The Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle has held the first celebration of its Diocesan Synod - the first since 1992-93.
Bishop Bill Wright was joined by guest speakers Fr Richard Lennan, who travelled from the USA to be part of the occasion, and Lana Turvey-Collins as well as about 350 Catholics from across the region on Saturday for "a day of prayer and thought".
The synod is expected to be spread over several years.
Bishop Wright said it was "not simply an event, nor is it simply an assembly of people".
"Very frequently, synods are convened for a special purpose, or particular issue," he said.
"But this one that we will hold is like the Second Vatican Council, convened more generally.
"To examine, reflect on the state, the church, the faith of Christ among us and to find ways to more faithfully fulfill our calling to be the body of Christ and the witness to His gospel and His salvation in our community around us."
The first full session of the synod is expected to take place in a year.
In the meantime, Bishop Wright said communities would gather to consider and reflect on what is important as the church moves forward.
"Then there will be another full year, where we take those directions, the thoughts, and plans that have emerged and turn them into practical realities," he said.
"We gather yet again a year later to do the formal work, of translating those things, our aspirations and our great plans into perhaps the structures, the positions, the laws, the ways that we will move forward at that practical and concrete level."
