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Elsie
Heiss appointed to Bishops committee
Five women have been appointed to the Woman and Man:
One in Christ Jesus Implementation Committee. The committee
was announced by chair, Bishop Michael Putney. Bishop Putney
said committee members were chosen from nominations by Bishops
from around Australia.
The committee is to oversee the implementation of recommendations
of Woman and Man, a report on the participation of women in
the Australian Catholic Church. Initiated in 1996, the project
was the largest of its kind in the world.
Appointed to the committee are Victoria's Liz Hanney, South
Australia's Teresa Lynch, and NSW women Catherine Harris,
Sr Sonia Wagner and Elsie Heiss. They will join Bishops: Brennan,
Collins, Cremin, Morris and Walker. Collectively, the Bishops
represent the Bishop's Committees for Justice, Development
and Peace, Doctrine and Morals, and Laity.
Catherine Harris is the former Director of the Affirmative
Action Agency while Sr Sonia Wagner is the Superior General
of the Good Samaritan Sisters, and one of the authors of the
report. Elsie Weiss is a coordinator with the Aboriginal Catholic
Ministry of the Sydney Archdiocese and speaks extensively
on issues of Aboriginal spirituality and Catholicism. Ms Heiss
said that most people working in Aboriginal ministries were
women. "I think the report is great. Women?are a wonderful
,resource in the Church." "It's quite a privilege to be on
the committee." Ms Heiss continued. "It really was a surprise.
I hadn't had any information about it." The Woman and Man:
One in Christ Jesus report found that many women felt
under represented at decision?making levels in the Church.
( Catholic Weekly )
Elsie & Bishop Heenan
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