DIOCESE OF

FORWARD
& OUTWARD TOGETHER
for our parish
communities

2004
FOREWORD BY BISHOP MICHAEL 3
INTRODUCTION 4
Our Diocesan Family 5
What is the Church for? 6
Why a Diocesan Pastoral Plan?
6
CALLED TO HOLINESS 7
A COMMUNITY OF WELCOME 8
Our Diocesan Family 9
Our Cathedral 9
Our Parish Family 9
Renewing our parishes 10
A truly Catholic welcome 10
A welcoming liturgy 11
Ministry of Welcome 11
Welcoming & including
newcomers 11
Welcoming to Sunday Mass 12
Social events 13
A network of communities 13
Less-active Catholics 13
The stranger 15
People with disabilities 16
The elderly, sick & housebound
17
The retired 17
Children and young people 17
Our Catholic Schools 19
Single people 19
The separated and divorced 19
The ring of the Prodigal Son 20
A COMMUNITY OF
Holiness and welcoming love 21
Care and loving-kindness 22
Justice 24
Communication 25
Earthen vessels 26
TOGETHER IN TRUST & PARTNERSHIP 26
Parishes working together 26
The Deanery 27
The Cluster 28
Communities within each parish
29
Working together in the parish 29
Needs and Skills Audit 30
Lay involvement and leadership
31
Training for lay ministry 32
Limited terms of service 33
Adult religious formation 33
Working with other Christians 34
Working with people of other
faiths 35
Structures for lay participation 36
TOGETHER IN PRAYER 37
LIVING THE SACRAMENTS 39
Touching the heart 39
RCIA 40
Baptism 41
Confirmation 43
Eucharist 44
Rediscovering Sunday 47
Services of Word & Communion 48
First Reconciliation & Communion 49
Reconciliation (Confession) 50
Anointing of the Sick 51
Holy Matrimony 51
Holy Orders 53
Priestly Vocations 54
Ongoing Formation of Clergy 54
Care of Clergy 55
Deacons 57
RELIGIOUS LIFE 57
FINANCES 58
NEW STRUCTURES 59
Deaneries (immediate) 59
Parish changes (immediate) 60
Parish changes (gradual) 61
Combining parishes (as needed) 63
Parish Clusters (immediate) 63
APPENDICES
1. Towards One Mass 65
2. Link People – one model 66
3. Youth Masses 67

In Christ,
we are together the Church.
My dear friends,
Your first response to this Diocesan Pastoral Plan may be that it is rather long! Yet more paper! I had to decide whether simply to produce yet another short document which repeated everything said in my previous documents, or to take seriously and to ‘harvest’ many of the thoughts and ideas which emerged from the two phases of ‘Forward and Outward Together.’
I have chosen the second option. It is important that you know you have been
listened to, and heard. This document is
largely the fruit of all the discussions among priests and people in our
parishes and deaneries, and at diocesan gatherings. I hope many of you will recognise your own
suggestions, perhaps even your own words. I have focused mainly on those
thoughts most frequently echoed in parish and deanery reports. I am very grateful for all the time and
thought that so many people across the diocese have given to this process over
the last 18 months. For some of you, it
has been worrying, disturbing, and perhaps even painful, as you have become
more aware of the serious challenges we face in the years a
Your second response may be to worry that too much is being asked of priests and people who are already overburdened. This plan is not intended to add to your worries or burdens: many people are far too busy as it is. We cannot do everything at once. Many of the ideas in this plan are already in operation; there is plenty of good practice across our diocese.
Even without this Diocesan Pastoral Plan, your parish and deanery discussions have already given you an agenda for future development. Every parish is different, and our approach must be flexible. I ask parishes, ‘clusters’ of parishes and deaneries to use this document as a basis for pastoral planning over the next five years, perhaps taking one or two topics at a time.
On the other hand, there is little point to all our work over the last year if this document becomes yet another ‘grand plan’ which sits on a shelf and gathers dust. We must work together to ensure that it has a positive and lasting effect. A key theme throughout the responses to ‘Forward and Outward Together’ is that we must be pro-active rather than re-active. This has to begin now – we do not have the luxury to put it off until later. Our progress will be carefully monitored.
The decisions and recommendations
here are not set in stone. Things change in
As Archbishop Oscar Romero once wrote, ‘It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest. For a “future not our own”.’ Please read the whole Pastoral Plan in the light of the full text from Romero on the back cover.
What is our main aim in all of
this? It is not primarily for our own benefit
that we seek to move forward and outward together, but for all the people of
With my renewed thanks and my warmest good wishes,
Yours in Christ,

Rt Rev Michael Evans
Bishop of
When he arrived as Bishop of East
Anglia in March 2003, Bishop Michael immediately set about a series of
consultations about what were perceived to be the key priorities for our
diocese over the next few years. On 26th
March 2003, just a week after his ordination, the Diocesan College of
Consultors (the seven Deans and five other priests), rooted in their long and
varied experience of the diocese, gave the following ten priorities, all within
the setting of the Lord’s call to grow together in holiness, in faith and in
love:
The gathering of fifty of our
priests and deacons in Merville in June 2003 echoed these priorities, and added
some of their own.
These same priorities arose again
and again in discussions among lay people and clergy at parish, deanery and
diocesan level.
The clergy meeting in Merville
also asked that we dispel the attitude of ‘something will happen one day.’
There has been a growing sense over the last year that we no longer have the
luxury of being able to sit back and wait a little longer.
The March 2003 meeting of the
College of Consultors agreed a new diocesan consultation process, echoing
Bishop Alan Clark’s 1988 Pastoral Plan (“Deepening and Widening our Faith”) and
taking up where Bishop Peter Smith’s later “Sowing the Seed” had left off. This new diocesan process came to be called
“Forward and Outward Together”.
For twelve months, from May 2003
until May 2004, every parish and deanery has been involved in numerous
discussions. There were also many individual responses. A lot of people gave much time to the
process. Over 1,500 people were involved
in the first phase of consultations, based on the bishop’s paper “Forward &
Outward Together” and the accompanying “Points to Ponder”. These responses led
to two further papers for the second phase: “Working Together” and “Towards New
Structures”.
There have also been parallel
consultations and meetings at diocesan level on the age for First Communion and
Confirmation, our work with Young People, Justice and Peace, Disability
Awareness, and Marriage and Family Life (‘Listening 2004’), as well as with our
religious communities. Some of our Diocesan Commissions have also given time to
exploring the best way forward. Alongside this, Fr
A draft version of the Diocesan
Pastoral Plan was presented for discussion to a joint meeting of the parish
priests of the diocese and the Council of Priests on 1st July
2004. A large majority (86%) approved
the document as something on which we could move forward together; another 10%
gave qualified approval; 4% were unhappy to move forward in this way. A few small revisions were made, and Bishop
Michael has now endorsed this Diocesan Pastoral Plan as the policy for our
whole diocesan family and its parishes.
No such plan is of use unless it
is practical and realistic, and is followed up carefully. Although a range of
views were expressed in parish, deanery and individual responses to ‘Forward
and Outward Together’, we can only move realistically into the future on the
basis of Catholic teaching and current Catholic discipline. People will continue to ask challenging
questions, and these need to be heard and answered, but a Bishop can only lead
his diocese within the fullness of the Catholic tradition, united in full
communion with the Holy Father and his brother bishops, and drawing his
inspiration especially from the documents of the Second Vatican Council.
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Bishop Michael launched our
diocesan review on the basis of the experience and priorities of the Diocesan
College of Consultors and others. As
this process has continued, the Bishop has got to know the diocese in some way,
visiting every Catholic school before the Summer of 2003 and every parish at
least once before Easter 2004. The best source of detailed insight and
information on our parishes, deaneries and the diocese has come from the
reflections given in reports as part of the diocesan process. It is those reports which have determined the
way forward.
Although three people are
beginning seminary formation in September 2004, the first for our diocese for
many years, we have very few priests now available to replace those due to
retire over the next ten years. We now
have 56 parishes in our diocese. If all our priests were to preserve reasonably
good health and none retire until aged 75, fifteen parish priests would retire
over the next ten years. The actual
figure is likely to be larger.
Clearly we cannot preserve all our
parishes as they are, and we need to make practical decisions now about how to
prepare for that future rather than react to each situation as it arises. Some of those decisions need to be
implemented immediately. Some will need
to come into play over the next few years. Others may never be necessary if our
situation changes radically.
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Each of our parish communities is
a portion of the ‘
We are not just a community: we
are a community ‘in Christ’. Through our Baptism and Confirmation, and our
regular participation in the Mass, the Holy Spirit draws us into the mystery of
Christ and into the inner life of the Holy Trinity.
The Risen Lord says to each of us: ‘Come to me’, ‘Follow me’
and ‘Go in my name’. We are transformed by the touch of his presence and become
new people, ready and able to follow him and to live a new life ‘in Christ.’ We
are sent forth by him into the world to proclaim with joy the good news of
God’s love for all humanity, and ‘to make disciples of all nations’ (Matthew
28.20). Jesus’ call to communion with
his life (‘Come to me’) is inseparable from his call to communion with his
mission (‘Go in my name’). Jesus was
deeply conscious of being ‘sent’ by the Father. If we are truly united with
Christ as his bride and his body, and as branches of the vine, we will also be
drawn into his mission to bring God’s saving love to the world.
The Second Vatican Council
proclaimed the mission of the whole Church in its summary of the vocation of
every individual: each ‘must stand before the world as a witness to the
resurrection and life of the Lord Jesus, and as a sign that God lives’ (Gaudium
et Spes, n. 38).
As the Second Vatican Council taught, ‘The pilgrim Church is
missionary by her very nature. For it is from the mission of the Son and the
mission of the Holy Spirit that she takes her origin, in accordance with the
decree of God the Father’ (Ad Gentes, n. 1). Communion with the Triune God is the very
life of the Church; communion with the mission of God’s Son and Spirit is the
very mission of the Church.
