Clergy Conference 2026

Keynote Speech

By The Most Rev Bishop Donald Sproxton VG
Auxiliary Bishop of Perth

Wednesday 15 April, 2026
Newman College, Perth

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I thought that I would base these reflections on pastoral ministry from my experience as a pastor, a Priest and Bishop in Perth. I have been thinking about the changes in the pastoral scene since my ordination to the Priesthood in December 1977.

There have been many changes in our pastoral ministry along the way: changes in the relationships among the clergy, with the people, between the parishes and the Archdiocese. In my early years, the composition of the presbyterate was, I believe, quite typical of an Australian diocese. There was a sizable number of Irish-born Priests, most still active Parish Priest. The Australian born Priests were now being appointed to bigger metropolitan parishes, having already served in country parishes. There were assistant Priests in a great many city parishes, especially in the older inner-city parishes, and country parishes. Religious clergy nearly equalled the number of diocesan Priests. And because they were engaged in parish ministry, they shared so much with the diocesans, and they were welcomed by us and helped to be at home. They all form the presbyterate of Perth. 

There was a well-established policy for appointments of Parish Priest. It was based on seniority. You would expect to begin your ministry as a Parish Priest in a country parish and maybe be moved to a second parish in the country. Some Priests would spend 10-15 years in these parishes. The exception to this was the Priest who had been given a specialist appointment. Once appointed to the city, the Parish Priest would go to the smaller parish and be later promoted to a larger one, depending on his seniority and abilities. Many had assistant Priests. Monsignors mostly had “the best parishes”! Parish Priests were appointed for an indeterminate period.

This breeds competition and jealousy. Priests were very guarded with one another and distrustful. Clergy gossip and cliques and division were evident. The bishop would consult, but with a small group of Priests and lay people, when considering issues and was very directive in his style of governance. An appointment to a parish or special ministry would be communicated in a short letter giving the date on which you were to be in the pastorate. No discussion. 

Assistant Priests were jokingly told that they had no other right but to a Catholic funeral! They were expected to be guided by the Parish Priest in all matters and assigned tasks. They were to “help out the old man”! 

Changes were on the way. Archbishop Goody brought new ideas to Perth. He wanted to hear the views of Priests and people. Priests were encouraged to meet in Zones. The Council of Priests was established to broaden his consultation with the clergy. A Diocesan Pastoral Council was created to aid in him in pastoral planning. Theologians, moral theologians and specialists in other fields in scripture and pastoral ministry were invited to give short seminars. These were the forerunners of the annual seminars. 

But, how to break down the barriers? Archbishop Foley and Bishop Healy, the Vicar for Clergy, recognised that the opportunity had come for more change. They both knew the Priests well and had personally experienced both the strengths and difficulties in the culture of the diocese. They knew that something had to be done to help the presbyterate become healthier, be more united, happier, and recapturing the joy and enthusiasm for their Priestly life. They recognised that they personally had to show their care for the clergy in practical ways.

The Council of Priests discussed the issues facing the presbyterium and what means were available to address them. The bishop had heard about the Ministry to Priests program based in San Francisco and how effective it was in many dioceses in the US and in Australia. A team was invited to come to Perth to introduce Ministry to Priests, and to deliver the formation and training of our own team, which was led by Justin Bianchini. It attracted a very large portion of the Priests, who engaged with the spiritual, human and pastoral formation, which was ongoing, and this led to the development of Support Groups, the most popular and enduring features. Some other dioceses also introduced Ministry to Priests.

Priests came together to form groups of 6-10 according to a shared interest. They would share a meal, pray together and allow conversations and sharing of their experiences in their ministry. There were rules: commit to the gatherings; observe confidentiality in the sharing. Barriers began to diminish as they came to know each other better and grow in trust in each other. They began to feel the support of other Priests who were at various stages of ministry. More positive relationships developed.

For quite a few years Ministry to Priests made its mark. Another change was the increasingly multicultural make-up of the clergy. At the last count, there are over twenty nationalities represented in our clergy. This change has been happening since the mid 1980’s and increased in Archbishop Hickey’s time. 

A more diverse presbyterate presents opportunities and challenges. Newcomers to Perth bring with them the religious culture of the home diocese and community, which can be enriching for the Australian diocese, and can help us recapture practices of Catholic devotion and life. Those overseas clergy can support their brothers and sisters, who like them are settling into Australia, and teach us to help their people as well, in culturally appropriate and sensitive ways.

The greatest challenge for all is the reception of the new cultures among us and mutual learning for us in the ways to develop relationships with the Priests and people that are respectful and needed for our Archdiocese.

