Diocesan Pastoral Strategy Group Pilgrim Steps: Journeying together in faith June 2005

Full Document Contents Letter from Bishop Buckley Background Introduction Five themes Implementation Plan Appendices

Five themes Parish as Pobal Dé Parish Identity and Pastoral Areas A Praying and Worshipping Community Education, Formation, Evangelisation Leadership and the role of the Diocese

Parish as Pobal Dé The Church is a community of faith with a shared responsibility for the building of the Kingdom. Making this vision a reality at parish and diocesan level should inspire all pastoral endeavours. The wide variety of Church documents issued over the last 40 years supports this view.

There is a deep hunger among the faithful for such a model of the Church. The number one strategy must be to bring this model of the Church in our parishes and diocese into being.

Parish Identity & Pastoral Areas People have a strong sense of identification with their parish and their priests. Parishioners do not want to lose their parish identity or a priest of their own. Many priests want to work in co-operation with parishioners and other priests. The setting up of pastoral areas is seen as the best way forward.

Phase One would involve developing co-operation where there is little or none at present. Phase Two would involve piloting ways of developing more formal co- operation and sharing of resources.

A Praying and Worshipping Community Liturgy is about coming together as a faith community (Pobal Dé). People yearn for the personal and intimate experience of a special liturgy. Everyone has an important role in making our celebration of Mass life- giving.

We need to recapture our sense of the sacred. Central place of the Eucharist. Meaningful alternative liturgical celebrations and occasions of prayer.

Education, Formation, Evangelisation There is spiritual hunger today in our country and in our diocese. People need to be helped to share and live the Good News in their own families and lives. Parents, teachers, parish or community leaders need to be cherished and supported. Adult faith formation is urgently required.

Formation, training and support will be required for collaborative and team ministry. Many other proposals in the document have an education and formation component.

Leadership & the role of the diocese A diocese is a community of communities journeying together in Christ. This understanding needs to be reflected in –An inspiring and uniting vision; –The model of leadership used at both diocesan and local level; –The availability of resources across the diocese, so that this vision can become a reality.

Implementation Plan Locally Strategy Implementation Board –Board will assist the bishop in implementing the recommendations of the Strategy Document 4-year term Review Diocesan Pastoral Council

Implementation Diocesan Pastoral Team –Director of Pastoral Strategy –Co-ordinator of Parish Pastoral Development –Co-ordinator of Liturgy –Co-ordinator of Faith Development

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