Some of the things required or
suggested here are already well established in many parishes. Someone recently
suggested that the Catholic Church in our country is dying. That is not the impression we get from our
parishes in
‘Many of the themes covered in Bishop
Michael’s paper Working Together were met with heartfelt cries of “We
should have been doing this years ago!” Many of the proposed priorities and
initiatives have been desired for many years (e.g. better welcome, better
community, better sharing, more lay leadership, etc) and need attention
anyway.’ (St Mary’s parish,

The Pastoral Plan is divided into
two parts.
This covers a range of diocesan
policies and recommendations, rooted in the initial round of discussions for
“Forward & Outward Together” and responses to the document “Working
Together”.
There are three categories
of statements:
(1)
Policies to be implemented everywhere
across the diocese.
(2)
Recommendations to be given full
consideration in each parish and deanery.
(3)
Points for further consideration by each
parish and deanery, and the diocese.
The plan should be used as a
check-list by priests and people together as they present pastoral plans for
the future of parishes, clusters of parishes, deaneries and the whole
diocese. Parish and Deanery Councils of
different kinds should use it as an agenda for their ongoing work. It will also be used as a basis for the
Bishop’s visitation of parishes.
This covers decisions concerning
structural changes regarding individual parishes, clustering of parishes and
deaneries, some to be implemented immediately, others to be implemented
gradually as appropriate.
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This Plan is not intended to be the last word on
anything. It is open to ongoing and
periodic review. As the Second Vatican Council reminded us, the Church is in
need of continual renewal. Some things will not work. Other better ideas will
come to light. This Pastoral Plan will be presented for radical review by the
whole diocese in 2009, but there needs to be flexibility between now and then.
Such a plan can only be provisional. Our situation may change for better or
worse. We need continuity with our past;
we need to consolidate all the good that we already have; but we are also a
pilgrim people, and we need to keep moving “Forward and Outward Together” if we
are truly to be the Church of Jesus Christ.
“People want more church –
not less”
(St Mary’s parish,
ababababababababab
The motto of the Synod of Churches in the Holy Land,
presenting its General Pastoral Plan in 2000, sums up in three phrases
all that our own pastoral plan seeks to enable and encourage:
·
Believing in Christ
·
Participating in the Church
·
Witnessing in Society
We need to hold together those three callings if we are to
be truly the Church in
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CALLED TO HOLINESS
Much in this pastoral plan concerns new ways of doing
things, new structures for our future, and simply sharing good practice with
one another. But there is no point to
any of this unless it serves our fundamental vocation from God: the call to
holiness, the call to perfect love of God and one another. Our prayer for this diocese and our parishes
is that the Holy Spirit will renew us in love, and set us on fire so that
others can catch fire from us.
Our personal lives, our families and homes, our schools and
parish communities, are ‘holy ground’ where we encounter the transforming
presence of the Living God. We are
called to be like the burning bush Moses was drawn to in the desert: we should
be people on fire with God’s love within us, so that others will be attracted
towards us and meet God himself.
But holiness is never a private affair. It is deeply personal, but never
private. We are called to love God with
all our being, and to love one another as Jesus has loved us. Growing together in loving community is
essential to being truly holy. We are
called to be beacons of holiness – in our personal lives and in our communion
with each other.
We are all called to turn our lives away from sin and
towards the Risen Lord. Only God, ‘the fountain of all holiness’, can make us
holy, and it is always by the power of his love – the Holy Spirit - that he
renews and transforms us from within.

As Jesus changed the water into wine at
We are not asked to do all this on our own. Above all, Christ is with us. Without Christ
we can do nothing. We are totally
dependent on his free gift of grace, the Gift of the Holy Spirit, the love
which God pours into our hearts.
But also, our Diocese of East Anglia today and in the years
a
Nor are we simply united with the Church of today. We are supported and inspired by all those
who have gone before us in
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A COMMUNITY OF WELCOME
Nearly all parish responses highlighted the need to become
more welcoming communities. This is one
of the main ways we will spread the Good News of Jesus together: by becoming
visible beacons of God’s light, communities full of the joyful and welcoming
love of the Risen Lord. Other people
will be drawn towards our parish life and worship, and encounter there the
presence of Christ.
The ‘gift of community’ lies at the heart of God’s plan for
humanity. The Lord came to ‘gather together the scattered children of God’, and
unity is central to a truly Catholic understanding of the ‘salvation’ Christ
came to bring. Only if we are truly united with each other can we be a credible
sign to the world of the Good News of Jesus Christ. ‘Being together’ and ‘going forth’, Community
and
God our Father,
we rejoice in the faith that
draws us together,
aware that selfishness can
drive us apart.
Let your encouragement be
our constant strength.
Keep us one in the love that
has sealed our lives,
and help us to live as one
family
the gospel we profess.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
Roman Missal: alternative
opening prayer for the 11th Sunday of the Year.
Our diocesan
family
Any church community is more than a gathering of people. It
is a family. We should think of the
diocese as our diocesan family, and each parish as a parish family. Once we think and feel that way, we may well
have a very different attitude to much of church life, worship and
mission.
Within the great worldwide family of the Catholic Church, we
belong first to the family of the Diocese of East Anglia, gathered around the
Bishop and with
Your parish, and every parish in

illustration
by Derek Mahoney from the cathedral parish
Many reports highlighted the fact that we are blessed with
two focal points in our diocese: our Catholic Cathedral in
Our diocese is divided into parishes, each of which is “a
living cell of the body of the diocese” (General Pastoral Plan for the Holy
Land, p. 98). No parish can exist in
self-sufficient isolation. Each is an integral part of the diocese, and needs
to be open in welcome to other parishes. Collaboration among parishes is essential,
not just because we need to but because it is part of what it means to be truly
Catholic.
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Our parish family
Pope John Paul reminds us that each parish should be “a
fraternal and welcoming family home, where those who have been baptised and
confirmed become aware of forming the people of God” (Catechesi Tradendae,
n. 67). A parish is “a Eucharistic
community” with the Mass as the “summit and source” of its whole life and
mission, but it is more than simply a ‘Mass station’, a place where we go for
Mass.
Every parish should be a community of faith and of
love. We need to cultivate a spirit of
belonging among all members, so that everyone really thinks of the parish as
their family and their church as their home. The natural extended family has
been weakened in our society in recent years. Every church community should be
an extended family for all its members.
Each parish is a network or ‘cluster’ of communities. Some
parishes have more than one place of worship, and this will probably be the
norm in the future with fewer priests. No matter how strong and distinctive those
communities may be, each is a fully integral part of a single parish family
served and led by its parish priest. No
matter how many places of worship there are in a parish, the whole community
should see the one parish church, after which the parish is called, as its
centre. Just as an example, the distinct
Catholic communities at Blakeney, Burnham Market and Wells, each with their own
church, are integral parts of the parish of Walsingham, with the parish church
in Walsingham as their local ‘mother church’.
There should be a real desire in such parishes for distinct
communities to share their life together.
But we must not limit our understanding of ‘parish’ to the
needs of its members. Any truly Catholic
parish will have a missionary orientation.
“The parish is not a community for itself, it is rather a community for
mission (an apostolic community)” (General
Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land, p. 96).
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Renewing our parishes
There is little doubt that the parish will remain the
fundamental local community to which we belong as Catholics, although perhaps a
different kind of parish than we have been accustomed to. Although there is much renewal which can
happen at diocesan, deanery and ‘cluster’ level, it is above all the renewal of
each parish family – and of each individual, family and community within that
parish – which is the key to our moving forward and outward together.
There is no room for elitism of any kind in Catholic
spirituality. No one Catholic group or movement can say to another, ‘we are
better than others’ or ‘we are the way’.
Organisations and movements suit some but not others. It is the diocese
and parish to which we most truly belong. Any groups we join should always
enhance and enrich our involvement in the life, worship and mission of our
local parish and diocese.
Our primary focus should be the spiritual renewal of our
local parish communities in faithfulness to the Scriptures, and of course to
our whole Catholic Tradition in general and to the teaching of the Second
Vatican Council in particular.
“The parish is called to be the centre of
Christian life in the future and, as a consequence, the centre of our continuing
pastoral effort. The renewal of our
Churches, before all else, must pass through the renewal of our parishes”
(General Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land, p.
104)
The most important part of our diocesan process is not this
Pastoral Plan, but rather the positive and practical fruits of your local
discussions. This plan is simply the
bringing together of your ideas, hopes and dreams. Each parish should spend
time making full use of the reports produced during the two phases of ‘Forward
& Outward Together’.
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A truly Catholic welcome
One meaning of the word “catholic” is “all-embracing” or
“inclusive”. Every parish needs to
become more truly catholic in this sense, not simply being ready to accept
anyone who comes to us, but reaching out pro-actively and positively to all in
the name of Christ.
How can we make our parish more fully inclusive, so that
everyone feels truly welcome? Truly
Catholic unity is unity in diversity. We
rejoice in being able to be truly united while cherishing and nurturing
distinctive cultures, abilities and contributions. The challenge is to ‘count everyone in’,
creating a culture of inclusion.
“ALL need inclusion NOW”
(
A welcoming liturgy
The heart of parish life is the Sunday celebration of
It is at Sunday Mass that
our Catholic welcome must be most powerfully evident and experienced: before
Mass, during Mass and after
Ministry of Welcome
The ministry of welcome is not limited to those few people
who greet us in the church porch on the way into
‘Do not let your love be a pretence, but
sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers and sisters
should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with
untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this
will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come, and keep on praying. If
any of the saints are in need you must share with them, and you should make
hospitality your special care’ (
Imagine someone being invited to join your family for Sunday
lunch: you might welcome them wonderfully at the front door, but they may then
be ignored by the rest of the family! We
need to develop not simply a limited ministry of welcome, but welcoming
communities. That is far more of a
challenge, but essential. What is most needed is a change of heart, so that we
become people of welcome, relaxed and joyful in our faith and open to all.
