In May, 2011 the Mersey Leven
Pastoral Council decided to work towards the development of a Pastoral Plan for
the Mersey Leven Catholic Parish. A
sub-committee of the Pastoral Council was established, to report back to the
Pastoral Council as a whole on a regular basis. To further this work, the
sub-committee would consider and compile previous surveys and feedback from the
Parish community, as well as other relevant resources, to develop a draft
Pastoral Plan for presentation to the parish community. Following feedback, the document would be
reworked, to take on its final form.
This work is underpinned by the Vision
for the Catholic Church in Tasmania (Attachment A), and the Mission
statement of the Catholic Church in Tasmania (Attachment B), which are
given symbolic expression in the logo.
The explanation attached to the logo offers an
invitation “to consider our response to
the nine action words that form the Mission Statement”. In effect, this consideration of response
forms the first step in the development of a Pastoral Plan. The gathering of information that identifies
our response sets the context for deliberation of what the Parish aspires to
be, and invites us to develop a Plan as to how that vision might be
achieved.
To enable this process, a decision
was made to adopt a planning model which addresses the following three
questions,
·
Where are we now?
·
Where do we want to be in 3 to 5 years time?
·
What issues need to be addressed to enable us
to achieve our vision?
Reference:
Vision and Pastoral Directions for the Diocese of Broken Bay
In the furtherance of its work, the
sub-committee drew on:
·
the Mersey Leven Parish Directory last revised
in April, 2011
·
the National Church Life Survey of 2006
·
material from the Parish Assembly of 2009
·
material from the Parish Assembly of 2010
·
Australian Bureau of Census and Statistics –
Census of 2001
·
Parish Social Profile – Based on the Census of
2011, prepared by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Council for
Pastoral Research
·
Handbook for Parish Pastoral Councils from the
Archdiocese of Brisbane
·
Vision and Pastoral Directions for the Diocese
of Broken Bay 2006 to 2010
Other sources will be referenced where
applicable.
PART
1
A
PROFILE OF THE MERSEY LEVEN PARISH
Where
are we now?
Within The Mersey Leven Parish there
are five churches and one Mass centre.
Devonport
|
Our Lady of Lourdes Church
|
Ulverstone
|
Sacred Heart Church
|
Penguin
|
St Mary's Church
|
Latrobe
|
St Patrick's Church
|
Sheffield
|
Holy Cross Church
|
Port Sorell
|
St Joseph's Mass Centre
|
In an endeavour to look at whom the
people are that comprise these communities, the sub-committee drew on available
statistics.
(1) Australian Bureau of Census and
Statistics
While this is material from 10
years ago, it provided a starting point.
In that Census, the number of people who identified themselves as Catholic
is as follows (the cut-off areas of each community were arbitrarily defined by
the sub- committee):
Devonport
|
4205
|
Ulverstone
|
2118
|
Penguin
|
817
|
Latrobe
|
863
|
Sheffield
|
580
|
Port Sorell
|
536
|
TOTAL
|
9119
|
This makes a total of 9119 that
identified themselves as Catholic in 2001. The figures from the Census figures
for 2011 indicate that there are now 9,796
people who identify as Catholics – there has not been any analysis as to where
these changes in numbers are located.
(2) Parish Social Profile
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s
Pastoral Research analysis of the 2011 Census figures. As mentioned above there
are 9,796 people who identify as
Catholic with a median age of 42 years – this equates to 15.8% of the total
population (Diocesan percentage is 17.9% and Nationally is 25.3%) There is a total 4,287 Catholic Families and 1,016
people who live alone.
(3) National Church Life Survey (NCLS)
This survey, conducted over one
weekend at Masses in each community in 2006 resulted in 619 forms being
collected. These statistics give an
indication which reflects the number of people that attended Mass on that
particular weekend and responded to the Survey.
(4) Mass Count 2011
A more recent statistic in this
regard comes from a Mass count in May, 2011, where numbers were collated over
the five week period in that month, and are as follows:
Devonport
|
772
|
Devonport (Vigil):
|
710
|
Ulverstone
|
875
|
Penguin
|
278
|
Latrobe
|
230
|
Sheffield
|
65
|
Port Sorell
|
159
|
The average weekly attendance for that particular
month was 440.
Therefore, a comparison between average
weekly attendance at Mass in 2006 and 2011 represents a decrease of
approximately 180.
The NLCS, in considering the
factors that can contribute to attendance change in a Parish refers to Inflow Components
and Outflow Components.
Inflow Components:
·
people
arriving from churches of other denominations;
·
people
who may have come from another Catholic Parish in the past five years;
·
people
aged 15+ who were attending this parish five years ago;
·
people
who have not attended any church five years ago.
Outflow Components:
·
people who have chosen to go to a different
parish or denomination within five years
·
deaths
·
people who have left in the last five years and
attend no church.
With regard to Inflow Components, the available figures that are relevant, but are
not categorised specifically in the NLCS are those in relation to Baptisms.
Period
|
Total Number of Baptisms
|
Average per year
|
2000 – 2003
|
414
|
103
|
2004 – 2010
|
612
|
87
|
2011 – 2013
|
141
|
47
|
Over the past fourteen
years, there has been a total of 1067 Baptisms, but the figures show a
decrease in the latter years of 2000.
This does not account for the variables that may influence that number,
such as a variation in the annual number, or the annual birth rate for the
general population.
