We acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we walk, live and work. We recognise their living culture and their unique role in the life of the areas in which Mercy Partners ministries are located. We pay tribute to all of those who have nurtured this country over many thousands of years, deriving spiritual and physical needs from the seas, forests, soil, rivers, lakes and streams. We join with our First Nations people in honouring this land as sacred. We welcome the Uluru Statement from the Heart and support an Indigenous voice to parliament, enshrined in the Australian Constitution.
The building of partnerships cultivates a diversity of gifts and charisms embracing lay leadership and creatively responds to the changing needs of many ministries.
Theological Framework p3
The Constitution and objects of Mercy Partners emphasise the corporal responsibilities of a Ministerial PJP to ensure the mission, Catholic identity and charism of the ministries are preserved and nurtured while ensuring conformity to the teachings, discipline and law of the Catholic Church.
Mercy Partners is the civil owner and canonical sponsor of its ministries. The Mercy Partners Stewards and Council work together to provide this canonical sponsorship and civil oversight.
The role of Council is to manage the operation of Mercy Partners and to ensure that it fulfils its canonical responsibilities and honours the stewardship agreement with its ministries.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Public Juridic Person (PJP) is an entity (or group of persons) approved and established by the Church, who come together under Canon Law to function in the name of the Catholic Church.
As a Ministerial PJP Mercy Partners can ensure the continuity of the ministries founded by religious congregations. The role of a Ministerial PJP is to provide governance, support and oversight of the ministries entrusted to it, ensuring proper administration in accordance with Canon and Civil law. A PJP is also responsible for ensuring the Catholic identity is maintained through relevant and engaging formation programs.
Mercy Partners is a Ministerial and Pontifical PJP, and consequently provides an annual report to the Holy See.
Mercy Partners was established by the Queensland Sisters of Mercy to ensure their ministries were preserved and remained true to their charism, and they continue to serve God’s mission into the future.
Across Australia, Mercy Partners’ ministries work in the fields of:
- Education
- Health
- Aged Care and Community Services
- Family and Disability Services and Commercial Services
Mercy Partners is the civil owner and canonical sponsor of its ministries. The Mercy Partners Stewards and Council work together to provide this canonical sponsorship and civil oversight. The Council meets monthly, and the Mercy Partners Stewards and the Council meet regularly.
The role of Council is to manage the operation of Mercy Partners and to ensure that it fulfils its canonical responsibilities and honours the stewardship agreement with its ministries.
Mercy Partners Council members are appointed by the Stewards or the Council itself based on skills, background, and expertise. Mercy Partners Council members represent diverse industry, corporate, governance and Church experience.
Mercy Partners is open to religious congregations who are seeking security for their ministries within a PJP in the Catholic Church. Religious congregations can apply to transfer a ministry to Mercy Partners, and with approval from the Council and Stewards, the partnership is formalised with Mercy Partners becoming a canonical sponsor and civil owner.
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