Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, Edinburgh
A.M.D.G.
| PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL Meetings in 2000 Mission Statement: |
Contents |
The 8th meeting was held on 16th November 2000.
Jacquie du Rocher had resigned from the PPC and it was agreed to consider her replacement at the next meeting.
Archbishop's Visit: each grouping on the PPC was asked to prepare a brief summary of the strengths, weaknesses and hopes which would help structure the meeting with him.
Parish Questionnaire: the response of the Youth representatives was considered. A brief report should appear in the newsletter telling the parish that the PPC were continuing to work on the responses.
Deanery: A joint project with St Thomas School was underway to raise money for and awareness about the homeless. Max Bancroft was appointed lay parish rep on the Deanery PC.
The 7th meeting was held on 11 October 2000.
The Council discussed the introduction of the Rite Of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) into the Parish and how best to meld the requirements of the 'Dismissal Rite' and, indeed, the whole RCIA with the current mass arrangements in the parish.
Audio system was being reviwed. The loop part was broken and would need replacing.
A timetable was drawn up for the Archbishop's visit - he would visit housebound parishioners in the morning and afetrnoon, the Over 60s Lunch Club, meet the PPC, celebrate Mass, have a question and answer session followed by refreshments and chatting.
Parish Questionnaire: the various groups were beginning to make their responses to the questionnaire. The PPC noted the overall diversity of views as expressed with some suggestions only coming from one or two persons.
The Council agreed that its minutes would be posted on the display board in the porch after every meeting.
The 6th meeting was held on 19 September 2000.
The Ogilvie Room was available for those who felt it could be utilised in additional ways and those expressing an interest were encouraged to get together and proceed with this.
Members of the PPC who had made themselves availabe after Mass reported a generallly positive response. It was agreed that PPC members could also be available before Mass and that a word of explanation should now appear in the newsletter. It was also agreed that photos of PPC members should appear in the foyer with their area of interest.
RCIA: Fr Randall presented a paper on this - there were 5-6 persons interested in entering full communion with the Catholic Church. The Council discussed the various options (weekday meetings as opposed to Sunday during Mass, what the committment would be from those assisting in RCIA, what resources were needed to make it successful) and asked Fr Randall to carry on with the planning of this along with those who had expressed an interest.
A brief discussion resulted in a provisional programme for the Archbishop's Visit in November - meeting the housebound during the day, the over 60s group, the PPC in the early evening, mass followed by an informal eceptionw ith a question/answer session beforehand.
The Council thanked those who had collated the replies to the questionnaire and agrred that the responses should now be printed for parishioners to see also. Each group would be asked to consider the comments/suggestions conerning them and respond to the PPC about them. The PPC itself would start discussing the responses in detail at its future meetings.
The 5th meeting was held on 29th June 2000.
The Council decided that the 100 completed questionnaires would be processed by a small team of volunteers over the summer. They also considered the list of people who had completed the separate section offering help in various ways and apportoned them amongst the PPC members to contact.
The Council finalised the arrangements for members to be present with a name badge after Sunday mass.
The Council received reports from an initial meeting held on Justice amd Peace and from one of the regular meetings of the Liturgy Committee. No action was required by the PPC from these.
The Council considered possible extended future use of the Ogilvie Room.
Report on an informal meeting with the Jesuit Provincial June 2000
The Council met informally with Fr David Smolira, Provincial of the British Jesuit Province on Sunday 18 June.
Fr Smolira explained that part of his duties as Provincial was to visit Jesuit 'works' in the Province. The Jesuits were putting more and more emphasis on collaboration and partnership in ministry and the General Congregation had agreed that one of the Jesuits tasks was to support lay people in their ministry. Within the British Province this would be achieved in the areas of:
As far as the Sacred Heart Parish was concerned he made some points:
There was discussion about some areas where more work could be done or where there were areas of need not yet adequately addressed:
- the lapsed (or rather "the unchurched"). The numbers of these became obvious at funerals - how could we be welcoming so that they felt encouraged to return? The numbers of masses might militate against this. Perhaps we should have more non-Eucharistic services. In some areas, masses had been cancelled on some occasions (presumably as part of a programme?). RCIA had also been succesful in some churches but this involved a major committment and careful planning and follow through.
