CLC is honoured to present a panel of respected leaders from the clergy, consecrated life, and laity who will respond to CLC’s synodal report and share their experiences of synodality from their vantage points within the church.

Speaker Bios

Anne Louise Mahoney

After deciding that what she wanted to do at university was read a lot of novels, Anne Louise Mahoney got a BA in English Literature from St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto. She began her editing career working on non-fiction books for children.  She later moved to Ottawa, where she worked at the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops as an editing and writing specialist for 8 years, then made the leap to trade publishing as managing editor at Novalis. She worked for Novalis full-time for 10 years; since the company was sold to Bayard in 2008, she has stayed on in that role part-time. She also runs a freelance editing business and is a former president of the Editors Association of Canada. Anne Louise grew up in the post–Vatican II Church and has a keen interest in helping lay women (and men) find their place there. That eventually led to the idea for the book Looking to the Laity, which brings together lay and ordained voices on a range of activities and subjects that invite lay participation. She still lives in Ottawa and she still loves to read novels and other books!

Archbishop Paul-André Durocher is the archbishop of Gatineau, Québec, Canada.

Born in Windsor, Ontario in 1954, he grew up in Timmins, Ontario before attending the University of Western Ontario where he completed the Bachelor of Musical Arts, specializing in vocal performance. He then attended St. Paul’s University in Ottawa, completing the Bachelor of Theology in 1981 and the Master of Arts in Theology in 1985. He simultaneously completed the Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Ottawa.

Ordained to the priesthood for the diocese of Timmins on July 2, 1982, he taught high school and served in various parishes. He eventually was named Episcopal vicar for pastoral and sacramental affairs and director of the chancery. He completed the civil Licentiate in Canon law with the University of Strasbourg, France, in 1992. During a sabbatical year in 1995–1996, he attended the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and completed his ecclesiastical Licentiate in theology.

The following year, he was named auxiliary bishop of Sault-Ste-Marie, Ontario. Ordained to the episcopacy on March 14, 1997, he was entrusted with the pastoral leadership of the French sector of the diocese and of the native parishes in the Manitoulin-North Shore area.

 In 2002, he was named diocesan bishop of Alexandria-Cornwall, Ontario, where he remained for nine years. During that time, he served on the Education Commission of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario and was elected to the Executive Committee of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

 On November 30, 2011, he was installed as the archbishop of Gatineau, Québec.

 He served as president of the CCCB from 2013 to 2015. He continues to serve the CCCB as a delegate to the national Jewish-Catholic dialogue and as a member of the standing committee for responsible ministry. 

 As a member of the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Québec, he serves on the Executive Committee as well as on the Council for communities and ministries.

 He has been a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture since 2014.

 In 2017, Novalis published his three-volume set of introductions to the 150 psalms entitled The Psalms for Our Lives. In 2018, he completed a series of liturgical songs entitled Messe gatinoise. In 2019, he launched a new book under the title Called by Name, Sent in His Name. Talks on an Outward-bound Church.

Catherine E Clifford

Catherine E Clifford is Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology. Her research interests and publications are focused primarily in the areas of ecclesiology, ecumenism, and the history of the Second Vatican Council, with a particular emphasis on the conversion and renewal of the churches, the development of doctrine, and the unity and diversity of Christian communions within the world Christian movement. These questions are of great significance given the changing role of the church in contemporary society. Catherine is a dynamic teacher who enjoys engaging with students from diverse horizons. Her courses explore the changing role and methodologies of theology as theologians seek to reflect on contemporary issues in service of church and society.

Sr Jeannette Filthaut

Sr Jeannette Filthaut S.P. has a lifetime of experience in a variety of roles within her community and the broader Church. This positions her well to comment generally on the synodal project and specifically on the synodal report of Concerned Lay Catholics in Canada.

Sr Jeannette served on the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul Congregational Leadership Team for 9 years. She was also the Inservice Resource person for the National Office of Religious Education for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) re Catechetical ministry across Canada. She is a retired school teacher and religion consultant with Catholic school boards in Kingston and Brantford Ontario, as well as Camrose Alberta. She has worked as a parish pastoral associate participating in diverse parish activies such as Parish Council, RCIA, Sacramental preparation, Liturgical and Youth portfolios, Music Ministry with both Junior and Senior Choirs, Justice committees and Catholic Womens’ League.

Sister Jeannette also has extensive expererience in retreat work, spiritual direction, and board governance having served on health care boards, Western Catholic Reporter, Chairperson for Star of the North Retreat Centre, and Chairperson for Consecrated Women Religious in Archdiocese of Edmonton. She recently retired from teaching English as a Second Language to Immigrant Women @ Changing Together Centre for Immigrant Women in Edmonton AB. She has facilitated Congregational General and Provincial Chapters in Canada and U.S.A., Community Assemblies, Retreats and Workshops.

She is currently Visiting Spiritual Director and Retreat Director with Providence Spirituality Centre in Kingston ON, conducting Process Facilitation work, a CRC (Catholic Religious Congregations) Representative on KAIROS Steering Committee, and an Active Laudato Si Animator. In her spare time she likes to play golf, listen to music, bake, do Tai Chi and walk in God’s wonderful creation.