It is relevant also to
consider the figures in relation to Reconciliation,
Confirmation and Eucharist, as
per participants in the relevant Sacramental Programmes.
Sacrament
|
Period
|
Total
Number
|
Average
per year
|
Reconciliation
|
2007 – 2011
|
230
|
46
|
Figures ranged from 26 and 28 in 2008/
2009 respectively; 54 in 2007 and 56 in both 2010/2011
|
|||
Confirmation and
Eucharist
|
2007 – 2014
|
359
|
51
|
There was a range in these figures also,
from 42 in 2010 to 69 in both 2008 and 2009.
|
|||
As mentioned above with
regard to Baptisms, there are variables which affect the annual figures for
participants in all of the Sacramental Programmes.
Another Inflow Component is the number of
people coming into the Church through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Over the past eight years, that number has
been 27.
Within Outflow Components, the
only available information is the number of funerals at which a priest has presided, not necessarily within a
Church in the Parish.
Period
|
Total Number of Funerals
|
Average per year
|
2004 – 2013
|
447
|
45
|
The NCLS survey of 2006 also
provided data in relation to the ages
of participants who were more than 15 years.
Age
Groups
|
%
|
Average Age
|
15-19
|
3
|
62
years 2 months
|
20-29
|
2
|
|
30-39
|
3
|
|
40-49
|
8
|
|
50-59
|
23
|
|
60-69
|
25
|
|
70-79
|
26
|
|
80+
|
10
|
All of the above statistics have
limitations, particularly the average age of the Parish community having been
measured on the basis of those who expressed their faith by way of Mass
attendance on a particular weekend.
However they give a profile of:
·
numbers of people identifying themselves as Catholic
on the ABS census bearing little resemblance to the numbers of people
participating in the life of the Parish community;
·
an increasingly ageing community, where, 5 years
later we could expect the average age would be higher than 62 years 2 months,
and the percentages in the age grouping below 40 might be lower;
·
numbers of Baptisms, Reconciliation,
Confirmation and Eucharist not translating into a continued participation in
the life of the Parish by the recipients of those Sacraments and their
families.
Parish Social Profile
The following table gives the
latest Census details regarding the age breakdown of our Parish and provides an
idea of how numbers have changed between 2006 and 2011 and what changes might
face us in the next 5 years.
Age (in years)
|
Males 2011
|
Females 2011
|
Total 2011
|
Total 2006
|
0
|
28
|
39
|
77
|
97
|
1
|
51
|
43
|
94
|
92
|
2
|
70
|
53
|
123
|
101
|
3
|
52
|
39
|
91
|
87
|
4
|
54
|
61
|
115
|
101
|
5
|
61
|
54
|
115
|
116
|
6
|
65
|
57
|
122
|
116
|
7
|
70
|
55
|
125
|
140
|
8
|
71
|
58
|
129
|
126
|
9
|
47
|
69
|
116
|
122
|
10
|
58
|
56
|
114
|
139
|
11
|
63
|
64
|
127
|
140
|
12
|
71
|
93
|
164
|
171
|
13
|
66
|
59
|
125
|
145
|
14
|
60
|
73
|
133
|
140
|
15
|
70
|
69
|
139
|
145
|
16
|
66
|
88
|
154
|
148
|
17
|
89
|
74
|
163
|
145
|
18
|
56
|
64
|
120
|
125
|
19
|
45
|
56
|
101
|
110
|
20-24
|
213
|
231
|
444
|
503
|
25-29
|
208
|
257
|
465
|
505
|
30-34
|
250
|
285
|
535
|
578
|
35-39
|
272
|
339
|
611
|
683
|
40-44
|
327
|
396
|
723
|
714
|
45-49
|
335
|
414
|
749
|
775
|
50-54
|
366
|
424
|
790
|
698
|
55-59
|
327
|
397
|
724
|
669
|
60-64
|
323
|
378
|
701
|
554
|
65-69
|
253
|
284
|
537
|
470
|
70-74
|
215
|
228
|
443
|
360
|
75-79
|
137
|
165
|
302
|
238
|
80+
|
118
|
202
|
320
|
310
|
Total
|
4,567
|
5,224
|
9,791
|
9,563
|
HOW THE PARISH FUNCTIONS
The Parish structure enables it to
function in the service of its people.
There are 2 priests within the
Parish:
Parish Priest and Assistant Priest both
in residence at the Catholic Presbytery in Devonport.
The administrative function of the
Parish takes place predominantly from the Parish Office which is located within
the Catholic Presbytery in Devonport. A
pastoral focus is inherent within the administrative structure of the Parish.
The Pastoral Council that “meets on
a monthly basis in Devonport, shares responsibility for the development of the
faith and mission of the Church in Mersey Leven”. (From the Parish Directory) The roles, responsibility, function of the
Council and the responsibilities of its members are further outlined in the
document 'Mersey Leven Pastoral Council' (Attachment C). Currently membership of the Council is not
proportionate of the constituent communities, but open to any parishioner in
the Mersey Leven Parish.
The finances of the Parish are
overseen by a Finance Committee that meets on a monthly basis. “It coordinates the maintenance of parish
properties and advises the Parish Priest on financial matters. Membership is by appointment”. (From the Parish
Directory)
The other ways in which the Parish
functions will be considered against the “nine action words” of the Mission
statement.
