Welcome to

YOU ARE LIVING STONESMeeting 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

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

… is guided by two principles:

•Organic development•Co-responsibility

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… is not:

•A blueprint•A done deal•Top-down/imposed•A closure programme•Planning for the future

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

Is:

•A prayerful reflection•A consultation•Realistic•Faith-filled•Community-based•Celebratory•Preparing for the future

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Is for:

•The whole Diocese•Every single parish•Chaplaincies•Priests, deacons and people•Religious•Schools•Catholic groups and associations

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

The Process:

•Rooted in prayer•Celebrating what we have•Reflecting on past, present & future•Sharing good practice•Renewal!

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

How was the consultation carried out:

•Differently by parish & deanery•Questionnaires•Parish meetings•Parish audits

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

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 co-responsibility in practice

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

What has come out of the consultation:

•Willingness to accept the principle of co-responsibility•Resistance to accept co-responsibility 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

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

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

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

Preparing for the future:

•Some smaller parishes will have a resident priest with extra responsibilities

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’

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

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

Preparing for the future:

•More work has to be done in outreach – evangelisation, catechesis & schools

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

Preparing for the future:

•More work has to be done in outreach – evangelisation, catechesis & schools•Deepening our communion

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

What happens next?

•Which parishes can work closer together in the presumption that they will eventually share a parish priest or fully unite?

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

What happens next?

•How can this be done?• Short term• Medium term• Long term

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

What happens next?

•How can this be done?• Short term• Medium term• Long term

•What suggestions do you have?

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

From today:

•Parish consultation•Deanery meeting•Working group of deans

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The aim:

•Celebrating and strengthening our unity

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

The aim:

•Transforming our words and our lives to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

The aim:

•Remembering that the Church is not here to serve herself, but to serve God and the world.

YOU ARE LIVING STONES

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 faith-filled, ensuring that our structures facilitate the Church’s prophetic, priestly and kingly mission