Our diocesan policy is that
the diocesan family and every parish community should be pro-actively welcoming
to all. Every parish is asked to explore the very heart of the way in which it
welcomes all. The following
recommendations are based on the good practice of many parishes.
Welcoming & including newcomers
(1)
The word ‘Welcome’ needs to be seen and heard. Many parishes have a ‘welcome’ sign
outside the church or in the porch, often in many different languages.
(2)
Welcome leaflets should be available in the
church porch, so that newcomers can complete them and hand them into the parish
office or presbytery.
(3)
A welcome pack should be given to all newcomers,
with a letter of welcome from the parish priest and information on parish life,
including the names and addresses of key people in the parish.
(4)
A welcome card from the parish could be posted
to each newcomer.
(5)
As a priority, the parish clergy should visit each
newcomer within a few weeks.
(6)
A house blessing can be offered to all
newcomers.
(7)
A social event could be organised every few
months for newcomers,
hosted by the clergy and parish
representatives.
(8)
If a ‘Parish Link Scheme’ is in place (see later),
the Link Person should visit the newcomer as soon as possible.
‘Although an introductory pack for new
parishioners is good, it cannot replace the personal sense of welcome that a
parish offers, and a sensitivity by all to welcome new faces as part of a
ministry of hospitality’ (individual response)
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Welcoming to Sunday Mass
(1)
Although it is vital that every member of the parish
community be welcoming, there is an important ministry of welcome before
each Mass on Sunday. Most parishes now
have some form of ‘welcomers’ before Sunday Mass, but this may need to be
developed.
Parish reports stressed that
welcomers need to be chosen carefully.
Their role is not simply to hand out newsletters and hymn books, but to
be the welcoming face of the parish community as people arrive for
If this role is understood in this
way, it becomes a true ministry of welcome rather than simply a job to be
carried out. Not everyone is suited for
such a vital service. It may be worth
considering a formation day for such ministers, either in the parish, cluster
of neighbouring parishes or at deanery level.
Those taking up this ministry could then have time to reflect on the
spirituality of welcome, as well as share practical ideas for making welcome.
(2)
The special service of usher can be useful in
helping newcomers, visitors and late-comers to find a seat at Mass without
undue embarrassment.
‘It was felt especially
important to promote a community in which people were known by name’
(St Peter & All Souls
parish,
(3)
We need to challenge everyone at Mass to ‘make hospitality their special
care’. The prayers of the
Mass, especially the Eucharistic Prayers, highlight God’s will that by taking
part in the Mass we ‘grow in love’ and become ‘one body, one spirit in Christ’.
Our parishes would be far more welcoming if everyone at Mass made a point of
getting to know one new person each Sunday, perhaps on the way into Mass or the
way out. Gradually we get to know each other by name, recognise each other in
the street and the supermarket, and become more of a family.
(4)
An essential part of making people welcome at Mass is
the way we celebrate the liturgy together. The ‘ministry of welcome’ includes making
sure everyone can hear (e.g. better training for our readers; improving the
sound system; making sure there is a loop-system; use of sign language), and
ensuring that active participation is possible for everyone (e.g. through the
choice of music; provision for people with disabilities; full use of the
cultural diversity and riches of the parish community).
(5)
The church building itself must be a warm, welcoming
and inviting place of worship. Creative use of art, flowers,
banners, etc can help. Good lighting is essential, creating an atmosphere
between ‘gloom’; and ‘glare’. The church
building is a sacred space to be cared for with love and to be kept open as
long as possible each day as a sign of God’s welcome to all.
‘A beautiful liturgy and a
caring church
will attract young and old
alike’
(Hunstanton parish)
Welcome after Sunday Mass
(1)
As far as possible, and taking account of resources
and the time of Mass, some kind of social gathering (coffee, tea &
biscuits, etc) should be available after Sunday
(2)
Whenever possible, the parish priest and other clergy
should be in the church porch or outside the church after every Mass to greet
people as they leave.
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Social events
Once we understand that growing in holiness involves growing
in unity, and that God’s gift of salvation is a gift of community (of
‘at-one-ment’), then we appreciate more strongly that coming together as a
family for social activities is a fundamental part of parish life. It is not simply a way of drawing people into
the parish; coming together is central to the life and witness of the
Church.
(1)
Parishes and the communities which form them are
strongly encouraged to develop a range of social events throughout the
year, some for the whole parish family, and others for particular groups of
parishioners (Over-Sixties, Young Wives, Men’s Group, etc). Family-friendly events open to the whole
parish are particularly important.
(2)
Each parish could have a Social Events Committee,
with people representing the range of parish life. Their role is to initiate
and facilitate the social life of the parish.

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A network of
communities
(see
a model scheme on page 60 of this booklet)
Even a parish with a relatively small congregation is a
‘network of communities’. Without in any way undermining the essential unity of
the parish, there may be room for developing smaller, local Catholic
communities (e.g. in each village or in neighbourhoods of our towns and
cities). Larger villages or communities,
whether or not they retain a weekly Sunday Mass, can develop their own local
ways to ensure the cohesion and needs of that community. A parish could be divided into viable areas
(with, for example, 10-20 known Catholic households), each with a lay ‘link
person’ or couple responsible for getting to know each household, liaising with
the parish priest about individual needs, and organising occasional gatherings
(e.g. purely social, a House Mass, reflection on the Sunday readings).
Such a scheme would provide an important way for developing
responsible and collaborative lay leadership at local level. It can also be an effective support for
reaching out to the lapsed, and caring for the sick, elderly and housebound.
Link people might play a part in organising transport to Mass for people from
their area. An annual gathering of such
link people may provide a valuable forum for discussing pastoral strategies.
The 1987 Synod of Bishops in
“One way of renewing parishes, especially urgent for
parishes in large cities, might be to consider the parish as a community of
communities and movements. It seems timely therefore to form ecclesial
communities and groups of a size that allows for true human relationships’
(Ecclesia in America; 1999)
“The Church as Family cannot reach all her
possibilities as Church unless she is divided into communities small enough to
foster close human relationships” (Ecclesia in Africa; 1995)
“So that all parishes of this kind may be truly
communities of Christians, local ecclesial authorities ought to foster…small
basic or so-called ‘living’ communities where the faithful can communicate the
word of God and express it in service and love to one another; these
communities are true expressions of ecclesial communion and centres of
evangelisation in communion with their pastors.” (Christifideles Laici; 1988)
Reconciling & welcoming less-active Catholics
On average, over three quarters of Catholics do not come to
Mass regularly. Some have becoming alienated from parish life for some reason;
others have simply drifted away. We need
to appreciate the delicate issues sometimes involved in making contact with
such Catholics, and possible past hurts. Sometimes vicarious apologies may be
necessary as a way of moving forward.
“In our day and age, many people now stand on
the threshold of our Church. They have many questions. Do I really want to go in? Will there be
someone to open the door to me? What will stepping over the threshold involve?
Might I feel trapped? Do I really want to be here anyway? Would I rather walk
away? Will I be made welcome? If I walk away now, will I ever be able to come
back? Whether it is on the presbytery doorstep or at the church or at the
school entrance, standing on the threshold can be a nerve wracking experience,
especially for those who, for whatever reason, do not feel at home in a church
situation.”
(On the Threshold, Catholic Bishops Conference
of England and
Many are awaiting an invitation to return, to ‘come
home’. That call has to be made
explicitly and in an inviting and welcoming way. Ideally, a Catholic friend or neighbour
should accompany them to Mass. Participation in social events can often be a
way back into the liturgical life of the Church. Friendly contact with priests and people is
essential. Something like the ‘Link
Scheme’ outlined above, or some form of visiting by parishioners, can make a
big contribution.
(1)
The diocese will provide a leaflet aimed at
less-active Catholics, with a message from the bishop and space for each
parish to print local details (Mass times, etc). Alternatively, parishes could
produce their own leaflet.
(2)
Every parish should develop an outreach programme
to less-active Catholics, using either the diocesan leaflet or their own.
(3)
The parish newsletter could be
delivered to less-active Catholics.
(4)
A general distribution of cards for Christmas and
Easter, with details of Mass times (perhaps with other churches) is a
simple but effective outreach.
(5)
Occasional adverts in local newspapers
extending a welcome to newcomers and
less-active Catholics may reach those untouched by other forms of outreach.
(6)
Some parishes find helpful an informal ‘Come and
See’ evening as a way of introducing people to the way the Catholic Church
is today and to the life of a particular community. This could be advertised in
the local newspapers.
(7)
The diocese will explore existing programmes for
reaching out to less-active Catholics, and provide training days on suitable
schemes (e.g. Landings).
(8)
The diocesan theme for 2005 will be both ‘The
Sacrament of Forgiveness and Reconciliation’ and ‘reconciling less-active
Catholics’.
(9)
Generally, we need to develop a culture of welcome
and friendship so that returning Catholics, visitors and newcomers do not slip
through the net. We should seek to
attract and inspire – rather than worry - others back to involvement in the
church.

“COMING HOME”
“We want to let our inactive brothers and
sisters know that they always have a place in the Church and that we are hurt
by their absence – as they are. We want to show our regret for any misunderstandings
or mistreatment. And we want them to see that, however they feel about the
Church, we want to talk with them, share with them, and accept them as brothers
and sisters. Every Catholic can be a
minister of welcome, reconciliation and understanding to those who have stopped
practising the faith’
(Go & Make Disciples, US Bishops,
1993)
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Welcoming and including
the stranger
‘I
was a stranger,
and
you made me welcome’
(Matthew 25.35)
We have long had among us in
There is sometimes a tension between the desire of such
communities to retain their distinctiveness and yet also a desire to become
integrated into our society. The
Catholic Church has an important role to play, as ‘unity in diversity’ lies at
the heart of our catholicity.