Our Response to the Mission Statement
To enhance an understanding of how
the Parish expresses the Mission statement, the sub-committee decided to
approach each faith community, on an informal basis, in an endeavour to gain an
understanding of how it functions. As a
general comment, what emerged was a picture of each community functioning
independently in many ways, while recognising itself as a part of the entity
that is the Mersey Leven Parish. This
independent functioning is dictated, to a large extent, by size and
practicalities. This brings a strong identification with the particular
community that has some influence on how the community celebrates its faith and
nourishes its people. However, it does
not detract from a general desire to participate in the life of the Parish as a
whole, and to further its vision and give expression to its mission.
The varying ways in which the
individual communities of the Parish express their mission will be identified
in the discussion about the expression of mission across the Parish as a whole.
The Mission statement of the Catholic
Church in Tasmania outlines the mission under the three headings:
·
We are loved,
·
We are called,
·
We are inspired.
Each heading offers examples and
direction as to how the mission can be fulfilled. These examples are not exclusive or
prescriptive, but invitational and a starting point for consideration. There is considerable cross-over in how the
examples apply under each category that reflect the trinitarian nature of the Vision in the unity of its
three separate statements.
In developing a picture of
the response to the Mission Statement, the Mersey Leven Parish Directory
has been an invaluable resource. Details
about, and contacts for all groups and resources mentioned below are available
in the Directory.
1.
WE ARE LOVED - We respond to God's unconditional
love for each of us.
We Pray
Personal and group prayer and reflection, as well as small group
faith sharing in the Parish are strongly supported. The presence of MacKillop
Hill Spirituality Centre within our Parish enables the following,
·
Christian Meditation
·
Sacred Reading – an extensive library is
available
·
Spiritual Direction
·
Retreats (live-in) as well as Retreats in
Everyday Life (live-out)
·
Reflecting with the Scriptures
·
Women's and Men's Spirituality groups
·
Ministry Reflection Groups
·
Other programmes as presenters are available
We
Reflect
Additional offerings of prayer and reflection:
·
Eucharistic adoration
·
Morning Prayer of the Church at the Chapel at
Brendan Shaw College each week.
We Share
Other groups within the Parish are as
follows:
·
Bible Study group in Penguin
·
Catholic Charismatic Renewal
·
Legion of Mary
·
Lenten and Advent groups
·
Marian Movement of Priests
·
Rosary Group
·
World Apostolate of Fatima
Lifelong Formation for all Vocations
·
all programmes offer ongoing adult faith
education and formation
·
all forms of liturgical celebration
·
events such as the visit to the Parish in March of 2010 and 2011 by Fr. Elio Capra
Liturgical Prayer
As a church we hold the belief that being a part of community in
some way is essential to the life of faith.
Our expression of prayer in community is by way of Liturgical prayer.
Mass is celebrated in the Parish each weekend, as a Vigil Mass
in Devonport and Penguin, and on Sundays at Devonport, Ulverstone and
Latrobe. In the smaller communities of
Port Sorell and Sheffield, a Sunday Mass is supplemented by Liturgy of the Word
with Communion on a regular basis, ensuring that each community can avail
itself of a liturgical celebration each weekend. In the absence of one or
more of the priests, Liturgies of the Word with Communion are offered in any of
the Parish communities, as required.
Mass is offered also on other days of the week: Thursday and 1st
Friday at Devonport; Friday and 1st Saturday at Ulverstone; Tuesday
at Penguin and Wednesday at Latrobe, and at
three aged care facilities within the Parish, Eliza Purton Home and Mt.
St. Vincent Nursing Home in Ulverstone and Karingal Care in Devonport on a
monthly basis.
Liturgy Teams:
Such teams work in collaboration with the Parish priest and
“serve the prayer of the worshipping community”. (From the Liturgy Office, Archdiocese of
Hobart) While the participation of the laity in the preparation for and
celebration of Liturgy is wide ranging, the way in which such preparation and
celebration is co-ordinated varies in each community. Devonport and Penguin have an identifiable
Liturgy Team. In the other communities,
a particular person may take on a co-ordination role, ensuring that liturgical
celebrations come together through the combined efforts of members, who may be
responsible for particular aspects of the liturgy.
Liturgy Preparation Group:
This group, with input from all communities,
“looks at the liturgical planning and preparation of all parish celebrations,
including Lent, Easter, Advent, Christmas and specific issues pertaining to
weekend Masses. Meetings and liturgical
workshops are held as required, with members and parishioners invited to attend
as able”. (From the Parish Directory) The Liturgy Preparation Group can
therefore give support and guidance to each community, while respecting the
individual nature of each community and its expression of liturgy.
