also offering a fresh way of thinking about love.

Posted on: May 16, 2022

On Anzac Day there is a time for poetry, a time to speak, and a time to keep silent

Disturbing images and stories ascend from the ashes in Ukraine. We are heavy-hearted and disturbed by the horror, the brutalisation, and the overwhelming sorrow of war, writes Patty Fawkner SGS.

Posted on: April 19, 2022

Structural change within the Church is needed in the fight for justice

The Plenary Council is an opportunity to amend structures of governance, language, and preaching, which would make a difference to all members of the People of God, writes Patty Fawkner.

Posted on: March 14, 2022

Resisting the impatient desire to reform other people

Minding my own business does not mean that I don’t care about others. But this is different from thinking that I know what is best for them, writes Patty Fawkner.

Posted on: February 15, 2022

It’s not easy being Christian, let alone being Catholic

Being faithful to the Gospel comes at a cost but regaining the respect of others in the public sphere should never be the end game, writes Sister Patty Fawkner SGS.

Posted on: December 13, 2021

Plenary Council reveals a diversity that is both enriching and challenging

When the Catholic Church in Australia gathered online for the first General Assembly of the Fifth Plenary Council earlier this month, Congregational Leader Patty Fawkner participated as a Council Member.

Posted on: October 19, 2021

Sexual and gender minorities are among those most excluded in our Church

One thing for certain we can say about Jesus, and therefore about God, is that Jesus is very comfortable with diversity and accompanying those on the margins, writes Patty Fawkner.

Posted on: September 15, 2021

We become the stories we tell ourselves

I cannot control what others think about me or their expectations of me, but I can control my attitude and how I choose to be, writes Congregational Leader Patty Fawkner.

Posted on: August 18, 2021

When a picture paints a thousand words that reveal the truth

In the quest for truth and justice, the media holds up a mirror that reveals what is hidden from our eyes but often done in our name, writes Patty Fawkner.

Posted on: July 20, 2021

Advocating for a consistent ethic of life is not limited to abortion

I am proud to name myself as a feminist. Yet, I part ways with the greater majority of feminists on the issue of abortion, writes Congregational Leader Patty Fawkner SGS.

Posted on: June 15, 2021