Some communities (e.g. Italians and Poles) are gradually
becoming more integrated into ordinary Catholic life. Some of our parish communities have made
considerable efforts to welcome the Portuguese migrant workers. As the process of integration continues,
there are ways which we might use to make diverse groups feel more ‘at home’ in
our ordinary parish lives. These are
only a few examples:
(1)
Copies of the Scripture readings and prayers for
Sunday Mass could be provided in Portuguese. It would be helpful to
have the main English text alongside the Portuguese text, to help people follow
the
(2)
All or part of one of the readings could be
read in Portuguese as well as English at
(3)
Place a ‘Welcome to our Catholic Church’ sign in
Portuguese outside the church. Leave ‘Welcome’ leaflets in
Portuguese in the church porch (including information on Catholic schools),
along with government leaflets available in Portuguese on the rights of migrant
workers, etc.
(4)
Those from distinct communities could be invited to sing
a liturgical song from their country at Mass, or contribute some of their distinctive
liturgical customs.
(5)
People from other countries and cultures are often
delighted to have the opportunity to talk about their country, or to provide
meals and social events from their countries.
(6)
Organise English language classes for
Portuguese-speakers, and encourage all parishioners to learn some basic
Portuguese (at very least, words of greeting) in order to be more
welcoming. The latter could be combined
with a social event.
(7)
The special annual celebrations of such communities
can be marked each year, in the liturgy and in social activities.
Everything suggested for welcoming Portuguese speakers also
applies to any other group of people as they arrive in our area. We also need to be aware of the particular
needs of migrants who are not Catholics, but who still need to be made welcome
in our local communities (e.g. Chinese).
‘Continue to love each other like brothers
and sisters, and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some
people have entertained angels without knowing it’
(Hebrews 13.1)
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Welcoming and including people with disabilities
As a fully-inclusive community, the Catholic Church should
in all ways be an example of ‘best practice’ regarding our welcome of people
with disabilities of any kind. This is
not simply a matter of fulfilling our legal obligations under the ‘Disability
Discrimination Act’ (1995), but of being truly catholic in the breadth of our
inclusiveness. In 1998, the Catholic
Bishops of England and
(1)
Each parish should have one or two representatives
responsible for ensuring the full implementation of the Disability
Implementation Act (1995) and of working towards a parish community which is
fully inclusive of people with disabilities.
(2)
Every parish needs to carry out a full audit of its
facilities and activities with a view to enhancing access for people with disabilities. Useful materials were provided to all
parishes after our diocesan disability study in March 2004.
(3)
Parishes are required by law to make all reasonable
adjustments in order to make their liturgy and community life accessible to
people with disabilities. This includes
necessary alterations to physical features (e.g. ramps and wider doorways for
wheelchair users; suitable toilet facilities; providing additional help;
adapting existing parish services and catechetical programmes).
(4)
Our liturgy must be celebrated in such a way that
people with disabilities are included as fully as possible. This includes practical steps such as
ensuring that a good loop-system is installed; provision of large-print,
Braille and taped newsletters etc; use of signing when possible; provision of
suitable spaces for wheelchairs; clear marking of steps and uneven surfaces;
providing suitable transport to Mass.
The question to ask is: what are the barriers which prevent people with
disabilities from full active involvement in our parish life and worship? We must then do all we can to remove those
barriers. The first people to ask are
the experts: ask people in your parish with disabilities to tell you what they
need.
(5)
Our forms of ministry should be open to people with
disabilities. For example, can we
provide a microphone for a reader in a wheelchair? Do we invite people in wheelchairs or with
learning difficulties to bring up the offertory gifts, to minister Holy
Communion, to serve at the altar? For
example, what is there to stop a person with Downs Syndrome from being an
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion?

(6)
Our catechetical programmes, parish social life,
youth activities and every other aspect of parish life must be as fully
inclusive as possible.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Welcoming and including the elderly, the sick and the housebound
Our Catholic welcome includes people of all ages, and must
never neglect the sick and the elderly who have given and continue to give so
much to the life of the Church. Those
who cannot come to Mass need to be kept ‘in touch’ with the parish family:
(1)
Through visits by members of the parish
community, and the opportunity to receive Holy Communion especially from
Sunday Mass. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion can make this possible.
Care of the sick and housebound always remain a very important part of the
ministry of priests and deacons.
(2)
Social events for older parishioners (e.g. over
60s) are often very popular. These might include a fortnightly or monthly Over-Sixties
Lunch (with home-made soup, rolls, tea and coffee), perhaps with entertainment
of some kind.
(3)
Tapes of Sunday Mass can be a
great support to housebound people.
(4)
The sick and housebound should receive copies of parish
newsletters and diocesan newspapers, and be made to feel as fully as
possible part of parish life.
(5)
The sick and housebound have a vital role to play in
the life of the church, through their personal witness and by becoming
power-houses of prayer. They could be invited to be prayer-partners for
children and young people preparing for First Communion and Confirmation, for
couples preparing for Marriage and students for the Priesthood and Diaconate.
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Welcome and including
the retired
As one parish pointed out, there are many parishes in our
diocese where most people join through retirement rather than baptism! Retired
people have their own needs. They also have much to contribute to the life,
worship and mission of the church, including the gift of time.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Welcoming and including our children and young people
Our children, teenagers and young adults are a vital part of
our church community. They are not
simply the
Developing youth work in
(1)
Children and young people should be included as fully
as possible in each ordinary Sunday Mass, for example as welcomers,
ministers of the word (readers), collectors, offertory bearers, extraordinary
ministers of Holy Communion (once confirmed and aged 15).
(2)
A strong and well-led body of altar servers
remains a proven and well-established way to provide a way for young people to
come together. When social activities
are linked with their ministry, such a group can be an excellent focus for
‘faith, food and fun’. The diocese hopes
to arrange an annual event for altar servers.
(3)
Care should be taken to involve children at
Mass, making full use of the options and flexibility provided for by the
Church’s liturgical documents. Special reference should be made to the Directory
for Masses with Children (1973) and the Bishops’ Conference guidelines Liturgy
of the Word with Children (1996). The Eucharistic Prayers for
Children authorised by
(4)
There should be reasonably regular Youth Masses wherever the number
of young people and resources allow.
This may be in an individual parish, in a cluster of neighbouring
parishes, or at deanery level. The
musical resources of parishes and our high schools can be combined on such
occasions. A Sunday Youth Mass is not a
Mass only for young people, but one in which the focus for preaching, music and
ministry is on the young members of the congregation. Please see Appendix 3 on
pages 67-68 for some thoughts on Youth Masses.
(5)
A range of ‘faith and fun’ activities should be
provided for the pre-school and primary school children of the parish
according to their age, so that the parish becomes a ‘second home’ where they
are nourished in the faith and enjoy being together as part of the family of
the church.
(6)
Regular youth activities are
strongly encouraged, again at different levels (parish, cluster, deanery and
diocese) as numbers and resources allow.
The diocese will organise a series of diocesan and area events each
year: every parish is strongly encouraged to give full support and
encouragement to these events.

FAITH FOOD &
FUN
(7)
We currently have three Catholic Scout Groups in the
diocese: the 12th Ipswich, 9th King’s Lynn and 17th
(8)
Special care needs to be taken to support parents in
the ongoing catechesis of our young people who do not attend Catholic
schools.
“We must listen to the young
and heed what they say”
(
(9)
The Diocesan Youth Council (for
those aged 16-21) works closely with the Bishop and the Director of our
Diocesan Youth Service to develop youth activities in the diocese. Parishes are asked to encourage young people
to join the council.
(10)
The Diocesan Youth
(11)
The Diocesan Youth Commission works
with our Director of Diocesan Youth Services to promote and support youth work
across the diocese. It is composed of one clergy representative and one lay
representative from each deanery.
(12)
Each deanery, and perhaps some larger parishes, are
encouraged to consider the possibility of establishing Deanery and Parish
Youth Councils, enabling young people to have a voice in local church life.
(13)
There is great value in large international and
national gatherings (e.g. World Youth Day, Taize,

our Catholic schools
Absolutely essential to our
diocesan programme for young people is the place of our Catholic schools
and their partnership with parishes, deanery and diocese. Our Director of
Schools Service and Diocesan Schools Service Commission seek to support and
work closely with all our schools, as they are an integral part of the life of
our diocesan family.
Our Catholic
The relationship between
parish and primary school, and parish priest and
Foundation Governors play a
vital role as representatives of the Bishop and the Diocese in working to
ensure both the Catholic ethos and high academic standards of each of our
schools.
Our Catholic schools serve
the whole diocese, even when a parish does not have a school of its own. Past,
present and future parishioners benefit from our schools, and every parish is
touched and enriched in some way by the schools we have.
We must work to maximise
the partnership between our schools and our parishes and diocese. Almost
everything in this Diocesan Pastoral Plan applies to our school communities as
much as it applies to our parish communities.
Welcoming & including single people
Because marriage and family life
need so much support today, we can too easily neglect those many people who
live a single life, whether by choice or by circumstance. This includes the
bereaved, and single parents who bring up their children with such dedication
despite the special challenges they face.
(1)
Single people of all kinds should be invited to
suggest what might fruitfully be provided for them in parish life.
(2)
Social events should be organised in a way
which enables single people to be involved with ease and comfort.
(3)
Special care should be given to those who have been widowed.
