On 20 March, nearly 200 clergy gathered at the Le Montage function centre in Sydney for a clergy conference where Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP and Bishop Daniel Meagher presented the vision for the upcoming Synod of Sydney, set to take place from 30 April to 3 May, 2026.
Inspired by Pope Francis’ call for a “more synodal church,” it aims to foster a spirit of discernment and raise up practical and missionary ideas and initiatives within the church that are attuned to the needs and aspirations of the faithful.
The archbishop announced the archdiocesan Synod in a pastoral letter dated 12 March which can be read at sydneycatholic.org.
In his remarks at the conference, Archbishop Fisher emphasised the Holy Father’s vision of a church that is more aware and responsive to the community it serves, one that is welcoming and inclusive, bringing diverse voices together for open and fraternal dialogue.
In response to this universal call, the archbishop has convoked the Synod for the Archdiocese of Sydney to revitalise the local church’s commitment to prayerfulness, Christ-likeness, and a missionary spirit—three longings that the People of God in Sydney have raised through various prior consultations.
The archbishop hoped that the synod would be positive, practical and faithful. He shared his wish for the synod in Sydney to embody the spirit of the Councils of Jerusalem and Nicaea, the latter of which is celebrating its 1,700th anniversary this year.
To effectively plan the Synod, the archbishop has formed a Synod Working Party, which he will chair. Bishop Meagher, a member of this working group, shared three core themes or “longings” derived from extensive consultations within the Catholic community, all rooted in genuine desires inspired by the Holy Spirit:
They were:
- That our liturgies be more prayerful: occasions of real encounter with God and opportunities for faith development; sacramental programs be improved to initiate into prayerful sacramental celebrations.
- That our parish and other church communities be Christ-centered: where people are called to ongoing conversion; where people are called to live their baptismal dignity, growing in holiness and service; welcoming communities, especially as regards families and the young.
- That we be mission oriented: we carry Christ’s presence beyond church boundaries; we see ourselves as servants of all with a special place for the marginalised.
“It is my belief that these themes express genuine Spirit-inspired longings of our people,” Bishop Meagher told the gathered clergy.
“I was pretty excited because I think those three areas that Bishop Danny identified are what matters to most Catholics in Sydney,” said Fr Richard Sofatzis from Sutherland.
“There’s a lot of potential there to make an impact.”
Acknowledging the “synodal fatigue” some clergy have experienced due to extensive consultations in recent years, Bishop Meagher emphasised a renewed sense of positivity and practicality should emerge from this Synod.
Fr Geoffrey Plant, from Lane Cove, and with over five decades in the priesthood, recognised the importance of this renewed focus amid past frustrations.
“We’ve been talking about it for ages, and you often sit back and say, ‘what is going to be different about this?’
“But I like the archbishop’s emphasis on positivity, that something will come out of this, something practical too,” he said.
Fr Bijoy Joseph from the Catholic Institute of Sydney, came to the conference with similar scepticism, but came away confident the Synod would be a “great resource for Sydney.”
“We’ve got the good people at the helm. It gives me great hope it could be a very practical tool, where we could grow parishes in a more prayerful way,” he said.
Fr James McCarthy from St Aloysius in Cronulla added: “I think some of the fatigue is perhaps because we’ve not consulted as inclusively as perhaps as we could. So, I think this process in Sydney is going to be faithful to the scriptures, to the tradition and to the Magisterium, as the archbishop says. And it’s going to be a good experience for everybody.”
Bishop Meagher explained the purpose of the Synod as “squarely pastoral” and that it is “to honour the already expressed genuine longings of our people, to try and respond to them and to develop pastoral initiatives that will bear much fruit.”
It was a point that resonated with Fr Daniele Russo from Sydney Vocations.
“I think it could be an opportunity for Catholics to get together to chat about good, concrete initiatives that can be implemented on a diocesan level,” he said.
“It shows we don’t need to always seek to reinvent the wheel. Like there are good success stories that are already happening.”
Bishop Meagher also emphasised that the clergy encourage their parishes to bring their ideas to three regional consultation gatherings:
- Holy Family Menai, Saturday 9 am – 12 pm, 30 August 2025.
- St Mary’s Cathedral, Tuesday 6 – 9 pm, 14 October 2025.
- All Saints Liverpool, Thursday 6 – 9 pm, 16 October 2025.
As the discussions surrounding the Synod continue, Bishop Meagher closed by underscoring how focusing on the themes of liturgy, community, and mission, will prepare the archdiocese for the upcoming International Eucharistic Congress (IEC), promising a fruitful path forward in the spirit of renewed faith and communal engagement.