Phase I: Listening and Dialogue

Listening and Dialogue in Broken Bay

animator training2

Our Plenary journey in the Diocese of Broken Bay commenced with a launch at the Feast of Pentecost (20 May, 2018). At this time, all of our parishes, school and agencies received a Support Kit and resources, with a call to select ‘Local Animators’ to lead and facilitate Listening and Dialogue Sessions in local communities of faith throughout our Diocese. Training for these tasks and ideas for ways in which to hold Listening Sessions was provided to 140 Local Animators in August 2018.

Following this launch and training, Local Animators and other leaders within our parishes, schools and networks led numerous dialogue sessions in communities throughout the Diocese. Using customised guides, and expressing the good will of people within Broken Bay, the process led to a high number of submissions which ensured our Diocese will actively shape the themes and agenda of the Plenary Council.

As the Year of Listening in the Diocese of Broken Bay drew to an end, many gathered at two Plenary Diocesan Assemblies held at Waitara and at The Entrance in November and December 2018. This provided an opportunity for communities to listen and share with one another, across parishes and communities, discerning together what God is asking of us in Australia at this time.

More than 222,000 people across Australia participated in Phase I: Listening and Dialogue resulting in over 17,000 submissions.  The gathered data helped shape the six National Themes of Discernment. These themes will be drawn upon in the second stage - the discernment process in Phase II: Listening and Discernment.

Further Reading

Submissions and Reports

You can view and download submissions and reports for Phase I: Listening and Dialogue by clicking the links below:

  1. Final Report for Phase I: Listening and Dialogue (A Report to the Diocese of Broken Bay)
  2. Final Report for the Plenary Council Phase I: Listening and Dialogue (Australia wide)
  3. Summary of Submissions May 2018 - March 2019 - A Report to the Plenary Council Executive Committee