The history of "Women and Man: One in Christ Jesus" as outlined by Sr Sonia Wagner SGS in her retrospective:
August 21, 1996: a research project on the participation of women in the Catholic Church in Australia is launched by Cardinal Edward Clancy. The project was undertaken for the ACBC by the then Bishops' Committee for Justice, Development and Peace, the Australian Catholic University and the Australian Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes (now Catholic Religious Australia). The first of 15 meetings of a research working party had been held in June 1994.
Information from contextual papers, 2500 written submissions, public hearings - on 32 days more than 599 people spoke in 23 regional and capital city centres in 22 dioceses - 4500 questionnaires from parishes in 28 dioceses, 50 targeted groups and a survey of Catholic organisations went into the report, "Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus".
April 12, 1999: the Report on the Participation of Women in the Catholic Church in Australia, "Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus", is presented to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
August 18, 1999: "Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus" is launched at the National Press Club, in Canberra. The findings of the study are published in full.
Cardinal Clancy's summary of the findings as expressed at the National Press Club launch:
1. The active involvement of women in the life of the Church and in all aspects except for the ordained ministry is in fact very considerable, and significantly greater than that of lay men.
2. The roles they fill, however, are secondary, ancillary, and even menial, which leaves women feeling hurt, angry and alienated.
3. Both women and men are calling for women to have leadership roles and a real voice in the decision-making processes of the Church. Many are of the view that this is achievable only if women are admitted to the ordained ministry.
Key recommendations
1 Women's involvement in decision-making and leadership be increased;
2 the nature of ministry and associated pastoral issues be examined;
3 attitudes and practices concerning gender equality and equal opportunities be addressed; and
4 attitudes and practices concerning racial equality and Australian Indigenous women be addressed. Dialogue with Australian indigenous people concerning the report.
September 13, 2000: the Bishops response was published in the Social Justice Sunday Statement, 2000. It included nine decisions of national significance and 31 proposals for possible implementation at diocesan level. In the statement the Bishops expressed their hope that the "dignity of women be honoured and their gifts given space to flourish for the sake of the Church's Life and Mission".
May 18, 2000: the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, as a key action step, agrees to establish, at the national level, a Commission for Australian Catholic Women with the following role:
To assist in the implementation of the decisions and proposals as contained in the Social Justice Sunday Statement issued by the ACBC September 2000. (Strategic Planning, best practice, evaluation)
To act as a focal point for ongoing dialogue and the integration of ideas about the participation of women in the Catholic Church in Australia. (Publications, communication, networking)
December 11, 2000: the Bishops announced the establishment of the CACW.
February 2, 2001: first meeting of CACW, in Sydney
May 10, 2001: Therese Vassarotti is appointed Executive Officer
June 15, 2001: Commissioning and blessing of the Commission for Australian Catholic Women, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
May 2006: CACW (the commission) becomes the Council for Australian Catholic Women, advisory to the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry (with a changed mandate) The Office for the Participation of Women is set up. Kimberley Davis is appointed with a dual role - Director of OPW and Executive Secretary for the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry.
The Council is responsible to the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry to give advice about:
Participation of women in the Catholic Church in Australia
Dialogue and integration of ideas about participation
Strategic Planning concerning the Decisions and Proposals issued by the Bishops in response to "Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus".
The Council is responsible to the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry to make recommendations about:
Development, selection and dissemination of examples of best practice related to the promotion of the participation of women in matters other than employment
Development of specialized publications and resources which draw on "Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus" and the Bishops response
Top of page
