Formal proceedings got underway today at the Plenary Council offering a taste of things to come.

Geraldine talks to two of the 58 women involved, both lay and religious.

Her two guests are Angela McCarthy, Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Theology at Notre Dame University in WA and Dr Maeve Heaney, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy at the ACU based in Brisbane, where she’s also Director of the Xavier Centre for Theological Formation.

One of the key issues before the Church is the need for greater female involvement in the institution and in leadership roles.

How will the bishops respond to this clear request of the Church’s in the pews? It's a difficult dilemma for them, because any final recommendation about anything substantially new could run foul of Rome’s plans.

The Plenary Council is formally underway with the celebration of Mass in Perth.

Geraldine caught up with Fr Frank Brennan, the prominent Jesuit priest and public commentator.

What does he sense can be expected from this coming week of major talks? His day-job these days is Rector of Newman College in Melbourne but as a constitutional lawyer, he believes in contributing to the public square as a Catholic and is never timid with his interventions.

At the Plenary Council, he's been invited to be a peritus, that is, a specialist, to offer advice when asked by participants: under Canon Law, it's part of the structure of formal Councils. Periti were very influential at Vatican Two, which fundamentally turned the Church in a new direction back in the 1960s. So this is a nice link with the past and Frank Brennan will undoubtedly fulfil the role very well.

Geraldine readies herself for a week of talking and listening and the Catholic Church's Plenary Council which begins on Sunday 3rd October.

It's the first event held in Australia since 1937 and the first where lay-people can attend. All 300 or so participants will gather online from parishes around the country, due to Covid, all primed for respectful but passionate discussion about the future of a troubled Church.

Geraldine speaks to Lana Turvey-Collins, the lay-woman facilitator who's guided the complex organisation. They discuss Lana's ambitions for the Council but also the details about live streaming and access; and to Br Ian Cribb SJ, about the emphasis on Spiritual Conversations, a philosophy drawn from the Jesuit found St Ignatius, which will govern interactions at the Council.

https://plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au

Join prominent Australian broadcaster and Catholic Geraldine Doogue for her new podcast, Plenary Matters.

She'll follow a big, important gathering of the Catholic Church in Australia called the Plenary Council.

The last one was in 1937…yes, it’s been a long time between drinks!

And this one REALLY matters to the future of the Church….which is, let’s face it, swamped with challenges.

Geraldine has held on through this difficult period because she believes in the ability of the Church to 'resurrect' itself.

Join Geraldine as she speaks to other Catholics who are interested in shaping a new, modern Church.