As stated above, the
participation of the laity, across the Parish, is wide ranging, as exemplified
below:
·
Acolytes (in Devonport and Ulverstone)
·
Altar Servers
·
Lay Leaders of Liturgy of the Word with
Communion
·
Sacristans
·
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist
(including Ministry to the sick and housebound)
·
Readers
·
Musician
·
Processors of gifts
·
Wardens and greeters
·
Hospitality (particularly following liturgical
celebrations)
·
Piety Stall
·
Cleaners
·
Flower Decorators
·
Counters
The communities of
Devonport, Ulverstone, Latrobe, Penguin and Port Sorell submit their rosters
for weekend liturgies to the Parish office to be published in the Mersey Leven
Parish Newsletter in the week prior to the weekend to which the rosters apply. The Newsletter is published weekly by the
Parish office, and, in addition to rosters contains:
·
Mass times
·
readings for the following Sunday
·
request for prayers for the sick, recently
deceased, and deceased whose anniversaries occur at the particular time
·
notice of forthcoming events
·
news from the Archdiocese as relevant
The Newsletter is
distributed to each community in a white box, which also contains Prayers of
the Faithful for the week, together with notices or information for the
particular community. This white box is
taken to the particular community by the Priest, or a Lay Leader, in the
absence of a Priest, or by a member of the community. The Newsletter is also
available online and includes extra material not able to be included in the
printed version at www.mlcathparish.blogspot.com.au
A Parish Magazine is also
published quarterly and is also available online at www.mlcathparishnewsletter.blogspot.com.au/
Sacramental Preparation
Sacraments of Initiation
Baptism, Confirmation,
Eucharist are co-ordinated by the Sacramental Co-ordinator together with a
Sacramental Preparation Team, through a family-centred, Parish-based and
School-supported programme.
Baptisms in the Parish are arranged through the
Parish office, with preparation provided by a Baptism Team of the Sacramental
Co-ordinator and lay people.
Preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation will occur in the period prior to
preparation for Confirmation and Eucharist.
Family and Community
Life
This could be considered to
happen primarily by way of a 'Cuppa' communal gathering following Mass. Most communities do this on a regular basis
Devonport
|
4th Sunday
Monthly after 10.30am Mass
|
Ulverstone
|
After 9.00 am Mass each
Sunday and Social Group organise events.
|
Penguin
|
Social Group organise
events.
|
Latrobe
|
Occasional
|
Port Sorell
|
In recess
|
Sheffield
|
Each Sunday
|
There are also quarterly
‘at home’ events alternating between the Devonport Parish House and the
Community Room at Sacred Heart Church, Ulverstone currently held in February,
May, August and November.
Ecumenical Faith
Sharing and Interfaith Dialogue
St. Mary's community in
Penguin is actively involved in a communal activity for the six Christian
churches in Penguin, a particular activity being arranged each fifth Sunday of
the relevant months. There is
involvement also in a World Day of Prayer on the first Friday of March, as well
as participation in a week of prayer for the Christian community during the
week preceding Pentecost Sunday.
Other Communities also
participate in both the World Day of Prayer services in March and with the Week
of Prayer for Christian Unity in the week prior to Pentecost.
2.
WE ARE
CALLED - We respond to Jesus Christ as a Catholic community of faith
WE CELEBRATE
Parish and
Diocesan Celebrations
·
as an example, the celebration of the 50th
Anniversary of the Ordination of Archbishop Adrian Doyle and the installation
of Archbishop Julian Porteous.
Feasts and
Seasons
·
through liturgical celebrations
Sacraments
·
Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, and
Reconciliation have been outlined above.
·
Anointing of the Sick – the priests are readily
available to minister to the sick and dying in our Parish
Marriage
Over the past eleven
years, there have been 159 marriages at which a priest has been the
celebrant, with the annual statistics as follows:
2003
|
14
|
2004
|
22
|
2005
|
25
|
2006
|
16
|
2007
|
18
|
2008
|
12
|
2009
|
14
|
2010
|
15
|
2011
|
5
|
2012
|
10
|
2013
|
8
|
Marriage preparation
is provided within the Parish, with two sponsor couples able to facilitate the
FOCCUS programme
WE COLLABORATE
Family-Parish-School
Partnership
· There are three K
6 primary schools in the Mersey Leven Catholic Parish, each with provision for outside school hour’s care:
Our Lady of Lourdes
School, Devonport; Sacred Heart Catholic School, Ulverstone; and St Patrick’s
School, Latrobe.
·
There is also one secondary, co-educational
college for years 7 through 12: St Brendan-Shaw College
·
St Patrick’s Child Care Services provides for
all day care for children from 0 – 7 for 51 weeks of the year at 55 Bradshaw
St, Latrobe
·
Consideration of ways in which the
Family-Parish-School-Partnership document of the Archdiocese is put into effect
in the Parish
·
Sacraments of Initiation
·
School masses and liturgies in which students
participate
Encouraging
the Gifts and Talents of All
·
the many active ministries in the parish
(outlined above) encourage and utilise the gifts and talents of parishioners
·
when particular ministries in the Parish require
more participants e.g. Lay Leaders of Liturgy
of the Word with Communion and Pastoral Council members, parishioners
are invited to nominate those whom they discern to be appropriate, and/or
themselves
Catholic
Agencies Working Together
·
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul reaches out
to those in need in the geographical area of the Mersey Leven Parish
·
Centacare, the state-wide welfare arm of the
Catholic Church provides counselling and support services for individuals,
couples and families in the community, and has an office located in Devonport
Ecumenical and
Interfaith Collaboration
·
Gran's Van aims to feed the homeless and needy
in and around Devonport and is an ecumenical undertaking;
·
Inter-church Group in Penguin which gathers on a
regular basis to discuss matters of mutual interest, and to organise Ecumenical
Services and gatherings such as Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Chaplaincy at the schools in Penguin is also
supported.
WE INCLUDE
Being
Welcoming
·
wardens and greeters are present at all Masses;
·
new parishioners are welcomed to the parish in
each community by encouragement to leave their details in a box in the church
foyer.
