Passing the Flame: Pentecost Hope as Reconciliation Week Says “I’m In”
Sometimes in life we are given the grace to be an eyewitness – to be in the room when something quietly remarkable unfolds. As Reconciliation Week 2026 drew to a close, in the final days marked by the national theme “I’m in”, I found myself, representing Mercy Partners, in such a moment at an event aptly named “Passing the Flame” at St Teresa’s in Townsville.
Held in the newly established St Teresa’s parish, the gathering coincided with the feast of Pentecost, when the Church celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit – the moment when fearful disciples were strengthened and sent out in hope. In its own way, this community event echoed that first Pentecost: a people encouraged, strengthened and commissioned to live differently by the flame of God’s Spirit.
The timing was deeply symbolic. As Australia reflected on what it means to say “I’m in” for reconciliation – not as a slogan, but as a lived commitment – this local Catholic community was embodying that promise in concrete, relational ways. The question, “Who is in?” was answered not only from the podium, but in the courage of personal stories and the building of trust across generations.
Bishop Tim Harris joined the community to mark the significance of St Teresa’s becoming a parish in its own right. He spoke about what this new status means: a greater authority and responsibility to lead, to listen deeply, and to set priorities that reflect the lived realities of the people. In a region marked by both beauty and struggle, this recognition of local leadership is a powerful sign of trust and hope – a very practical way of saying, “We are in this together.”
At the heart of the day was the men’s healing group, led by Karl Lymburner, whose members courageously shared their stories. Testimonies from Carl, Jerrad Hoffman, and Chaston Nicholas were not sanitised or easy. They spoke directly about intergenerational trauma, disadvantage and pain – the sorts of wounds that can echo across families and communities for decades. There was no attempt to gloss over the hard truths of their experience.
Yet, equally present in their stories was a deep intergenerational strength. The men along with Doug Wong, Krista Hobbs and Jenny Guise spoke of the healing they have begun to experience through being accepted, heard and truly seen in the group. They described learning to listen to one another, to reflect more honestly on their own choices, and to imagine a different future for themselves and those they love. In the context of Reconciliation Week, their presence said powerfully: “I’m in” for a different story – one of healing, responsibility and hope.
A recurring theme was fatherhood. The men spoke about what it means to be a father who protects and loves his children, who is present rather than absent, life-giving rather than harmful. For some, this meant making a conscious break with patterns of hurt and neglect they had themselves endured. For all, it meant choosing a path that was, in their words, more “life-giving” – for themselves, for their families, and for the wider community. It was reconciliation lived at the most intimate level: within families and within hearts.
Throughout the day, I was often moved to tears. There was a palpable sense that something profound was taking place – not in loud, dramatic gestures, but in the steady work of truth-telling, reconciliation, and renewed commitment. Here, the Reconciliation Week theme was not just spoken; it was enacted.
Integral to this was the quiet, consistent work of people like Trudy Clarke, described by many as an extraordinary community development worker, simply by nature. After each panel of speakers, when questions came from the floor, Trudy would gently but deliberately build connections: suggesting that this person might visit another community, or that those who had spoken could be invited to share their story more widely. In these simple acts of linking people and opportunities, she helped ensure that the flame kindled in that room did not remain there, but could be carried outward – another concrete “I’m in” to ongoing relationship and shared responsibility.
It is no surprise, then, that this is a community that is growing, a community that is literally and figuratively “passing the flame.” While the day named and honoured deep wounds, it refused to be defined by them. Instead, it shone a light on resilience, courage, faith and the capacity of people – when truly listened to – to shape their own future.
For Mercy Partners, it was a privilege to play a small role in enabling the day to happen. But the true leadership, the true fire of Pentecost, was visible in the local community itself: in the men who shared their stories; in the elders and families who listened; in the parish that is stepping more fully into its vocation; and in those like Trudy who faithfully weave the threads of connection.
As the Church in Australia continues its journey of reconciliation, events like Passing the Flame remind us that the Holy Spirit is at work in quiet, local, grounded ways – in parish halls, healing circles, and simple acts of hospitality and courage. To say “I’m in” is to commit ourselves to that ongoing work: to listen, to learn, and to carry the flame further, so that the story of trauma is increasingly met – and transformed – by a stronger story of grace.