(4)
Single parents merit special care and support
from the parish community.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Welcoming and including the separated and divorced
People who have suffered the pain of the breakdown of their
marriages and family life often feel alienated from the Church, sometimes from
a sense of ‘failure’ and sometimes because of a feeling of ‘rejection’ flowing
from the Church’s teaching on the indissolubility of marriage. Any couple going through difficulties with
their marriage and family life needs the prayer, care and practical support of
the church community. People who have
been through a civil divorce but have not entered a new relationship may need
to be reminded that they may still receive Holy Communion. Our Catholic welcome must be more joyfully
and pro-actively extended to people who are separated and divorced, as they are
still very much members of our family.
(1)
Our parish ‘welcome packs’ and outreach material for
less-active Catholics should include explicit mention of the separated and
divorced.
(2)
The diocese, parishes and groupings of parishes
(clusters and deaneries) will explore ways to give support and care to those
experiencing difficulties and division in their married lives. Some parishes
find it helpful to establish a befriending service or support group.
(3)
The Association of Separated and Divorced Catholics has
representatives in our diocese (names and numbers are in the Diocesan Year
Book).
ababababababababab
‘It is even more important
that we should put ourselves out personally to get alongside people
no matter what their colour,
creed or problems, making them feel welcome and wanted”
(Gorleston parish)
The ring of the Prodigal Son
Catholic
communities are sometimes reluctant to be totally all-embracing in their
welcome and inclusivity. As just one
example, while the Church has clear teaching on sexuality, we also insist that
homosexual people be welcomed and ‘accepted with respect, compassion and
sensitivity’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2358).
We
rightly maintain the enduring character of Catholic moral teaching, and it can
be all too easy to reject a person or group of people along with rejecting
certain behaviour. For example, we
continue to insist on the absolute sacredness of human life from conception,
and we reject abortion, but we must always show the welcoming love of the Lord
to the woman who has suffered the trauma of abortion, and do all we can to
bring her to healing and wholeness. We must speak the truth, but always in love
(cf. Ephesians 4.15).
There
are many Catholics who know their way of life is in conflict with Catholic teaching.
This is true for many of our young people. Some strongly oppose that teaching.
Others know in their hearts that the teaching is correct, but feel unable to
live by it. Some struggle courageously
to live Catholic teaching, failing at times as we all do. Most do not expect to come into our parish
life and find acceptance of their attitudes or conduct, but they do have a
right to find there the compassionate embrace of the Lord who scandalised his
contemporaries by welcoming sinners and eating with them (Mark 2.15-17). Each of us is among those sinners welcomed by
the Lord.
The
Pharisees complained when Jesus went into a sinner’s house; today’s Pharisees
will say the same of us if we are truly Christ-like in our welcome (Luke
19.1-10). We need to make visible in our society the Lord who refused to join
in the condemning looks of the crowd who brought to him the woman caught in the
act of committing adultery, but who then looked up at her and said, ‘Go away,
and do not sin any more’ (John 8.1-11).
Like
the Prodigal Son, the returning sinner should find in our parish communities
the welcoming embrace of the living God who put the best robe on his son, put a
ring on his finger and sandals on his feet, and organised a celebration with
the fattened calf (Luke 15.22-24). That
is the welcome everyone should receive in our church life, whether saint or
sinner, regular worshipper or newcomer, young or old.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
A COMMUNITY OF
It is essential that we become truly welcoming communities,
open to all and united in faith and in love. But if our only concern is the
creation of close-knit worshipping communities, we will never be fully the
Church of Jesus Christ. The Risen Lord
calls us together, and binds us together, so that we can go forth
together. As Pope Paul VI reminded us so
powerfully, “Evangelising is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the
Church, her deepest identity” (Evangelii Nuntiandi, 14). The word
‘evangelise’ comes from the Greek works for ‘good news’. The Church is called to bring the Good News
of Jesus Christ to the world. That is true for our diocese, and it is also true
for every parish. The call to proclaim the
Gospel to the world, to be a radiant witness to everyone of Christ himself, is
the heart of what it means to be a parish.
Our diocese as a whole, and each and every parish, should
seek to become a beacon community – or a modern day ‘burning bush’ to which
others are drawn and where they encounter the presence and call of the Living
God.
“Outreach and bringing the
Gospel to people
in many different ways, in
particular by ‘living it’, is so very important”
(Gorleston parish)
Why did we call our diocesan process “Forward and Outward
Together’? Because going forward together is not enough. Our deepest identity
as the
Pentecost is the key.
That is why we focused so much on the Sacrament of Confirmation during
2003 and 2004. Our diocesan renewal of
Confirmation at Pentecost 2004 reminded us of our calling as baptised and
confirmed Catholics. It is tempting to stay put together in our cosy Upper
Rooms, but the Holy Spirit drives us out into the market-place to announce the
Good News that Jesus is risen from the dead, and that he is with us.
Like the Good Shepherd, and in his name, we must go out in
search of the lost sheep rather than simply remaining at home with the rest of
the flock.
The call to ‘evangelisation’ is vital not only for those
already within the Church, but also for that majority of people in our cities,
towns and villages whose lives remain largely untouched by the Good News of
Jesus Christ.
The radiant witness of our personal and parish lives is
vital to this, but we also need to reach out to others, taking the light into
the darkness. As Catholics, on our own but also united with other Christians,
we must develop an effective and fruitful ‘ministry of outreach’. We are called together to be ‘the living
Gospel for all to hear.’ It is not
enough to ‘witness’ to our faith in Jesus Christ; we must also ‘share’ that
faith with others, spreading the Good News in an explicit way.
Loving God,
you called us each by name
and gave your only Son to
redeem us.
In your faithfulness you
sent the Holy Spirit
to complete the mission of
Jesus among us.
Open our hearts to Jesus.
Give us the courage to speak his name
to those who are close to us
and the generosity to share
his love
with those who are far away.
We pray that every person
throughout the world
be invited to know and love
Jesus
as Saviour and Redeemer.
May they come to know his
all-surpassing love.
May that love transform
every element in our
society.
We ask this through Christ
our Lord.
A beacon of holiness & welcoming love
Many parish responses highlighted the idea that we will most
powerfully proclaim the Gospel by the radiant witness of our lives as
individuals, families and parish communities.
Everything we have said so far about becoming welcoming
communities lies at the heart of becoming truly ‘evangelising’ communities. But
we cannot leave it at that! Like the
Apostles, we are called to go out to others rather than just wait for them to
come to us. We need to explore effective
ways to do that in our society, each of us with our particular gifts and
personalities. We are called to be
Gospel-bearers in our families and to our friends, at work and at play, in
school and college. We do that by the
things we say and do, by the way we live, by the inspiration of our lives.
“Certainly our families, parishes,
associations, schools, hospitals, charitable works and institutions give
powerful witness to the faith. But do
they share it? Does their living faith
lead to conversion of minds and hearts to Jesus Christ? Does the fire of the
Holy Spirit blaze in them?’
(Go & Make Disciples, U.S.
Bishops, 1993)
It is not so much a message that we are asked to bring to
others, but rather Christ himself. Like
Mary, we are to be Christ-bearers, bringing the mysterious presence of the Lord
into the lives of those we meet. Our own
deeply personal relationship with Christ – our personal holiness – is
absolutely essential for this mission we all share.
The Gospel story of the visitation of Mary to
(1)
Parish life and liturgy must help to nurture and
nourish each member of the parish family to be a Gospel-bringer and
Christ-bearer to others.
(2)
Together as a parish community, we need to find ways
to be more publicly and openly the ‘living Gospel for all to hear.’ A Catholic parish should never be a hidden
community, shut away in its ‘upper room’. The Holy Spirit calls us out into the
market-place to proclaim the Risen Lord.
(3)
Full use should be made of modern communications and
media (see later).
(4)
As a diocese and in our parishes, we should explore
the possibility of training lay evangelists.
(5)
It is very important that we do not limit our ideas
of lay involvement and leadership to church activities. Lay people are
called to go into the world with the presence and message of Christ: in school
and college, at work and recreation.
(6)
More Catholics should become involved in public life, including
local government, the justice community (magistrates, police, etc), various
agencies, and the media. It is essential that the Catholic community
contributes fully to society as a visible Christian presence in
(7)
We need to explore and make best use of the various resources
already available for encouraging Catholics better to understand and share
their faith with others (e.g. the CaFE programme, Echoes). The Diocesan
Commission for Evangelisation will organise training days.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
‘A more caring and loving
Church
is the greatest
evangelisation’
(Sheringham parish)
A beacon of care and loving-kindness
In the earliest days of Christianity, pagans were drawn to
Christ by the practical care shown by the Church to those in need, especially
those often marginalized and rejected by society: orphans, widows and
slaves. Although it can at first seem
idealistic and impractical in our society, we have much to learn from the
earliest community. The fundamental principle surely applies to many aspects of
our church life together, both in our care for those in need and in our
increasing collaboration among parishes with fewer priests: in that first
community, we are told, there was no-one in need because everything was shared
among them (Acts 4.34, 32; cf. 2.44-45).
Every Christian community is called to serve the wider
community. We can take our inspiration from the parable of the Good Samaritan
(Luke 10.29-37), as well as Jesus’ teaching that whatever we do for the least
of his brothers and sisters, we do for him, and whatever we fail to do for
them, we fail to do for Christ (Matthew 25.31-46). We are first and foremost
called to holiness, but there is no holiness without love. We are called to a
personal relationship with the Risen Lord, but it is in the ‘least of his
brothers and sisters’ that we find and serve him.
“Come, you whom my Father has blessed, and
take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the
world. For I was hungry and you gave me
food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome;
naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to
see me.” (Matthew 25.34-36).
The Lord calls us to a love ‘which is not to be just words
or mere talk, but something real and active’ (I John 3.18; cf. James 2.14-17).
It is a call to practical and effective service of the poor and needy, and
anyone who is marginalized, a call to follow the Lord’s example as he washed
the feet of his disciples (John 13.1-15).
Every parish should be a ‘foot washing’ community, dedicated to humble
service of the poorest of the poor.

It is diocesan policy that
every parish community should be involved in some practical way in care for the
poor and needy of their locality.