Respecting the
Dignity of All and Enabling Full Participation in the Life of the
Church regardless of Gender, Age, Location
·
a response to Jesus Christ as a Catholic
community of faith is inherently respectful of the dignity of all, and
therefore seeks to enable full participation in the life of the Church;
·
maintaining a weekly liturgical celebration in
each faith community contributes to this;
·
Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) is the agency for
youth and youth ministry within the Archdiocese of Hobart and liaises with the
Parish re involvement in various projects and events;
·
there are several aged care facilities within
the bounds of the Mersey Leven Parish where many of our parishioners
reside. Pastoral care is extended to
them in various ways through visitation, the bringing of Communion, and in some
cases, monthly Mass (Eliza Purton Home, 2nd Thursday of each month;
Karingal Home for the Aged, 3rd Thursday; Mt St Vincent Nursing
Home, 3rd Friday).
Drawing on the Gifts
of All in Leadership and Decision-Making
·
the range of ministries in which parishioners
are involved attests to the response of leadership that ensures functioning of
the tasks involved;
·
there are now 14 Lay Leaders of Liturgy of the
Word with Communion and they are comprised of parishioners from each faith
community;
·
the statement of the Role, Responsibility and
Function of the Council, including Responsibilities of Members (Attachment C)
is one of servant leadership in the emphasis it places of 'working together with parishioners', and 'providing opportunities for all parishioners to participate in
planning, encouraging, guiding and directing the various aspects of parish life'.
Advocacy for the
Values of the Gospel in Public Life
·
all Parish groups exercising their ministry;
·
there is a Catholic Women's League in our Parish
and a 'consideration of moral, ethical and social issues, which are of concern
in our society' is among its objectives.
The League seeks to present a Catholic perspective on such issues, by
lobbying politicians or writing to the press.
·
all groups which reach out to those in need e.g
Society of St. Vincent de Paul; Gran's van; Knights of the Southern Cross,
Mersey Leven Branch (KSC is a Catholic Laymen's service group which promotes
fellowship and spiritual development, and assistance to the parish wherever
possible).
3.
WE ARE
INSPIRED - We respond to the promptings of the Holy
Spirit
WE EVANGELISE
As a People of Faith,
Hope and Love, we strive for Authentic Witness in the
everyday events and circumstances of our lives, whatever they might be.
All forms of
Liturgical Celebration that take place within the Parish may
evangelise, particularly celebrations at Easter, Christmas and Sacraments of
Initiation that draw an increased number of attendees.
Teaching and
Preaching is a part of Liturgical Celebration, with Teaching
also inherent in some of the programmes offered through MacKillop
Hill. MacKillop Hill Centre welcomes
people of all faiths or of no particular religious persuasion, and evangelises within
that open hospitality.
Justice and Outreach
·
North West Social Justice Group is part of the
Tasmanian Catholic Justice and Peace Commission
·
ministering to those in our Parish who are sick,
elderly and in need through the Parish Care and Concern Group;
·
Society of St. Vincent de Paul;
·
Gran's van;
·
Centacare;
·
Knights of the Southern Cross
WE SERVE
Love of Neighbour is
implicit in our response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and underpins Ministry
in its Various Forms (as outlined above) and our Involvement in
Education, Health, Welfare, Justice and Outreach.
Vocational
Commitment: Single, Married, Ordained, Consecrated Life
Our Parish is comprised of
people in all of these categories. This ongoing commitment is given sustenance
in our Parish in the ways in which we respond to “God's unconditional love for
each of us”, in the response “to Jesus Christ as a Catholic community of
faith”, and in our response “to the promptings of the Holy Spirit”.
WE NURTURE
As a Parish community we
can be nurtured in spiritual ways in Living a Balanced and Healthy
Life. Care for the Environment is not
organised in any specific way within our faith community, although “the
promptings of the Holy Spirit” urge us to an awareness of the need to do so and
to respond. Individuals within the
Parish community may respond in varying ways in care for the environment.
In the areas of Spiritual
Formation, Deepening our Knowledge and Understanding of our Faith, Support for
and Formation of our Youth, Development of Future Leaders, Advocacy for
and Outreach to the Marginalized, the ways in which we attempt to
nurture the parishioners of the Mersey Leven Parish have been outlined above.
How we do this is the challenge we
face in responding to the Mission Statement which invites and urges us,
as a Catholic community of faith, to reflect on the ways in which that response
can be more fully realised.
MERSEY
LEVEN PASTORAL COUNCIL
PART 2
PREAMBLE
Pope Francis’
Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The
Joy of the Gospel) was published in November, 2013 when much of the body of
Part 1 of the Pastoral Plan had been completed.
However, the Recommendations arising out of Part 1 are consistent with several
of Pope Francis’ statements that have particular relevance at a Parish
level. These statements are:
· to
“all” Christians, “no one is excluded”, with particular mention of the fact
that “Lay people are, put simply, the vast majority of the People of God”. The Recommendations seek to enhance the
inclusiveness of all within the Parish.
· to
“listen to young people and the elderly. Both represent a source of hope for every
people. The elderly bring with them
memory and the wisdom of experience……….Young people call us to renewed and
expansive hope, for they represent new directions for humanity and open us up
to the future, lest we cling to nostalgia for structures and customs which are
no longer life-giving in today’s world”.
