Our Board

Co-Chairs:

Eleanor Flynn, WWATCH, and Kevin Liston, SACEC

Directors:

Agnes Dodds, WWATCH

Gail Gill, WATAC

Christina Reymer, Be The Change, Aotearoa

Francis Sullivan, CCCG

John Warhurst, CCCG

 

Agnes Dodds

Agnes Dodds is the Secretary for Women’s Wisdom and the Church (WWATCH). She is a member of the Parish Council of Emmaus Parish in the Melbourne Archdiocese and is active in attempts to make the Catholic Church more inclusive by formally recognising women’s role within the Church. She spent her working life as a medical educator and evaluator and now works with the Victoria Foundation for the Survivors of Torture, evaluating programs assisting refugee communities.

 

Gail Gill

Gail Gill held a variety of positions, including principal and consultant in Catholic Education for over 35 years in the Sydney Archdiocese and in Broken Bay. She served on the NCEC RE Committee and the Dominican Education Committee. The last twelve years of her working life were committed to a ministry established for women in Broken Bay. During this time. she contributed to ministry in five parishes. was appointed parish life coordinator in one and was a member of the formation team for the permanent diaconate. She is a member of Australian Catholics Exploring Diaconate and WATAC.

 

Eleanor Flynn

Dr Eleanor Flynn is a medical graduate with qualifications in education and theology. She retired from clinical practice in Palliative Care at St Vincent’s Health in 2016 and as an Associate Professor in medical education at the university of Melbourne in 2019.  She is the cofounder of Women’s Wisdom and the Church (WWATCH) and the Treasurer and Public Officer of the Council of Australasian Catholics. She co teaches a course on Death and Bereavement through the lens of Art and Spirituality at the University of Divinity and is a member of her Parish Safeguarding group and advisory Council. 

 

Kevin Liston

Kevin Liston comes from a bilingual background in Ireland. He came to Australia with his family in 1982. Following retirement after a career working with refugees and asylum sekers, he completed a Master of Theological Studies at ACU and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology at Monash University. His special interest is faith in everyday life. Kevin is Convener of SACEC (SA Catholics for an Evolving Church), a State Council member of St. Vincent de Paul Society (SA) and is active in a local Vinnies conference. 

 

Christina Reymer

A cradle Catholic, and first-generation kiwi, born to Dutch immigrants to New Zealand, Christina Reymer describes herself as a change agent, bringing a global perspective to local issues. Her career has been in the field of education and international development, with a deep sensitivity for cultural difference. Having worked for 5 years as a volunteer in Papua New Guinea, and ten years as Director of Mahitahi, the New Zealand Catholic Volunteer agency, she has a particular interest in New Zealand’s place in the Pacific. Her current focus is reform of the Catholic Church, particularly in regard to establishing gender equity in leadership and ministry. Christina has the wonderful support of her husband Rob, and they have five grown children.

 

Freancis Sullivan AO

Francis Sullivan is the chair of Jesuit Social Services and Deputy Chair of Mercy Health Australia. He has held numerous executive positions in Catholic organisations, including Chief executive of the Truth Justice and Healing Council and Catholic Health Australia. He previously chaired the Mater group of hospitals and Catholic Social Services Australia. He is an adjunct professor at the Australian Catholic University with particular interests in Church reform and catholic social thought.

 

John Warhurst AO

John Warhurst was the founding chair of Concerned Catholics Canberra Goulburn in 2017. He was a member of the Australian Plenary Council from 2020-2022. He writes about the Catholic Church, church reform and church-state relations for Eureka Street and Flashes of Insight. His two books on these topics are ‘ Wrestling with the Church Hierarchy' and 'Hard Questions Born of Love'. He has also served on several national church boards, including Catholic Social Services Australia.

John is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the Australian National University in Canberra and served as chair of the Australian Republic Movement.