PRESENT:

Fr. Bill Stevens (Chairman), Denise Carmody, Monica Cotter, Larry Czarnik, Fr.Michael Gormly, Bev. Howie, Don and Marlene Malone, Chalice Moldrich, David and Maria Szeto.

APOLOGIES:

Noreen McGarry, Geoff Duggan, Frs. Carl Stafford (Gosford), Bob Brogan (The Entrance)

MINUTES:

The minutes of the last meeting were accepted by the Committee.

BUSINESS ARISING:

Larry reported that he has begun investigations into communicating an awareness of Jubilee on the Internet through an existing diocesan web page He will continue negotiations and report back to the next meeting.

Building awareness of the Great Jubilee.

Fr. Stevens displayed the poster to be distributed to all parishes in the diocese along with the Jubilee prayer card and, hopefully, a letter from the Bishop.

A permanent space will be reserved in the monthly Diocesan magazine for input from the Jubilee committee. The next article will include an article on diocesan activity to date, and an invitation to the next meeting.

It was agreed that the Internet would also provide a further means of communicating awareness of Jubilee themes, as well as available resources and diocesan or regional activities.

Ecumenism.

It was agreed to keep in mind the Bishop's wish to focus on ecumenism leading up to the Great Jubilee. This will be investigated at future meetings along with the possibility of a linking into the Ecumenical Commission.

Lay involvement.

Marlene Malone expressed a wish that the laity be motivated and empowered to take an active interest in developing Jubilee awareness, rather than leave it to the clergy. Fr. Michael expressed the hope that it will be a people's movement for the education of the laity, and that we do not lose sight of the bigger global moral, ethical and social issues. It was agreed that Jubilee themes, including these issues, would provide a good focus for existing parish committees or groups, especially during Advent, and regional discussion groups.

Resources.

It was agreed that the committee be a repository for resources on the Great Jubilee and associated themes which will be made available to groups within the diocese. Fr. Stevens asked that each person begin to collect relevant material and bring it to the next meeting. Fr. Michael suggested that some of Teresa Pirola's story resources might also be appropriate.