(1)
Every parish should discern with care and with prayer
the greatest needs of the local community. It should be active in its
commitment to the poor and needy – both locally and overseas. Such action can often be done in unity with
other Christians, people of other faiths, and with secular agencies. Existing
groups such as the SVP should be encouraged.
New caring groups such as ‘Helping Hands’ in Wymondham can be
developed. It is up to each parish to
discern the greatest needs and the best action, but every parish should have
some practical programme for helping those in need. Many parishes have a ‘Care
Group’ of some kind which coordinates practical work for those in need in the
local community.
(2)
Every parish will include care for and visiting
the sick as a central part of their life.
This is a ministry in which lay people can be increasingly involved.
Visiting teams can be formed and trained, perhaps alongside the link people in
any ‘neighbourhood communities’ which are formed.
(3)
Parishes also need to develop ministries of support
to the bereaved. This requires careful training and formation.
(4)
Prison and hospital visiting is a
special but essential ministry in which many can be involved, again with
careful preparation and formation.
(5)
The Catholic Church must be visible in its practical
care for the homeless, ideally in partnership with other
Christians. The ‘Open Door’ project in
Great Yarmouth is an inspiration to all, and would value financial support from
other parishes. There may be room for similar projects in other parts of the
diocese. Some already exist.
(6)
The Diocesan Commission for Social Concern
represents caring organisations in the diocese, and administers the St
Edmund’s Fund which supports many welfare projects and activities to
relieve poverty and distress.
(7)
The diocese will work closely with the Bishops’ Conference
body Caritas-social action.
Website:
www.caritas-socialaction.org.uk
‘HELPING HANDS’
The ‘Helping Hands’ project in Wymondham
began when a district nurse saw that many people who had been sick were
neglected as soon as their medical condition was alleviated. The remit was
broadened to include anyone in need, but especially those who had been ill or
coming out of hospital, and also the lonely and housebound. The parish was
divided into areas, with coordinators responsible for each area and volunteers
allotted to coordinators. Each volunteer has identification and authorisation
from the parish. Funds have been raised
in the parish. Those involved were commissioned at Mass. Volunteers began by taking
flowers and a card to those who had just come out of hospital or who were sick
at home. Others now visit the lonely and
housebound, take people with disabilities shopping, cut lawns, etc. This is a simple but practical scheme which brings the active love
and care of the parish community to many in need.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
A beacon of justice
When
he came to
Our
Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission brings together those people in
the diocese committed to justice issues, and works to encourage greater
involvement by the whole diocese and its parishes in work for justice and
peace.
Our
Permanent Deacons have a particular part to play in the furthering of work for
justice and peace in our diocese, as a key dimension of the ‘ministry of
charity’ which has a priority in their call to serve.
It is diocesan policy that every parish should be actively involved in
some way in work for justice and peace. This could be co-ordinated by a group
(e.g. Justice & Peace Group, Human rights Group), but the whole parish
should be involved as fully as possible.
The diocese strongly recommends parish involvement in the following
bodies:
(1)
Life
The
Catholic Church is committed to promoting the sacredness of human life ‘from
womb to tomb’, from conception to death. Every parish should give its full
support in a practical and effective way to the protection of unborn children,
as well as the defence of the dignity of human life in every other way. We
should also be openly and publicly committed to the support of mothers who
decide not to have an abortion, and to compassionate care of women who have
been through an abortion. In the Diocese of East Anglia, our primary focus is
to support the work of the national charity ‘Life’ and its centres (listed in
the Diocesan Year Book). All parishes are strongly encouraged to support these
local centres. Beginning in 2005, there
will be an annual national mandatory collection to support pro-life charities
on the July ‘Day for Life’. However
strongly we rightly speak out on pro-life issues, we should always ‘speak the
truth in love’ and with the compassion of the Lord. Website: www.lifeuk.org
(2)
CAFOD
CAFOD is the primary agency of the
Catholic Church in our country for support and solidarity with people in need
across the world. Parishes should be
involved not only in the twice-yearly Family Fast Day but also in CAFOD’s
campaigning activities and projects.
Website: www.cafod.org.uk.
(3)
Traidcraft
Every parish is encouraged to use
fairly-traded goods (e.g. tea and coffee) and to sell such goods (e.g. by
establishing a regular Traidcraft stall after Sunday Mass, etc). We will work
towards being recognised as a Fair Trade Diocese.
Website: www. www.traidcraft.co.uk
(4)
Aid to the Church in Need
Aid to the Church in Need provides
spiritual and material aid wherever the Church is persecuted, oppressed or in
need.
Website: www.acnuk.org
(5)
Amnesty International
Although all will not agree with
everything this organisation does, a parish can be regularly involved in a
practical and effective way in work for human rights through Amnesty
International, inviting parishioners to sign petitions or write letters on
behalf of prisoners of conscience. The
names of prisoners could be included in the Intercessions at
Website: www.amnesty.org.uk
(6)
Asylum seekers & refugees
The Holy Father has called the
plight up of all uprooted people across the world ‘a shameful wound of our
time.’ As part of our calling to ‘welcome the stranger’, parishes should
embrace those who have fled their homes, and welcome asylum seekers and
refugees, as well as playing their part in insisting on fair and just
conditions and procedures for all of them.
Please keep in your prayers all those resident at the Oakington
Immigration Centre in our diocese.
(7)
Jubilee Campaign & Jubilee Action
Jubilee Campaign has campaigned
since 1987 on behalf of people suffering as a result of injustice. Its sister
charity, Jubilee Action, provides
practical support to those who suffer unjustly. Both have the support of David
Alton. Contact Jubilee Campaign,
(8)
Environmental issues
The Book of Genesis teaches us
that we are the stewards of God’s creation, accountable to him for the good use
of his many gifts. We are responsible
for the preservation and protection of our planet and its resources. Parishes should take account of environmental
concerns in managing their own resources (e.g. recycling, use of electricity)
and help to educate the whole parish community on such matters.
(9)
‘Building Bridges’:
Cambodia
& Holy Land
The Diocese of East Anglia is now
‘twinned’ with the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and with the Diocese of
Battambang in
(10)
Parish Projects
Parishes are encouraged to
continue and develop the overseas projects they have already established. The ‘Building Bridges’ twinnings are not
intended to undermine or replace such projects.
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Communication: a beacon
of light for all
Good communication is essential at every level of the
church. Effective and attractive publicity is important. The diocese now has a bi-monthly newspaper,
and is currently working towards a new website.
(1)
Every parish is to appoint a Parish Communications
Officer. He or she will be responsible for pro-active contact with
local media (especially local newspapers) in order to achieve coverage for
‘good news’ parish events.
(2)
The Diocesan Communications Officer will organise training
sessions for parish communications officers, including basic skills such as
how to prepare a press release and be interviewed for local radio.
(3)
We will also seek to develop more pro-active
relationships with local radio and television.
(4)
Many parishes have found it useful to develop their
own websites. This is a further way of enabling the housebound to keep
in touch with parish life.
(5)
Parishes may find it fruitful to make use of the
‘What’s On?’ and church sections of local newspapers, and to target notices of
Mass times on hotels, guest houses, caravan parks, etc,
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Earthen Vessels
We are called to bear to
others the treasure of Christ himself and his saving presence.
‘It is not ourselves that we are preaching,
but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of the darkness’,
who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s
glory, the glory on the face of Christ.
We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it
clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us’ (2
Corinthians 4.5-7).
A tremendous amount has been asked of parishes so far in
this document. At first, this could seem
daunting, overburdening and draining, but we are always faced as Christians –
alone and together – with the tension between idealism and realism, between the
vision and the practical. We must never
allow our limitations and weaknesses to impoverish the fullness of the ‘Good
News’ that Jesus Christ places in our hands, but that Gospel should never
become a heavy burden rather than a gift to be shared.
Faced with such an awesome vocation from God, we can feel
deeply inadequate, but if we allow the Risen Christ to take our mere ‘five
loaves and two fish’ he will take what we offer, bless it, and do great things
through us in

God can never be tied down to plans of any kind, no matter
how detailed. He will always have surprises in store for us. In him we place
our trust.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
TOGETHER
IN TRUST AND
PARTNERSHIP
A central theme which emerged throughout the discussions on
‘Forward & Outward Together’ was the need for trust.
·
Trust in our Lord, who is always with us,
whatever our difficulties. He says to our
diocese, to our parishes and smaller communities, to our families and to each
of us: ‘Do not be afraid; I am with you’.
There may be times when we seem like the apostles in their boat on the
stormy waters, with the ‘waves’ of the problems and challenges which we face
breaking into our boat and threatening to swamp it. But the Lord is with us,
and we have no need to fear (cf. Mark 4.35-41).
·
Trust in each other: bishop,
priests and deacons in the diocese; priests and people in each parish. Many parish responses included a plea to
parish priests to grant the gift of trust to lay people, and to be ready to
‘entrust’ to them certain parts of their work for which they remain ultimately
responsible as parish priest but which are not part of their specific priestly
ministry. There can be no fruitful
collaboration and working in partnership without the gift of mutual trust and
openness. Such trust is both a gift and
a task. We may begin by taking the risk
of trust, but that trust still needs to be earned and confirmed day by day.
‘There is a need for trust for all those
bringing about the development – for us to trust the bishop, the people to
trust us and for us to trust the people’
(Clergy of
‘Working together in partnership’ is essential to our way
forward together, at every level of our life in the Diocese of East Anglia.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Parishes working together
How is the universal Catholic Church structured? The whole people of God is divided into
dioceses, each entrusted to the pastoral leadership and care of a bishop. The
diocese is then ‘divided into distinct parts or parishes’ (Code of Canon Law,
374.1). Each parish is by nature an integral part of the diocese.
