EXCLUSIVE: Archbishop Costelloe calls Church to live a Gospel culture
By Jamie O'Brien
Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has this week spoken about the need for a Gospel culture in a special video interview on the fourth day of Assembly One of the Fifth Plenary Council.
Speaking about the challenges experienced during the First Assembly, as well as the culture he would like to see emerge from the Plenary Council, Archbishop Costelloe said that we have to be prepared to allow our cultures to constantly come into dialogue with the culture of the gospel.
“It’s based on Jesus, how Jesus thinks, how Jesus speaks, how Jesus acts, that’s what culture is all about,” Archbishop Costelloe explained.
Archbishop Costelloe with UNDA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Campbell on Day three on of First Assembly. Photo: Max Hoh.
“We’ll only be a faithful Church, and in the end, the Plenary Council must be about helping us become a more faithful Church, we’ll only be a faithful Church, if we are constantly prepared to let our ways of doing things, in a sense, be confronted by the gospel, or come into dialogue with the gospel, so that we make sure that we’re building a gospel culture for the Church in Australia, which is also at the same time, deeply planted in Australia.
“And therefore, the Australian way of living the gospel culture is quite a complex process, but I think that’s what it’s all about.”
Archbishop Costelloe said he hopes the Perth Catholic community and beyond will respond to the First Assembly by continuing to pray for the Plenary Council.
“This is a major event for the life of the church. So if it’s not founded in prayer and grounded in prayer, we’ve missed the boat, in a sense.
“So I’m hoping that the people of the diocese, all of the Catholic people of our local church will continue to pray and pray really deeply for the success of the Plenary Council,” he said.
Archbishop Costelloe on the first day of the First Assembly, as he prepares to give his Opening Address. Archbishop Costelloe said he hopes the Perth Catholic community and beyond will respond to the First Assembly by continuing to pray for the Plenary Council. Photo: Max Hoh.
Archbishop Costelloe continued by saying that one of the main strengths of the First Assembly has been the process.
“It’s an unusual process and one that most of us are not familiar with, and many other people wouldn’t be either.
“Because it’s a process of discernment. All along, we’ve been stressing that this experience of the Council is an experience of discernment, where together, as the people of the church, we’re trying to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.
And that, highlighted Archbishop Costelloe, comes through all kinds of different avenues.
“Primarily at the Council it’s coming through each other’s voices. And so that needs the ability to speak boldly, as our Plenary Council prayer invites us to do.
Archbishop Costelloe speaking with Ministerial PJP’s Chair Eva Skira AO on Day two of the Plenary Council First Assembly. Photo: Max Hoh.