Also, in 2014,
Archbishop Porteous produced a document START AFRESH FROM CHRIST, a Pastoral
Plan for the Archdiocese and asked communities to discuss and reflect back to
him a response to the document. At the time our document and recommendations
were completed a revised version of the Archbishop’s document hasn’t been
presented but we are aware that some recommendations might arise from the
Archdiocese. However, we feel that what is presented below is our attempt to
address issues within our community at this time arising from the discussions
of the past four years.
Where do we want to be in
three to five years time?
RECOMMENDATIONS
(a) Continue to develop a stronger identify and
unity as the Mersey Leven Parish, while recognising that the daily lives of
faith and ministry are lived out by parishioners predominantly within one of
the six faith communities, communities inclusive of Catholic schools, nursing
homes, organisations and groups.
(b) Enhance communication and leadership within all aspects of the Parish in the following ways:
- current Pastoral Council model to remain, to reflect the Parish as one entity with membership of the Pastoral
Council open to any
parishioner;
- establish an Executive of the
Pastoral Council, consisting of the Parish Priest, the chairperson, deputy chairperson and secretary
- clarify the Pastoral Council's roles with respect to decision making and its relationship with other groups such as the Finance Committee;
- the Pastoral Council develop an Annual Financial Plan as a primary determinant of financial allocation by the Finance Committee;
- establish a Co-ordinating
Group within each faith community, with a Council nominated Council member as the liaison person for each community;
- continue publishing Parish Magazine on a regular basis.
(c) That, in relation to the Liturgical life of
the Parish
- the celebration of the Eucharist
continues to be the primary liturgical;
- that Liturgies of the Word with
Communion continue to be provided at Mass Centres
where the Eucharist;
- that whole Parish Masses be celebrated at least once annually, followed by a social gathering;
- that the Parish Liturgy Committee, with input from each faith community, operates as outlined by Archdiocese of Hobart Office of Liturgy.
(d) That, with regard to Lay Ministry, the Pastoral Council
- provides opportunities for parishioners to participate in all aspects of the parish;
- actively encourages parishioners to engage in parish organisations;
- enables processes to identify and utilise the skills of the laity;
- recognises the generous service provided by the Laity by way of an annual Mass;
- enables a Care and Concern group be established in the Parish;
- enables the celebration of an Annual Mass for the relatives of parishioners who have died during the year.
(e) That Adult Faith Education continues to be
encouraged throughout the Parish by
- encouraging of faith development as a lifelong process;
- recognising that the Parish is comprised
of a variety of groups (eg youth, aged etc) and that each has specific 'education' interests and needs;
- procatively supporting MacKillop Hill Spirituality Centre's role as a valuable spiritual educational resource;
- enabling a biannual
parish occasion of education and spirituality;
- allocating, in
the Parish budget, an amount to meet these recommendations.
(f) That, in relation to the Youth of the Parish
- there be ongoing efforts to enable their involvement in Liturgy, ministry and social engagement in the Parish;
- the Parish works closely with the Archdiocesan Office for Youth to support Parish youth in their faith journey;
- the Family – School – Parish Partnerships document be a proactive guide to greater youth involvement in Parish life.
(g) That the Parish Social Committee be comprised of people from all faith
communities and age groups, and proactively work across the Parish to develop and enable an annual calendar of activities.
PART 3
What
issues need to be addressed to enable us to achieve our vision?
DISCUSSION
PAPER RE RECOMMENDATIONS
The recommendations arise out of
the sub-committee's deliberations of:
- the Profile of the Parish
- relevant resource material, particularly the Handbook for Pastoral Councils from the Archdiocese of Brisbane.
Where we want to be in 3 to 5
years time, that is, the RECOMMENDATIONS come with the acknowledgement of the
following unknowns:
- the number of priests available to serve the Parish
- the people who will comprise the Parish
In relation to
the people who will comprise the Parish, the trend indicates that there will be
an increasingly ageing community. The
sub-committee has sought to maintain an acute awareness of this throughout its
deliberations.
However,
within the limitations that unknown factors can impose, the sub-committee has
attempted to propose recommendations that can be achieved realistically, and
within which the Vision and Mission Statements can be lived out as fully as
possible.
Before
addressing some of the thinking behind the recommendations, some background
information may be of interest. The Archdiocese
of Hobart recommends that a Pastoral Council be established in each Parish. A
Pastoral Council works in collaboration with a large number of individuals and
groups within the Parish, particularly with its priests. The Parish Priest and Assistant Priest are
integral members of the Pastoral Council as they exercise leadership and
service of the faith community in collaboration with parish members. “This conforms with the teaching of the
Second Vatican Council that Parish Priests were not meant by Christ to shoulder
alone the entire saving mission of the Church toward the world (Vatican 11,
Lumen Gentium, 30) (From Handbook for Pastoral Councils, Archdiocese of
Brisbane). The document outlining the
role, function and responsibilities of the Mersey Leven Parish Pastoral Council
is attached.
RECOMMENDATION (a)
This represents
the overarching vision for the Parish, and it is hoped that all subsequent
recommendations will go to the furtherance of its vision.
RECOMMENDATION (b)
It is
considered that the recommendations outlined under (b) intertwine in their
working towards enhanced communication and leadership within all aspects of the
life of the Parish.