No parish family, therefore, is an isolated self-sufficient
unit. Our very catholicity demands an openness to one another, and a sharing of
life and mission. There is no room for
narrow parochialism in the Catholic Church.
Every parish is an integral part, a living cell, of the diocesan family,
and every parish must be open in faith and love to all the other parishes,
especially neighbouring ones. The universal Church is a ‘communion’ of
dioceses; our diocese is a ‘communion’ of parishes; each parish is a
‘communion’ of small local communities, families and individuals.
There are various ways of enabling cooperation and mutual
support among parishes.
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The Deanery
What is a deanery? ‘To foster
pastoral care by means of common action, several neighbouring parishes can be
joined together in special groupings, such as deaneries’ (Code of Canon Law,
374.2). Each deanery is led by a Dean appointed by the bishop to act in his
name. In a scattered diocese such as ours, with many small parishes, working
together in deaneries can be very fruitful, not only for the mutual support and
care of the clergy, but also for pastoral and spiritual collaboration at local
level.
In each deanery, there are regular
meetings of the clergy, priests and deacons, both diocesan and religious, of
that grouping of parishes. All are
expected to attend meetings and participate as fully as possible in deanery
life.
It is clear from many parish reports that there is little
understanding among lay people of the meaning or value of deaneries.
The current urban deaneries (e.g. Ipswich &
Peterborough) work better than rural ones.
This is because urban deaneries are more compact, with parishes closer
together. There needs to be flexibility
across the diocese in the way we structure cooperation between parishes, and
especially lay participation. In urban
areas, the deanery will remain a valuable forum for lay people meeting and
working together. In other areas, it may
be better to focus on ‘sub-deaneries’ (clearly distinct areas of a deanery) or
clusters of parishes. The best way
forward needs to be decided locally. The deanery will remain a key structure
for local coordination of both ordained and lay ministry (e.g. catechetics and
youth work), led by the local Dean.
(1)
The deanery remains a key structure for strengthening
the cooperation and ‘communion’ of local clergy and lay ministers.
(2)
There will continue to be deanery representatives on
key diocesan commissions (e.g. Youth, Evangelisation, Ecumenism, Marriage
& Family Life).
(3)
Each deanery is to have a Deanery
Coordinating Catechist whose role is to support parish catechists and to
contribute to the development of catechesis and adult formation in the diocese
as a member of the Commission for Evangelisation.
(4)
Each deanery is to have both a clergy and a lay
representative on the Diocesan Youth Commission. Their role is to help develop local youth
work, and pro-actively to encourage and support parish involvement in diocesan
youth events and activities.
(5)
Each deanery is to have a clergy and a lay
representative on the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission.
(6)
Each deanery is to have a lay representative on the
renewed Diocesan Commission for Marriage and Family Life.
(7)
There needs to be flexibility as to whether
the deanery, ‘sub-deanery’ or parish cluster is the best setting for joint
activities and events: e.g. adult formation and training, sacramental
preparation (especially Confirmation & Marriage), youth work, sharing
resources, days of recollection & retreats, social events.
(8)
The same flexibility is required in organising
opportunities for lay participation in discussion and decision-making at
deanery level. The Deanery Forum may work better in urban deaneries than
rural ones. Elsewhere, such gatherings
might better take place at ‘sub-deanery’ or cluster level. It is essential,
however, that there be formal structures for such lay involvement within each
deanery.
(9)
Deans are encouraged to ‘exchange’ with parish
priests in their deaneries, so that local parishes can get to know their Dean
and the Dean gain a better sense of those parishes.
(10)
Each deanery will organise an annual event with the
presence of the Bishop. This may replace
the Lenten Station Mass, and be organised at a more suitable time during the
year when more people might attend. Such
an event could include one or more of a number of possibilities: e.g. Mass,
talk, social event. Each deanery is left
to liaise with the Bishop as to the most suitable event for the locality.
“It is clear that the majority of lay people
struggle with the concept of the deanery, and are much more comfortable with
the concept of smaller clusters working together… Clustering seems popular: people can identify
with it. It really looks as though it would be better to focus on clusters for
lay participation …’ (
“Sharing resources means sharing people. People are our main resource.” (St Mary’s
parish,
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
The Cluster
Deanery and parish reports generally agree that there is
great scope for the clustering of parishes and sharing of resources.
Even if we were sure of having enough priests in the future
to keep our present parish structures, it would always be the case that some
parishes do not have the personnel or resources on their own to provide all
that is needed for a fully thriving parish life. These can range from simple
photocopying facilities to organising Confirmation or Marriage Preparation
programmes, the employment of a pastoral assistant, parish administrator or
buildings supervisor, or running a retreat for Readers or Extraordinary
Ministers of Holy Communion. Many of
these activities could be organised by ‘clustering’ neighbouring parishes and
sharing resources; others may be more appropriate at deanery level.
In our diocese at this time, however, such ‘clustering’ is
vital as a way to prepare for our future together. As our number of priests
declines, parishes will need not only to work together ever more closely, but
also eventually to be combined in some way.
We need to arrange most clusters in such a way that there is
real potential for eventual combination into a single parish. Such clustering can be difficult in rural
areas, and yet the combination of rural parishes may well become necessary over
the coming decade.
Our future together is likely, therefore, to be a two-stage
process. Firstly, the ‘clustering’ of distinct but neighbouring
parishes, each with their own parish priest, but gradually working ever closer
together, co-ordinating Mass times, and preparing for the time when they might
be required to combine into a single parish.
Secondly, the combination of two or more parishes into a single
canonical parish with one parish priest, assisted when possible by other
priests (newly-ordained, temporary visitors from overseas, retired, etc).
A fundamental principle is
that there are to be no ‘priest-less’ parishes in our diocese. However we organise our diocese in the
future, developing lay leadership of local Catholic communities and enhancing
the role played by permanent deacons, every community will be entrusted to the
servant leadership of a priest appointed by the bishop as ‘canonical pastor’.
(1) Within deaneries, or sometimes across
deanery boundaries, two or more nearby parishes are to be ‘clustered’ to
encourage the sharing of resources and to begin to prepare now for an imminent
future with fewer priests.
(2) Parishes in such ‘clusters’ are asked to
examine how many Masses are really needed each weekend, and if possible to
stagger Mass times so that neighbouring priests can ‘supply’ for each other
when needed.
(3) Parish priests of clustered parishes
could consider occasional ‘parish swaps’ on Sundays, allowing neighbouring
parishes to get to know the other priests in the cluster, and providing an
opportunity for variety of preaching, etc.
(4) If and when necessary, such ‘clusters’
will be the foundation of a new form of parish, with three current parishes
served by two priests, or two served by one.
Such clusters probably work best between similar kinds of parish (e.g.
‘rural’, ‘urban’, etc). There may be opportunities for communal living when
appropriate and desired. Further
consideration needs to be given to the possibility of a team of priests living
together and serving a city or area.
The agreed ‘clusters’ are presented in Part Two of this plan
(see page 63). Such ‘working and
planning together’ should begin immediately and develop over time. Some such clusters will need to become
combined parishes quicker than others.
Progress in clustering will be monitored locally by the
Deans who will report regularly to the Bishop through the
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Communities within each parish
Every parish is a community of communities, whether villages
or areas of a town or city. Although such local Catholic communities may not have
Mass each weekend, they should still be encouraged to develop their community
life within the wider life of the parish. This could include a local forum of
some kind, weekday House Masses, occasional Sunday Mass, Scripture and prayer
groups, and social events, giving much scope for developing forms of lay
leadership.
‘In the villages, what is needed is a way
forward in which the parish can develop and provide for people’s needs without
the requirement for Sunday Mass there. A working structure in a parish is to
build clusters of local communities, self-supporting and vibrant, with the
parish church at their centre and as their focus. Such clusters should become a
living presence of a lively Christian community, organising prayer groups,
ecumenical events, providing support for those with needs at home, providing
Christian education to all age groups, and communicating with others, both
directly and through the parish centre.’
(St Philip Howard parish,
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Working together in the parish
The sacraments lie at the heart of our Catholic life, and
these include the Sacrament of Holy Orders by which people are consecrated as
Bishops, Priests and Deacons for the service of the Church. However few priests
we may have over the coming decades, our priests will remain central and
essential to our Catholic communities. Nothing said in this Pastoral Plan about
the role of lay people should be seen as undermining the pivotal role of the
priest, and especially the parish priest, in the life of every parish. Sharing
the ministry of the bishop, the priest is a sacramental image of Christ the
Good Shepherd. No-one can replace him in
that role. Furthermore, the law of the Church gives the parish priest an
ultimate responsibility for all aspects of parish life (including finance and
administration, as well as liturgy, catechesis, pastoral care, etc) for which
he is answerable to the Bishop and the Diocesan Trustees.
The priest does not lead and serve in isolation, however,
but rather in collaboration and partnership with the whole parish
community.
“The image of the parish priest as one who
“does everything himself” and who is “the king of the parish” must give way to
an alternative model of the parish priest “who works with…” despite
difficulties and obstacles”
(General Pastoral Plan for the
“The believing community is the natural place
for the life of the priest. It justifies his existence when he lives his
identity, vocation and mission in its midst. His life is life within the
community, with the community and for the community; and his greatest joy is
the accompaniment of the Christian community, patiently, gently and
persistently, so that it responds to its vocation and mission. This obliges the priest to reside always and
truly in his parish, in order to build it up and make it a community of charity
and participation”
(General Pastoral Plan for the
The primary reason for encouraging and enabling the development
in our diocese of greater lay participation is not in order to ‘fill in’ for
priests as they become more stretched, but because of the dignity and
responsibility which flows from Baptism and Confirmation.
“The Church is not “you” and “us” and “them”,
but rather all of us together, each one according to their place and vocation.’
