The final assembly of the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia came to an end last Saturday, with Archbishop Timothy Costelloe reminding Members that the task of discerning what the Holy Spirit is asking of us continues throughout our lives.

In a letter to Christ’s faithful in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Archbishop Peter A Comensoli reflects on the ways the Plenary Council prayerfully sought to envision and embody a 'more missionary and Christ-centred Church in Australia’. He invites us all to engage more deeply with the fruits of the Council by reading and discussing two significant documents: the Decrees of the Council, setting out the motions that were passed, and the final summary statement from the Assembly of what occurred during the week

We've also also put together four highlights from the Assembly, unpacking the nature of the Council and some of the resolutions that, pending Rome’s approval, the Australian Church has committed to.

Discerning ways to renew and revitalise the Church’s mission was a central focus of the Council, and this week, we hear about a couple of local initiatives that are doing just that. An exciting new sacraments of initiation resource, Journeying Together, provides engaging and age-appropriate online tools to help parents accompany their children on the journey of faith formation. And in greater Geelong and Melbourne’s north, two groups of parishes have banded together to pilot the Alpha process, helping people to meet Jesus.

This week we also hear the story of Frank Di Blasi, a big-hearted man whose ethos of service has enriched the Italian community in Melbourne—especially the lives of the elderly—for many years.

At their annual conference, Melbourne’s clergy also recently had the opportunity to hear from the Archbishop of Łódz in Poland, Grzegorz Rhyś, who spoke about the nature of mission and why the Church evangelises, reflecting that mission grows out of our discovery of Christ and from a heart of mercy, not a response to crisis.

This week is also the feast day of St Bonaventure, the ‘second founder’ of the Franciscans. We take a look at three spiritual lessons we can learn from him.