With the
model of the Pastoral Council remaining the same, the intent of the model that
was introduced when the communities were amalgamated to become the Mersey Leven
Parish is honoured, and strengthened by the adoption of these recommendations,
particularly the recommendation to establish
a Co-ordinating Group within each faith community, with a Council nominated
Council member as the liaison person for each community. While current communication channels within
each of the faith communities are largely informal, the communities function
extremely effectively. Indeed it is a
tribute to the deep faith and generous commitment in time and service of so
many parishioners, that this is so. Part
1 describes the extensive involvement of parishioners in ministries across the
Parish, considered against the Mission Statement of the Catholic Church in Tasmania
under the three headings, We are Loved,
We are Called, and we are inspired. Clearly, effective communication can be
achieved more readily in the smaller communities than in the larger. The proposal that a Co-ordinating Group be
established in each of the communities that comprise the Mersey Leven Parish
has the intention of giving visibility and structure to what occurs currently
on an informal basis. Such a group
identifies a ready point of contact for individuals within the community and
with the wider parish community, while being the ' the eyes and ears' for the needs
of its particular community. It is
considered that this model has the potential of enhancing considerably one of
the functions of the Pastoral Council, that is, to Listen and respond to the
hopes, ideas, needs and concerns of parishioners.
The sub-committee
considered two options through which the Pastoral Council's communication with
Co-ordinating Groups could be formalised:
·
designation of a particular Pastoral Council
member as the contact/liaison for each of the communities. This member would be in contact with the
Co-ordinating Group on a regular basis, and generally act as a conduit to the
Council.
- receiving regular reports from the Co-ordinating Group of each community at a frequency to be determined.
The
sub-committee favoured the first option as the potentially more effective, and
this was adopted by the Pastoral Council.
The
recommendation with regard to the establishment of an Executive of the Pastoral Council, consisting of the Parish Priest,
Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Secretary is in line with the
recommended model of Pastoral Council in the Handbook for Parish Pastoral
Councils from the Brisbane Archdiocese.
In that document the role of the Executive is outlined as follows:
·
Take responsibility for the preparation and
distribution of the Agenda for each meeting.
·
Ensure that the Minutes and Agenda are
distributed prior to the next
meeting.
·
Oversee the development of proposals for
consideration by the Pastoral Council.
·
Reflect on the effectiveness of the previous
Pastoral Council meeting.
·
Conduct the business of the Pastoral Council
between meetings.
·
Represent the Pastoral Council as required.
The three
recommendations in relation to the Pastoral Council and the Finance Committee
represent a significant change to current practice, but one that is regarded as
having the potential to enhance communication between the Council and Finance
Committee, and work for the benefit of the Parish as a whole. In recommending this change, the
sub-committee was mindful of the fact that the Finance Committee of the Mersey
Leven parish is a committee appointed by the Parish Priest, the members being
appointed on the basis of their expertise in finance-related matters. The Handbook for Pastoral Councils from the Archdiocese
of Brisbane describes the purpose of a Parish Finance Committee as, “to assist
the Parish Priest in the administration of parish financial resources in order
to carry out the mission of the parish”. The Finance Committee operates
according to the guidelines set down by the diocese and is a separate and
distinct body from the Parish Pastoral Council as required by The Code of Canon
Law (Canon 537)”.
The Handbook
outlines the distinctive roles of the Pastoral Council and the Finance
Committee as follows:
“The Parish Finance Committee looks
to the Pastoral Council for
- a statement of the mission of the parish
- a pastoral plan
- pastoral priorities.
The Parish Pastoral Council looks
to the Finance Committee for
- sound financial guidance
- adequate finance for agreed pastoral priorities
- planning regarding the resources needed to develop and implement parish plans, programmes and policies”.
Currently, the
Parish Priest is the link between the Pastoral Council and the Finance
Committee and that link is vital.
However the sub-committee deliberated as to whether the roles as
outlined above could be given additional effect, and the Parish Priest more
generally supported, were an additional connection between the Finance
Committee and the Pastoral Council made. It was considered that such a
connection would enable the functions of the Pastoral Council to be carried out
more effectively by:
- providing a general understanding of the financial position of the Parish. This understanding would contribute to the development of an Annual Financial Plan by the Council to address the pastoral needs of the parish.
- enabling the function of the Council To promote and support the Church's apostolic work and co-ordinate various initiatives to meet identified needs in the community, within realistic financial parameters
- providing support to the Finance Committee in their ministry to the parish.
To those ends the recommendations
are made.
RECOMMENDATION
(c)
It is
recognised that factors unknown at the time of developing this Pastoral Plan
could have a significant impact on the celebration of the Eucharist throughout
the Parish in the years to come. This
could necessitate alternative ways of ensuring that the celebration of the
Eucharist is available to as many parishioners as possible across the Parish,
as often as is possible. Liturgies of
the Word with Communion may well continue to be necessary, but they are not
seen as a ready alternative to the celebration of the Eucharist, hence the
nature of these recommendations.
In
recommending that whole Parish Masses be
celebrated at least one annually, followed by a social gathering, the
sub-committee drew on the work of The Parish Assemblies of 2009 and 2010 where
the desire for the Parish to come together in this way was expressed strongly.
There is the strong sense that this, combined with a social gathering can
enhance the sense of “whole Parish”, and enable a stronger identity of the
entity that is the Mersey Leven parish.
