Mandate

The mandate for the Australian Catholic Youth Council was approved by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference at its Plenary Meeting in May 2007.

Areas of Responsibility:

Advise the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life on:

  • Listening and responding to the voice of Australia’s young Catholics on:
    • Religious, spiritual, ethical, moral and social justice issues of concern to them;
    • Their needs in relation to the development of their Catholic faith and deepening of their personal Catholic spirituality; and
    • Their full participation and inclusion in the life and mission of the Catholic Church in Australia;
  • Planning, promoting and advocating structures, processes, policies and guidelines that will:
    • Enable this faith and spiritual development;
    • Enable this full participation and inclusion in the Church;
    • Ensure that the benefits and experience of World Youth Day 2008 for young people, and its rejuvenating effects on the Catholic Church in Australia generally, are continued into the future; and
    • Evangelising young people in the Australian community

Number of Members:

The Council will be comprised of up to twelve selected councillors, together with ex-officio members, the Bishops’ Delegate for Youth and the Executive Secretary of the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life as.

Appointment of Members:

Councillors will be appointed for a three (3) year term, on recommendation of the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life. Councillors can be re-appointed for two subsequent terms.

Appointment of Chairperson:

The Chairperson will be appointed for a three (3) year term by the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life.

Frequency and Place of Meetings:

The Council will develop and advise the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life of an appropriate annual meeting and teleconference schedule for Council.

Administrative Support:

The Executive Secretary of the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life will provide administrative support to the Council.