- regular mass goers needed to be helped to grow and move on to a higher level - we should not be bound all the time by people's expectations. The responses to the questionnaire would be interesting.
- there would be a tension between genuine lay collaborative ministry and the fact that, in canon law, only the parish priest was responsible to the Archbishop for the parish. The Jesuits would not be abandoning their leadership role in such a situation. For the ministry to be truly collaborative, rather than just a case of "Please help us", then the lay people involved would need to be:
- willing
- theologically formed
- spiritually formed
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Report on third and fourth meetings April/May 2000
The fourth meeting was held on 24th May. The Council gave final advice and suggestions as to what could go in the questionnaire and agreed that members would assist in distributing it to the congregation after the homily at each of the masses on 10/11 June. The questionnaire should be returned by 25 June. The section seeking information from parishioners (names, addresses etc) would be in a different colour and detachable to keep anonymity.
A draft Mission Statement had been produced by Kate Crichton based on the deliberations at the previous meeting. This was discussed, amended and finally agreed: The Council agreed that members would be available at the end of each Sunday Mass with identifying nametags to enable parishioners to ask questions and raise issues.
The third meeting was held on 27th April. The Council continued its development of its knowledge of the Parish. The Parish Secretary outlined the database she held on parishioners. The bulk of this was compiled from a 'census' carried out in 1994. The Council noted that we were registered as required under the Data Protection Act and noted the requirement for confidentiality that this imposed. They agreed that an attachment to the Parish Questionnaire enabling information to be updated would be useful.
The Council noted the exact delineation of the Parish boundaries and that this was important primarily for people going into hospital.
The Council agreed to have a social/spiritual get together in late June preferably in St Catherines' Convent.
The Council started the process of agreeing a mission statement.
Report on first two meetings - March 2000
The first meeting was held on 14th March and the second on 29th March. Most members of the Council attended a half day Deanery seminar in the Gillis Centre on Sunday 19th March which helped them to focus on what the Council was for and what service it would provide to the parish community from which it sprang.
At the first meeting, the Parish Priest announced that he had asked Max Bancroft and Barbara Conboy to be Chairperson and Secretary respectively. This would enable the Council to start functioning immediately but the Council would itself decide in the future how its office-bearers were to be chosen.
Although elected representing different aspects of parish life, the members of the Council agreed they were not to restrict their advice and deliberations to their own particular area but that they were a Council for the whole parish.
The first two meetings were spent mostly in the Council determining its role, how it would decide its aims, objectives and modus operandi, the frequency of its meetings and how it might grow as a community. Amongst its practical tasks it advised the Parish Priest on a Parish Questionnaire that he had been preparing - both as to its content and as to how it might be presented to the parish to elicit a useful response.
'As part of the people of God within the Sacred Heart Parish, we the Parish Pastoral Council,actively listen to the spiritual needs and wishes of the parishioners. Through regular meetings and prayerful thought and action, the Council, with the support and co-operation of the Parish Priest, encourages and enables the members of the Parish to provide and care for the whole community taking as our inspiration, the values of God's kingdom.'
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|
Liturgy and Sacramental Preparation 1 John McManus 2 Angela Campbell |
Outreach (our mission in the world) 1 Jean Lugton 2 Max Bancroft |
| Administration and Finance 1 Pat Cavanagh 2 Richard Marzec |
Youth 1 Anya Golabek-Hamilton 2 Kate Crichton |
| Adult faith Education & Spiritual Growth 1 Jacqui du Rocher 2 Therese Pratt |
Social Life 1 Helen McGill 2 Ros McKay |
Fr Randall, Sr Anne, Sr Annunciata and Barbara Conboy were members ex-officiis.
To ensure continuity, the first named member in each group would serve for three years and the second for two years.
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Preparations for a Parish Pastoral Council.
