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The question of the 'Catholic' nature of various Catholic institutions has become increasingly pressing in recent years, notably as the leadership of these institutions has moved from persons who have been formed within the culture of priestly or religious life, to a lay leadership, who, while professionally competent, does not have the same depth and breadth of Catholic formation as the previous generation of leaders. This is not to say that they have less to bring to their leadership responsibilities, as often they excel in other areas of competence, far more than their predecessors. However, in terms of their Catholic formation they have less depth and breadth.
This concern has found voice in a series of symposia held over the last four years (2007-2010) on the topic of Catholic identity and mission in Church sponsored agencies. These symposia have been held at the Melbourne campus of Australian Catholic University which has also co-sponsored the events with major Catholic peak bodies,1 The symposia have been attended by representatives of the Catholic welfare, health and education sectors and have generated one significant publication.3 The issue of identity and mission is of course not just an Australian concern but can be found reflected in debates in Germany, North America and Britain. The theme can also be found in the first encyclical of Benedict XVI1 Deus caritas est, notably in its second half.3
The aim of this paper is to present a theological analysis of the key terms 'identity' and 'mission' in the broader context of ecclesiology. Church-based agencies share, in some manner, the identity and mission of the Church. They may do so in different ways and with different emphases. It may not be feasible nor appropriate for all bodies to partake in all aspects of identity and mission in the same fashion. As I shall argue, identity and mission are multi-dimensional features of Church life and each type of agency will reflect different dimensions in different ways. What is important for the life of the Church is that through the full variety of structures and institutions which emerge from its life all aspects of its identity and mission be expressed, not that each individual structure reflects that totality. A Catholic hospital is not a Catholic parish...