Everyone, including divorced or separated people, LGBT+, migrants and minorities should all feel they belong to Catholic parishes, as should "those who consider themselves ‘cultural Catholics'," it says.

In addition, "images of families used in parish and diocesan literature should represent all family types."

Irish Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly's new pastoral plan particularly emphasises that women must be included in leadership roles as "a priority into the future.

Women must be enabled to fulfil their role in developing the mission of the Church."

The plan asks parishes "to identify minority groups who may feel less welcome or who do not feel they belong and plan events that convey hospitality and welcome."

The new pastoral plan places particular emphasis on the importance of youth in outlining a future for the Church.

"The Church must change, not because of necessity or because of declining vocations and attendance at Masses but because it is the right thing to do. And in doing so, it is the Holy Spirit that is guiding us," says O'Reilly.

"We must step out of the past, embrace the present and move to the future. The model whereby a public attends Mass once a week is not what the Church is about.

"It is and must be about the Church being out in the community rather than the community being in the Church."

Working in partnership with people is an essential component of the future Catholic Church, O'Reilly stresses.

The Church "is changing now and the priest-led Church of the past will need to embrace a partnership approach with people into the future." he says.

Failure to recognise the role of women in the Church is one of "the biggest issues the Church has faced over recent decades," the plan says.

Recognising the need to do something about this, the Archdiocese recently appointed a woman as its Director of Pastoral Planning and Development.

The plan recommends training priests and lay people, as they move towards a new model of co-responsibility.

This will mean "greater participation by people, the use of facilitation skills, greater involvement in decision-making by lay people and the development of the ability to communicate with all parishioners."

While acknowledging "respect for the work which many priests have done in the past", the plan says the new style of Church leadership it advocates "requires a deeper trust in lay people."

"This [partnership] model will need to understand the nature of volunteering. The aim is to have many people doing a little rather than few people doing much."

Source

• The Irish Times
• Image: Amazon

The document was officially launched in Goroka on Sunday and is the culmination of two years of work within the church.

It is the first time that Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands have developed a common Pastoral Plan.

When he presented the plan the president of the Bishops' Conference, Arnold Orowae of Wabag, said that young people especially live in uncertainty and fear of the future, adding that family breakdown, violence and corruption are on the rise.

Arnold also noted "an identity crisis in the priesthood and religious life".

Source

• CatholicReporterPNG
• Asopa
• Image: CatholicReportPNG

He was speaking on Pentecost Sunday at St Patrick's Cathedral as he launched the diocesan pastoral plan "Fit for Mission" that has been in preparation for the past twelve months.

In his address to the congregation at the 11am Mass, Bishop Patrick said that we often think of Mission as something for missionaries, those who have left New Zealand to work overseas, or those who have come from other countries to work here.

"This cross fertilisation is always enriching, a reminder to us that the Church is universal," he said. "But this call to mission applies to each one of us. Jesus said, ‘As the Father has sent me, so am I sending you…..receive the Holy Spirit.' In leaving Mass each Sunday, nourished by Word and Sacrament, we hear the command in the dismissal rite to go and announce the gospel and glorify the Lord in our lives, to advance the reign of God, to continue the mission of Jesus."

The bishop expressed his hope is that every person, every parish, every community, every school will look outwards, beyond their own communities to ask ‘Where are the poor, where are people who are suffering in any way and how can I help?'

He affirmed the many ways in which some are already doing this. "We will now be asking every parish and school community to identify one project that they will undertake to serve the wider community and to share and encourage others to do likewise," the bishop said.

Bishop Dunn said that Pope Francis constantly reminds us that we cannot be part-time Christians. He quoted Pope Francis who wrote as follows in his Apostolic Exhortation, Joy of the Gospel. ‘I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and clinging to its own security.'

The bishop said that each one of us is the Church. Therefore when we are "out on the streets" we are truly advancing the missionary work of Jesus.

He prayed that the Holy Spirit will inspire everyone in the diocese to be on mission and witness to the gospel in their homes, workplaces and in all their activities.

The Pastoral Plan is available in 10 different languages.

Source

• The Catholic Diocese of Auckland
• Image: Facebook

CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND

Fit For Mission
Takatu Ki Te Mau I Te Rongo Pai

Are we ready to be Christians full time, showing our commitment by word and deed? Pope Francis

In order to engage every Catholic in the diocese to reach out to bring the Good News and love of Jesus to ALL, the Catholic diocese of Auckland urges diocesan agencies, parishes, schools and individuals to grow and become more in the following ways

Go Forth

• Reach out to those outside or distant from our communities
• Go out and share the Word
• Welcome new and returning members

Pastoral Areas for Mission

• Work collaboratively across community boundaries
• Build stronger links among schools, parishes, and families

Leadership for Mission

• Promote shared and co-responsible leadership among clergy and laity
• Acknowledge and celebrate lay leadership
• Support our bishop and clergy

Communication for Mission

• Share the Good News by all means and in all modes
• Create a sense of belonging
• Encourage life-long faith learning

Challenge one another to proclaim the Good News.

He argues this dual commitment can be achieved through a tool called the pastoral circle which was formulated by the USA Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Jesuit Order to help churches, organisations and religious communities respond effectively to the issues that face them.

Chong says there are four moments in the pastoral circle: insertion, social analysis, theological reflection and action plan.

1. Insertion — involves asking what is happening? Put yourself in the situation. One good way of doing this, he said, was imagining yourself looking down on Fiji. One asks what are the people experiencing, what are their fears, what are their aspirations?
2. Social analysis — why is this happening? Why of the what. What are the root causes of the problem? Why are things the way they are? Archbishop Chong said that social analysis could be likened to a visit to the doctor. The doctor carries out an analysis to identify the cause of illness. He said this second moment was very important because "unless we know the root cause, we might not be able to effectively address the situation".
3. Theological reflection — here we reflect on what is God saying to us in this situation/problem. This is an attempt to understand the problem from the perspective of God.
4. Action plan — what is to be done? This course of action is informed by the social analysis and the theological reflection.

The pastoral circle guides the Churches, communities, and organisations towards relevancy and effectiveness in responding to their challenges.

He says training will be needed and expertise will be drawn from both the laity and the religious communities. Archbishop Chong says he wants to use this tool at all levels within the local church so that its teachings, interpretations and applications will always be relevant to those whom the church serves.

Source

• The Fiji Times
• Image: 3.bp.blogspot.com