Mission: one heart many voices conference

Artist Jayce Pei Yu Lee used her skills in deep listening and creative arts to capture the spirit of the conference.

Mission: one heart

Scan here to learn moremany voices conference The fifth Mission: one heart many voices conference, which has been held every second year since 2013, was successfully delivered online for the first time in September 2021.

Organised by Catholic Religious Australia and Catholic Mission on behalf of the Australian Mission Network, the conference explored the challenges of living the Gospel and leading mission now in Australia and globally.

Over four days, more than 500 participants grappled with the concept that this time of global challenge, marked by the pandemic and climate crisis, calls for a new type of leadership. A leadership that urges the Church and its agencies to recognise the interdependence of all things and senses the authentic transformation that is calling us, as God’s presence in the world.

This pathway to leadership that will transform and enable us to face the challenges of our time was reflected on by keynote speakers at the conference.

Aboriginal elder and Senior Australian of the Year Dr Miriam‑Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM spoke of the importance of inner deep listening and quiet still awareness, what she calls Dadirri, to have a deep awareness of oneself in relation to the world around you, your motivations and actions, is echoed in transformative leadership literature such as Theory U by Otto Scharmer.

Another critical message from the conference was that of social psychologist and researcher, Hugh Mackay AO, who emphasised in his latest book that kindness is the way to create organisations and societies that will enable us to face our future together to ensure no one is left behind.

Other signposts were highlighted by Dr Ursula Stephens from the social services sector, a critical one being how to be ‘redemptive leaders’ when so many have been injured by the Church’s historical wrongs and inaction. As the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities remind us, truth‑telling and healing need to take place before all Australians can find a future together.

A final signpost from Cardinal Tagle, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, in the spirit of Pauline Jaricot, founder of the Pontifical Mission Societies, reminded us of the importance of encounter experiences. Pauline created opportunities to encounter others, especially the more marginalised, to know them, to work with them and seek solutions, for it is in these encounters that we meet Christ.

Learn more about the Mission: one heart many voices conference and sign up to receive information about the 2023 conference at mohmv.com.au •

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