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68 Jurist 114 (2008)
The Practice of Ecumenism in a Rural Australian Diocese

handle is hein.journals/juristcu68 and id is 119 raw text is: THE JURIST 68 (2008) 114-135 THE PRACTICE OF ECUMENISM IN A RURAL AUSTRALIAN DIOCESE BRIAN SPARKSMAN* The structures for ecumenism at first glance seem to be thoroughly covered by canonical literature. However, with a deeper reflection on that same literature, a complementary framework for rural diocesan ac- tivity may well emerge from an analysis of ecclesial, ecumenical, and ex- periential factors. That reflection has been applied to the rural Diocese of Toowoomba, situated in the southwest region of Queensland, Australia. This paper advances ecumenism as a natural, logical, and strategically important activity to support Christian life in Western Queensland. The history of Catholic Church outreach, coupled with the collaborative ef- forts of other Christian churches, correlate highly with experiential re- search as to what informs the practice of the Christian faith in rural areas. The necessity of ongoing ecumenical dialogue and the rationalization of practices, structures, and personnel are seen as foundational to nurturing Christian living which for generations has nurtured and been nurtured through worship, the teaching of the faith, and an array of services and community life. Ecclesial Context In area, the Diocese of Toowoomba is the second largest diocese in the ecclesiastical Province of Queensland. I The province coincides with the State of Queensland and has as its metropolitan see, Brisbane, the State capital. Toowoomba is the only landlocked diocese in the province. Bris- bane and the other suffragan dioceses; Cairns, Townsville and Rock- hampton, all have access to the Pacific seaboard. The city of Toowoomba sits scenically on the crest of the Great Dividing Range with only one small rural parish between the eastern edge of the city and the boundary with the Archdiocese of Brisbane. This eastern boundary is defined in part by that same range and by some local watercourses. The other boundaries are related to lines of latitude and longitude. The diocese cov- ers 188,280 square miles (488,000 sq km), an area larger than the state of * Chancellor, Diocese of Toowoomba, Australia James Joseph Wiemers, West of the Range: Fifty Years of the Diocese of Toowoom- ba (Diocese of Toowoomba Queensland, 1979.)

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