Congress focuses on relaying hope and trust to the people

COMMUNICATING hope and trust was the theme of the Australian Catholic Communications Congress earlier this month.
The conference had a variety of speakers.
Aboriginal woman Theresa Ardler dwelt on the spirituality of creation and the need for genuine and meaningful cultural dialogue.
The editor in chief of the US Catholic News Service, Greg Erlandson, enabled us see hope in the midst of despair.
He reminded us that people thirst for authenticity.
“Hope is when faith meets the darkness”, he said.
Award-winning journalist, author and ABC commentator Madonna King gave an insight into the thinking of young people and the need for young people to communicate with their parents.
“Despite our technology, Wi-Fi, touchscreens and instant gratification, our young people want to sit down and discuss issues that they are passionate about,” she said.
“They sometimes have to struggle to find quality time with their parents and leaders.”
In preparation for the Australian Plenary Council of 2020, Lana Turvey-Collins highlighted the need for us to ponder on the credible living and the reality of our Catholic mission. The council will implement the following: Preparation, celebration and implementation.
The preparation stage, now in progress, involves listening and dialogue, where trust is rebuilt by killing the seeds of hate.
“The stories of little people matter,” she said encouraging the participants to “listen and encounter the spirit in the lives of people”.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge presided at the eucharistic celebration and invited the congregation to imitate Jesus in their quest to see beyond the obvious.