by Dr Madeline Beveridge, Pastoral Projects Leader
I recently had the privilege of travelling to Adelaide to participate in the Archdiocese’s Synod. From the moment I arrived, the theme, Together on the Way, felt remarkably accurate. Not just for Adelaide, but for us here in Lismore, where we share so many of the same hopes, dreams, and challenges. It was a vivid reminder that we are not alone in our local Church. Across the nation and the universal Church, we are united in faith, sharing the same joy of the Gospel and hope in the risen Christ.
The recurring thread of the day was being sent forth. We talked about missionary discipleship, active faith, witness to Christ, and the courage to speak boldly (parrhesia). We reflected on the importance of understanding our baptismal call to participate fully in the life of the Church. In the preparatory work, renowned theologian and consultant at the Synod on Synodality, Fr Ormond Rush, reminded us that in a synodal Church, we journey together. What shapes how we contribute is not our vocation or role, but our charism: the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit.
Fundamental to all of this is devoting real time to developing our relationship with Christ. Like all relationships, this requires time and effort. In his Carmelite spirituality, Bishop Greg Homeming speaks of “standing in the presence of God.” At the Synod we discussed the personal call to holiness: spending time each day in prayer, experiencing the joy of the Gospels, and encountering Christ anew. In his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis speaks of a state of constant conversion, an ongoing spiritual renewal and transformation, and a missionary option where we are “permanently in a state of mission” (Evangelii Gaudium 25), a call reflected in the working document we examined during our Conversations in the Spirit.
Archbishop Patrick O’Regan offered a striking metaphor of a boat, drawing on the symbolism of the Archdiocese’s coat of arms. The Diocese of Lismore is a diocese of rivers, and his image felt remarkably apt for us. Archbishop O’Regan observed that over time much happens below the waterline of a ship: barnacles accumulate, leaks develop, and eventually a vessel needs to come into dry dock to be repaired and reset. A dry dock is not where a ship goes to die; it is where it is renewed so that it can sail strongly into the journey ahead. Our local Church is on a similar journey. The Diocesan Review was our moment to pull into dry dock, to examine carefully the state of our metaphorical boat. The Diocesan Renewal has been the process of making the necessary repairs to carry us forward for years to come.
As I reflected on the themes of the day, I was struck by how closely they resembled the work already underway here in Lismore. We spoke about the importance of action, liturgy and the Eucharist, the sacraments, formation, lay participation, encounter with Christ, and the primacy of building relationships rather than structures. We spoke of radical hospitality, prayer, witness, nourishing the interior life, collaboration, transparent and accessible communication, and a genuine place for young people and families. These themes reflect initiatives in our own diocese such as Regional Parish Collaboration, Youth Ministry, Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Senior Leadership Program, lay led liturgy, and our communications renewal.
Synodality is about the renewal of ecclesial practice. We gathered as pilgrims, uncertain about what would emerge, and dependent on the grace of God. This is, of course, where the Holy Spirit does its finest work. We asked that the Spirit open our ears before our mouths, that we walk together genuinely, and that we remain attentive to where we were being led. As Archbishop Patrick reminded us: the Spirit is not a strategy or a program. Our task was not to direct the Spirit, but to be open to it.
During the Synod, I felt something that is difficult to put into words and yet immediately recognisable: a sense of joy and hope. Archbishop Patrick noted words that stayed with me: “The Spirit is moving. There is something wonderful happening here today.” I left Adelaide with a renewed conviction that this is precisely what it means to be together on the way. Not arriving, not having all the answers, but walking forward in faith, attentive to the Spirit, and in the company of a Church that is alive. And perhaps the greatest gift of that day was the reminder that in Adelaide, Lismore, and local Churches across this vast country, we are making that journey together.
