Archbishop Dew announces next step in planning the future of the Archdiocese

Archbishop John Dew of Wellington New Zealand says proposals for the future of the Archdiocese have been completed and will be presented for consultation early in the new year.

In a circular distributed on 7 December Archbishop Dew wrote:

“As you are aware, early last year I initiated a Focus Group to look at the future of the Archdiocese, and to help me discern what the future might look like in terms of what resources we have for the mission of the Archdiocese, how many parishes will we need to help us fulfill that mission.”

We are now ready to take the next step.  We have drawn up a set of proposals regarding the future of the Archdiocese.  Early in the New Year, I will present these proposals to the three canonical bodies (Council of Priests, Board of Administration, Archdiocesan Pastoral Council).

“I will also arrange for meetings with clergy and lay pastoral leaders.  I will then begin a series of meetings in regions and/or Pastoral Areas to present these proposals to all in the Archdiocese.  Details of these proposals will be given in the documentation provided at each  of these meetings.  I look forward to sharing this “future full of hope”  with you , and listening to your response.”

Archbishop Dew says he is grateful for the work of the Focus Group.  “They have been totally dedicated to the task at hand.  We have met many times, engaged in a widespread consultation process,  read  a huge amount of information,  studied and debated options for the future.  Above all, we have prayed through this material, and listened for the voice of the Spirit calling us into “a future full of hope”  (cf  Jer 29:11).”

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