The following was distributed to the Parish in February 2000 and published on the Website.
THE VOICE OF PARISHIONERS.
Over the coming weeks there will be two opportunities for parishioners to use their "voice", so as to create a voice! The first will be a questionnaire, and the second will be the formation of a Parish Pastoral Council. This display will give information about the foundational directives and ideas behind a Parish Pastoral Council. Parishioners will then be able to use a voting slip in the questionnaire to vote for members who could sit on the Council.
On Sunday 19th March, 1.30 - 6pm, there will be a gathering of all those from St Thomas' Deanery who are involved in Parish Pastoral Councils.
It can be useful to use our voice in discovering how to create a voice! How do people want to use their voice in this community of faith?
The authority of the Parish Priest is there to enable the parishioners to develop their Ministries, their voice (internal and external) as members of the Church.
The Parish Pastoral Council connects to the Deanery Pastoral Council, which in turn connects with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. The communication between these is meant to be mutually beneficial for the presence and mission of the Church at its different levels.
Archdiocesan Pastoral Council
Deanery Pastoral Council
Parish Pastoral Council
What are the directives and ideas behind the move towards Parish Pastorals Councils?
The foundations of this model are rooted in Canon Law and the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (1965).
In dioceses, as far as possible, councils should be set up to assist the Church's apostolic work, whether in the field of evangelisation and sanctification or in the fields of charity, social relations and the rest; the clergy and religious working with the laity in whatever way proves satisfactory. These councils can take care of the mutual co-ordinating of the various lay associations and undertakings, the autonomy and particular nature of each remaining untouched.
The Code of Canon Law (1983) contains the following Canon:
536. No.1. If after consulting the council of priests, the diocesan Bishop considers it opportune, a pastoral council is to be established in each parish. In this council, which is presided over by the parish priest, Christ's faithful, together with those who by virtue of their office are engaged in pastoral care in the parish, give their help in fostering pastoral action.No. 2. The pastoral council has only a consultative vote, and it is regulated by the norms laid down by the diocesan Bishop.
A Pastoral Council is a source of consultation for the Parish Priest. At the moment this parish has a Finance Group, to meet the demands of Canon Law, but no forum for the broad spectrum of parish life. In the coming weeks each parishioner will have the opportunity to fill in a questionnaire as one way of using his/her voice. In the questionnaire there will be a voting slip so that twelve parishioners can be voted onto the Council, two for each designated area of parish life:
The Parish Priest and other clergy, the Parish Sisters, and Barbara Conboy will automatically be members of the Council, in accordance with recommended guidelines.
Another opportunity for parishioners to use their voice is in open parish meetings, say every 3-6 months. Is this something you would like to take part in?
Parishioners should always feel free to approach the Parish Priest as individuals.
Do you have any comments on how you would like to see parishioners using their voice?
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Parish Pastoral Council
Voting Ballot
Our parish needs Christian leadership to help make decisions about spiritual life and worship; Christian formation for parishioners of all ages; human concerns and works of justice; administrative services and stewardship; collaboration, and community building activities.
Leaders should have the following characteristics:
Would you please vote for two people in each of the following areas:
| Liturgy and Sacramental Preparation 1........................................ 2................................... |
Outreach (our mission in the world) 1........................................ 2................................... |
| Administration and Finance 1................................... 2.................................... |
Youth 1................................... 2.................................... |
| Adult faith Education & Spiritual Growth
1................................. 2................................... |
Social Life 1................................. 2............................... |
Please do not vote for the same person twice, nor for any of the priests, Sr Annunciata, Sr Anne, or Barbara Conboy. Remember also the following requirements put forward by the Church, for those who sit on such councils. They should be:
Those with the most votes in each of the sectors of parish involvement (as above), will be asked if they will be a member of the Pastoral Council. If they decline, the next person with the highest number of votes will be approached.
The display board in the foyer of the church has more information that may help you. Please take the time to reflect and pray about this, before you vote. This ballot paper should be placed in the relevant box in the foyer, by March 5th
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