24 November 2026 | 2.00–4.00 pm
Cecilia Maher Room, St Mary’s Convent, 7 New Street, Auckland
Whānau Mercy Ministries is delighted to welcome Susan Pascoe AM to Auckland for an in-person workshop exploring discernment in practice and its place in Mercy governance and leadership.
Susan has a lot of experience and knowledge in the area of discernment. She was a member of the Vatican’s Methodology Commission for the Synod on Synodality and a facilitator at the Synod Assemblies in Rome in 2023 and 2024. Her work has placed her at the heart of the Church’s growing practice of synodality, spiritual conversation and shared discernment.
This practical session will provide a brief context for synodality before focusing on what discernment looks like when we actually need to use it. Participants will explore when discernment is appropriate, how we create the conditions for genuine listening, and practical ways of working through difficult situations that can arise during a discernment process.
The workshop will also make connections with Te Ara Whakatau Atawhai, Whānau Mercy Ministries’ own discernment process, helping participants join the dots between synodality, spiritual conversation and the decisions we make within our ministries.
The session is open to people from all our ministries attending. We encourage those from our four Auckland ministries to attend in person. There will also be an online option for those of our ministries in other parts of the country. Can you please fill out the registration form here so we can confirm numbers for catering purpose and ensure the room is set up appropriately.
The costs for this session are being covered by Whānau Mercy Ministries. This session will be worth 4 cpd.
About Susan Pascoe AM
Susan Pascoe AM is Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia and is currently leading an international project into lay governance. She chairs the Australian Council for International Development and the Community Directors Council and serves as a Trustee of St John of God Health and a Board member of Mercy Health.
Susan was the inaugural Commissioner for the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission from 2012–2017 and has held senior roles across public service and Catholic education, including Director of Catholic Education in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
She is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian College of Educators. Susan was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2007 and received an honorary doctorate from Australian Catholic University in 2024.