Transcript Document

Welcome to
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
Meeting of Priests – 18 February 2013
10.00
Coffee
10.20
Opening Prayer & Address – Bishop Malcolm
11.00
Deanery Discussion
11.45
Feedback & General Discussion
1.00
Lunch
YOU ARE LIVING STONES - CONTEXT
It is fifty years since Pope John XXIII
began the renewal of the Church at
the Second Vatican Council.
‘You are Living Stones’ is helping us
to celebrate the Year of Faith,
called by Pope Benedict XVI.
WHY ‘YOU ARE LIVING STONES’?
Coming to him as to a living stone...
chosen by God and precious, you
also, as living stones, are being built
up a spiritual house, a holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 1:5)
WHY ‘YOU ARE LIVING STONES’?
We are called to live our baptismal
consecration in the heart of the
Church:
• Proclaiming the Gospel
• Sacrifice of praise
• Witnessing with faith-filled lives
Our parishes are the visible sign of
the Church in the Diocese
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… is guided by two principles:
• Organic development
• Co-responsibility
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… is not:
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A blueprint
A done deal
Top-down/imposed
A closure programme
Planning for the future
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Is:
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A prayerful reflection
A consultation
Realistic
Faith-filled
Community-based
Celebratory
Preparing for the future
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Is for:
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The whole Diocese
Every single parish
Chaplaincies
Priests, deacons and people
Religious
Schools
Catholic groups and associations
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The Process:
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Rooted in prayer
Celebrating what we have
Reflecting on past, present &
future
Sharing good practice
Renewal!
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How was the consultation carried
out:
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Differently by parish & deanery
Questionnaires
Parish meetings
Parish audits
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What has come out of the
consultation:
• Willingness to accept the
principle of co-responsibility
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
What has come out of the
consultation:
• Willingness to accept the
principle of co-responsibility
• Resistance to accept coresponsibility in practice
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
What has come out of the
consultation:
• Willingness to accept the
principle of co-responsibility
• Resistance to accept coresponsibility in practice
• Realistic appraisal of clergy
numbers
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
What has come out of the
consultation:
• Critical examination of each
parish and deanery’s strengths
and weaknesses
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
What has come out of the
consultation:
• Critical examination of each
parish and deanery’s strengths
and weaknesses
• NIMBYism
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
What has come out of the
consultation:
• Critical examination of each
parish and deanery’s strengths
and weaknesses
• NIMBYism
• Genuine and heartfelt
appreciation for the ministry of
priests, deacons & religious
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
What has come out of the
consultation:
• Above all, a desire to build on
what we have got and to prepare
properly and realistically for the
future
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
The present demography:
We have:
• 108 parishes – 10 run by Orders
• 94 diocesan priests in office – 7
aren’t in parishes
• retired priests
• Priests from religious institutes,
other dioceses, the PCMEW &
the Ordinariate
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
The present demography:
Age profile of priests in ministry:
• 75+
13
• 65-74
23
• 55-64
28
• 45-54
22
• 35-44
9
• 25-34
0
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
Preparing for the future:
• Parishes will have to work
together
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Preparing for the future:
• Parishes will have to work
together
• Fewer parishes will have a
resident priest
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
Preparing for the future:
• Parishes will have to work
together
• Fewer parishes will have a
resident priest
• There will be fewer celebrations
of Mass on Sunday
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Preparing for the future:
• Some smaller parishes will have
a resident priest with extra
responsibilities
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Preparing for the future:
• Some smaller parishes will have
a resident priest with extra
responsibilities
• Some parishes may be united in
a ‘team ministry’
YOU ARE LIVING STONES
Preparing for the future:
• Some smaller parishes will have
a resident priest with extra
responsibilities
• Some parishes may be united in
a ‘team ministry’
• Lay people will be called to a
much more active role
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Preparing for the future:
• More work has to be done in
outreach – evangelisation,
catechesis & schools
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Preparing for the future:
• More work has to be done in
outreach – evangelisation,
catechesis & schools
• Deepening our communion
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What happens next?
• Which parishes can work closer
together in the presumption that
they will eventually share a
parish priest or fully unite?
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What happens next?
• How can this be done?
• Short term
• Medium term
• Long term
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What happens next?
• How can this be done?
• Short term
• Medium term
• Long term
• What suggestions do you have?
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From today:
• Parish consultation
• Deanery meeting
• Working group of deans
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The aim:
• Celebrating and strengthening
our unity
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The aim:
• Transforming our words and our
lives to demonstrate that the
Kingdom of God is at hand.
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The aim:
• Remembering that the Church is
not here to serve herself, but to
serve God and the world.
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The aim:
• Evangelisation of those who have
not embraced the Gospel, using
effective means, appropriate to
our own era, while always
respecting those who we serve
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The aim:
• Being realistic, practical and faithfilled, ensuring that our
structures facilitate the Church’s
prophetic, priestly and kingly
mission