The changes in our society have brought their own challenges too. The Church’s position in our nation has been degraded, as we know, to a considerable degree by the sexual abuse scandal and how it was handled. For us that has meant that ministry has undergone many changes. We have become more aware of the importance of providing safe environments for all in our parish communities. I believe that our communities are more informed and responsible, and greater demands are put on the clergy to comply with the principles and standards for openness and accountability in our pastoral ministry and governance of the parishes.

Since 2012, there have been very significant events in the Archdiocese and nationally for the Church. The appointment of a new archbishop or Parish Priest always affords a church a moment to review the state of things. Most of the initiatives of their predecessors provide the new leader with a firm foundation for the general mission of a diocese or parish to continue. Reviewing, nevertheless, is necessary. It is the taking of the pulse of the diocese or parish and requires questions to be asked about the needs of the local church in our time.

“What are we to do, brothers?” In the Archdiocese, this reflection led to the Archdiocesan Plan, which commenced in 2016 and was intended to run for 5 years. All of the elements in the plan in one way or another touched on the pastoral ministry. The most obvious one was Parish Renewal and Revitalisation. I have been the Vicar for Parish Renewal and have been very ably supported by Fr Nino Vinciguerra and our team.

The changes we have all experienced have been in mind as we have worked with the Parish Priests and the Parish Pastoral Councils since 2016. We have been convinced that the relationship between the parishes and the Archdiocese has had to be made stronger so that the common mission of the Church here can be more effective and unified, allowing for the diversities of gifts in our communities to be activated. The formation done with the Parish Pastoral Councils has introduced them to the new Parish Pastoral Council Constitution and the understanding that a council, the Priest and other members, create the pastoral plan for the community and enable the community to move together in responding to the needs of the parish. Another goal was to encourage parishes to work together to solve common pastoral challenges and provide the process to help them to collaborate. 

Currently, we are preparing to launch Adsumus II. It is an approach that we are offering parishes that helps people to reflect on what it means to be parishioners who have a sense of responsibility and stewardship for their community and seek to work with their Parish Priest to bring renewed life to the parish. The name we have chosen, Adsumus, is the first word of the prayer to the Holy Spirit that was used at the Sessions of the Second Vatican Council and all the Ecumenical Councils of the Church. Essentially, the prayer begins with: Together we stand before you, Holy Spirit. We seek your help to guide us.

Pilots for Adsumus were conducted in a few parishes with excellent results. One of them held a “ministry fair” at the end of the parish project. It resulted in an increase in volunteers. Parishioners were amazed when they realised the number of activities in their parish, and by seeing them on display and represented by someone, they gave them the chance to ask about the work they do. It helped them to recognise the value of the work and that a ministry could be something they could manage for a time. So, they volunteered.

The Plenary Council (2022) was a moment of grace for the Church in Australia. It proposed the question from the Book of Revelation: What is the Holy Spirit saying to the church today? To listen to the voice of the Spirit, we used the practice of Conversation in the Spirit to discern the Spirit speaking through the voices of the Council members. We have had the opportunity to experience this way of discernment at this Conference.

Conversation in the Spirit has been learned by those Parish Councilors who have participated in the Parish Pastoral Council formation sessions in recent years. They have found it a challenge initially but with practice, they find it a very powerful way of getting in tune with the Spirit who shows us how to listen for the voice of the Spirit, and learn the needs of the people of God, and how to respond with faith.

Dioceses around Australia have planned for synods or assemblies following the development of the decrees of the Council. Ours, the Archdiocesan Assembly (2024), chose to focus on the revival of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. The members were asked through their prayer together and discernment, what a Diocesan Pastoral Council would look like and how it should function to assist Archbishop Tim in pastoral planning for the local Church.

There is a natural relationship between the Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Pastoral Parish Council’s and a greater possibility for a unified approach to the mission and pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese: an alignment of our common mission and pastoral ministry.

I have provided the list of mainly pastoral ministries that are sent to the parishes for review before the Pastoral Visitation. They would be a reminder to the Parish Pastoral Council of the pastoral activities that are part of the responsibilities of the Archbishop, who seeks the support of the Priests and deacons in making the life of the parish dynamic.

Lastly, I would like to say that the list of ministries and pastoral works in that document is not something plucked out of the air. They are beautifully outlined in the Vatican II document on the pastoral ministry of the bishop, “Christus Dominus”, but they are relevant to the Priests in the parishes as well as they have been given the pastoral care for a portion of the Archdiocese and they are the closest collaborators with their bishop in the pastoral ministry for the People of God. 

Our list of ministries captures the responsibilities and care for our people and the share of the Bishop’s ministry that we carry with him. The call of the Lord for us is to be shepherds who have encountered Him and learned from Him the way to be a Shepherd. The beginning of us being shepherds is by contemplating His face.