As the
Profile of the Parish outlines, within each of the faith communities there are
parishioners involved in the planning and preparation of liturgy for local
celebrations, without whom such celebrations would not occur. The way in which this is done varies
according to the community. In addition
the Liturgy Preparation Group organises the liturgical planning and preparation
for seasonal liturgies, special occasions and whole parish celebrations.
In making the recommendation re the Parish Liturgy Committee, the
subcommittee was guided by the document on Liturgy Teams from the Liturgy
Office of the Archdiocese (now the Office of Liturgy), which offers the
following reasons for a two-tiered model of Community Liturgy Team and Parish
Liturgy Team:
- Helpful to have a clear understanding of the role of each group
- Arises out of a desire to coordinate liturgy across the parish
- Important to foster and encourage an active local community team in all Mass centres
RECOMMENDATION
(d)
As Part 1
shows, the involvement of lay people in the various aspects of life in the
Parish is extensive, and necessary for the Parish to fulfil its mission. It is incumbent on the Parish, particularly
the Pastoral Council to ensure:
a)
that there is the opportunity for all parishioners
to recognise their particular gifts and how they might be put into effect
b)
that the necessary level of involvement can be
maintained
c)
that an unnecessary burden is not placed on
people in the exercise of ministry
It is
considered that the existence of a Co-ordinating Group in each faith community
may contribute to greater effectiveness in recognising the needs of a
particular community, and in ensuring that the exercise of ministry is carried
out by as many people as possible within the community. This is more likely to
give effect to c) above.
The sub-committee
considered that, through celebration on an annual basis, awareness could be
raised across the Parish as to how extensive the involvement of parishioners
is. This could enable an increased
contribution to the life of the Parish by parishioners.
A Care and Concern Group was identified
as a priority for the Parish in the Assemblies of 2009 and 2010, and such a
group is now in place. It is seeking to
minister, in a practical and supportive way, to the range of needs that can
emerge in any community. In discussing this way of extending ministry in our
Parish, the sub-committee was mindful of the reality of the demographics of our
community, with the increasing number of older people who will comprise it.
However, a Care and Concern group would not be limited in focus to the needs of
that group, but inclusive of all those who find themselves in need, and whose
need can be met by a lay ministry such as a Care and Concern Group.
In relation to identification of
need, the sub-committee considered that the formation of Co-ordinating Groups
in each faith community could contribute significantly to such identification.
While the
needs of those who are bereaved could well come within the ambit of a Care and
Concern Group, it is considered that the prayerful support and care of the
Parish community could be extended further to them through an annual Mass.
RECOMMENDATION
(e)
In arriving
at these recommendations, the sub-committee's starting point was the
recognition that, since faith development is a continuous process over a
lifetime, as well as a challenging one, then programme development should take
into account the particular needs of different groups in the parish. There is
acknowledgement that this is given attention already, particularly in the
programmes that MacKillop Hill offers.
However addressing the needs of the greater majority of the Parish community
that is, older persons, means that further attention is required to factors
such as location, timing and cost. The
success of the weekend visits to the parish by Fr. Elio Capra has given rise to
the recommendations re a biannual parish occasion of education and spirituality
and allocating, in the annual Parish budget, an amount to meet those
recommendations.
RECOMMENDATION (f)
Involvement
of young people in the life of any Parish community is a challenge that each
community and the Catholic Church
as a whole faces. In what are considered
'rural communities', such as those which the Mersey Leven Parish encompasses,
the situation is compounded by the transient nature of students following the
completion of secondary education.
The
components of this recommendation are therefore broad, but contain the inherent
message of openness to the voice of young people, and a preparedness to pursue
appropriate ways of involvement that resonate with them. In this, working with the Diocesan Office for
Youth is essential.
RECOMMENDATION (g)
While a whole
Parish social committee is being recommended, this does not mean that functions
in each community are being discouraged.
Rather, it is considered that social occasions of the whole Parish are
an extremely effective way of enabling identity with the Mersey Leven Parish,
and, that having a Parish Social Committee with across parish representation
will further strengthen the Parish identity.
ATTACHMENT A
ATTACHMENT B
ATTACHMENT C
Role: To
promote the Church’s Mission
Responsibility: For the ongoing
life and development of the Parish, working together with parishioners to
provide support for their efforts to live as followers of Christ. To
participate in ongoing formation and faith development.
Function
of the Council:
·
Realise the vision and guiding principles of the
Mersey Leven Catholic Community through an established pastoral plan that is
regularly reviewed
·
Listen and respond to the hopes, ideas, needs and
concerns of parishioners
·
Provide opportunities for all parishioners to
participate in planning, encouraging, guiding and directing the various aspects
of parish life
·
To promote and support the church’s apostolic work and
co-ordinate various initiatives to meet identified needs in the community
·
Contribute towards making parish decisions that
reflect the values of the Gospel
·
To offer wise counsel to our priests and pastoral
leaders in support of their pastoral work
·
Set long term and short term pastoral goals for the
parish
Responsibilities
of Members:
In a spirit of prayerfulness each member of the Pastoral Council will:
·
Attend the monthly meetings of the Pastoral Council
·
Provide input to the deliberations of the Council
·
Develop a spirit of enquiry and an ability to listen
and understand the issues affecting the
lives of parishioners
·
Take opportunities for personal faith development