(General Pastoral Plan for the
Parish and deanery reports suggest there is an enthusiasm
and a generous readiness among lay people in almost all parishes to take on
many tasks of administration and other forms of leadership so that the priest
can focus even more fruitfully on his role as pastor and spiritual leader. Although the parish priest is entrusted by
the Bishop with an overall responsibility for the whole life of his parish,
which he cannot hand over to others, there is tremendous room for developing
the partnership of priest and people in every parish, with lay people being
entrusted with the day-to-day administration of much of parish life as well as
leadership of local communities within the parish (villages, neighbourhoods,
etc), leading Scripture-reflection and prayer groups, catechesis, sacramental
preparation, adult education, youth work, sharing chaplaincy work in schools,
hospitals, prisons, universities and colleges, social events, welfare work,
parish visiting, and ongoing care for the sick, the housebound, and the
bereaved. A key role of priests and deacons is to discern the giftedness of lay
people and to encourage them to use those gifts, always sensitive to their
other responsibilities.
Encouraging lay people to take on such tasks is not simply a
matter of helping fewer priests to focus on their vital tasks; it is far more
about enabling lay people – women and men - to live more fully their call to
active and responsible participation in the life of our Church at every level
and in the Church’s mission to the world.
It is essential that the full dignity and equality of women
be recognised in our diocese, and we hope that lay women will play an ever more
fruitful role at the heart of our parish and diocesan life. The development of
lay leadership and other ministries (at cluster, deanery and diocesan level, as
well as in the parish) should provide opportunities for greater use of so many
unused skills and resources, especially the often untapped intellectual and
leadership skills of women in the Church.
Lay women are already generally far more involved than lay
men in ministry and service in the Church. We also need to ensure that lay men
of all ages are encouraged and welcomed into forms of leadership and
involvement.
It is hoped that the ‘Structures for Lay Participation’
established on pages 36-37 will provide opportunities for lay women and men to
be involved more effectively in decision-making in the parish, cluster, deanery
and diocese.
It is all too easy, however, as we seek to involve lay
people more in parish life, to put increasing pressures on people who are
already busy and burdened, and whose calling may be to live and share the
Gospel precisely in their home and workplace rather than by taking on yet more
parish activities. Sometimes the best way to enable people to live their true
Christian vocation is by reducing rather than increasing the number of
‘churchy’ duties they so generously take on.
The joyful privilege of belonging to God’s family involves duty and
responsibility, but it should not drain people of their little remaining energy
as they struggle to earn a living, bring up a family and cope with the strains
and stresses of our world. Many people
simply do not have the time to give more of themselves to their local parish,
deanery or diocese, and they should not be asked or expected to do so. There
are some people who give much of their limited time to the Church who perhaps
should be giving some or all of that time to their families as part of their
sacred vocation as spouse and parent. It is in their ordinary daily lives,
nourished each Sunday at Mass by the Word of God and the Bread of Life, that
they live and share their Catholic faith.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Needs and Skills Audits
Every member of our church communities has God-given gifts
and talents for the service of Christ in his Church and the world. Each is a vital member of the Body of
Christ. No-one plays the role of the
‘appendix’ in that Body! Everyone is
needed (see
Before anyone is invited to offer their gifts and talents,
each parish community must first explore what forms of ministry and service are
most needed for the development of its life, liturgy and mission. What are the
gaps in the parish, especially in the light of your local discussions on
‘Forward & Outward Together” and this Diocesan Pastoral Plan? A ‘Needs Audit’ should precede any ‘Skills
Audit’.
Once the needs have been identified, simple but clear ‘job
descriptions’ could usefully be drawn up so that those offering themselves –
and the church community they are to serve – know what to expect.
Our church communities are full of gifts and talents, and
they need to be revealed, discovered and used where possible, always with sensitivity
to the limits of people’s time and energy.
Once generously offered, every effort should be made to follow up and
use those skills.
A ‘skills audit’ of some kind, perhaps linked with a general
census, may be the best way of discovering what people have to offer and
inviting them to become more involved in the life of the church. Such a questionnaire might well include a
general question such as “What specialist skills do you have which you would be
prepared to put at the service of the Church?”, as well as a ‘tick list’ of
forms of service in which they might be interested, based on the ‘Needs Audit’
previously carried out. People should be asked to indicate a willingness to
train when appropriate for any ministry or service. Not all forms of service require training.
Some people will already have the skills and expertise required for those that
do.
(1)
We should not always wait for people to volunteer.
There are times when it is best pro-actively to invite people to offer
their time and talents for a particular service.
(2)
An annual ‘Parish Opportunities Fair’, with
stalls advertising various opportunities for service in a parish, can be a
fruitful and fun way of encouraging people to sign up for ministries and
service. It could be organised on the
lines of the beginning-of-year ‘Freshers Fairs’ at universities, perhaps
combined with a parish fete or social activity.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Greater lay involvement
& lay leadership
Lay people need responsibility, opportunity and
encouragement. For some, this means
deeper involvement and participation in the life of the life, liturgy and
mission of the local church community. For others, it will mean sharing in
leadership.
Several deaneries and parishes suggested greater use of lay
pastoral assistants, coordinators and administrators, but no consensus on this
has yet emerged. For some parishes, the
possible funding implications are a disincentive, although it should be noted
that Brentwood Diocese operates a widespread system of voluntary pastoral
assistants with an established training two-year programme.
Once again, flexibility is required. The parishes in our
diocese are often very different to each other with regard to the size and
average age of the congregation, financial resources and general needs. Some parishes are already well-served by a
team of volunteers. A few already have
full-time or part-time lay people supporting the life of the parish, including
pastoral assistants, parish secretaries, site managers, administrators. One thing is certain, however. In every parish, lay people should
increasingly be entrusted with many if not most of the administrative tasks, as
well as participating more fully in pastoral care and outreach. In developing job descriptions for those who
take on such roles, it is important to distinguish pastoral ministries of
evangelisation, catechesis, care, etc from roles of administration. Both are important to any parish; some may well
be combined in one person with multiple responsibilities; but they are
different roles requiring different skills and different training.
It is diocesan policy that
we develop different forms of lay leadership in every parish and across the
diocese.
Besides the possible use of full or part-time pastoral
assistants, administrators, etc, this should include the leadership and
coordination of:
(1) smaller communities within parishes
(villages, neighbourhood groups, etc),
(2) adult formation and catechetical
programmes including sacramental preparation
(3) evangelising
teams
(4) youth work
(5) pastoral care of the sick, housebound,
bereaved, etc
Some concern was expressed in parish reports that such lay
leaders should not take over the distinctive role of the priest. This concern is echoed in Redemptionis
Sacramentum, but any true working in partnership in the Catholic Church
will always involve ordained ministers and lay people exercising their
distinctive roles, in full harmony and with full respect for each other.
Such involvement by lay people should be as wide as possible
in each parish, rather than focused on a handful of key people. ‘Working
together’ is as vital for lay leaders among themselves as it is for priests
among themselves and with deacons and lay people.
There are parishes where a few people seem to do
everything. On the one hand, their
generous dedication should be welcomed with gratitude: most parishes need such
people. On the other hand, those few are
in an important position to draw others into deeper involvement in the parish
community. The more people who are
actively involved at the heart of parish life, the happier the parish community
will be. The service of the ‘faithful few’ will only change if everyone is made
to feel they are a vital part of the life and work of the church, with their
own gifts and talents to offer.
“Lay leadership supported by good training should be key to the overall development of the diocese” (individual response)
“Lay leadership is crucial and must be taken seriously” (Costessey parish)
Formation and training for ministry and service
Prudent selection and careful formation is very important
for both lay and ordained ministry.
For some of these services, professional training will be needed. Some parish and deanery responses suggested,
for certain forms of leadership and ministry, a formal diocesan programme of
training, validation and commissioning.
Because of the nature of our diocese, and the flexibility
needed, it may not be easy to develop a simple diocesan programme for formation
and training for such lay people taking on key positions of
responsibility. We will need to develop
a flexible programme which can be of support to people in very different
situations.
There clearly needs to be further discussion before we
embark on a diocesan programme of any kind.
We must identify the areas of need, and develop a programme which is as
flexible and user-friendly as possible.
(1)
Between September 2004 and July 2005, further
parish, cluster, deanery and diocesan discussion is required to clarify our
training needs and what can most usefully be contributed by a diocesan
programme.
(2)
Most reports suggest a diocesan programme
delivered locally, either at county, deanery or cluster level. Appropriate funding must be found.
(3)
There seems to be general agreement that such a
programme should be flexible, modular, and incorporate distance-learning
and on-line methodologies. Twice-termly Saturday sessions and/or ‘Summer
Schools’ were also suggested. It is difficult for busy people to spare time for
in-depth training: any programme needs to be realistic about people’s ability
to commit themselves to regular meetings.
(4)
Any training must be appropriate and effective. Although there was no complete agreement on
this, there appears to be a balance in favour of some form of validation and
certification on completing all or part of the programme. In some cases, a diocesan commissioning would
be appropriate.
(5)
The development of such a programme needs to take
full account of the official Bishops Conference ‘Catholic Certificate in
Religious Studies’ (CCRS) which was
designed in part to answer the needs expressed above and which is usually run
on the lines proposed in point 3. The
CCRS is currently under review, nationally and in the diocese. There should be
no unnecessary duplication of programmes.
(6)
Where appropriate, any diocesan programme will be
developed in liaison and cooperation with the Margaret Beaufort
Institute, the Cambridge Theological Federation, etc.
(7)
If people are to give their time and talents to such
special training and formation, we need to ensure that whenever possible they
are offered opportunities for service and not ignored.
(8)
Those who give their time and talents need to be thanked
and encouraged. Some parishes
organise an annual Mass and social event for parish workers.
‘Volunteers
are one of the Church’s most valued
assets, and as such should be cherished’
(individual response)
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Limited terms of service
We need to be very sensitive about placing undue pressures
on lay people who are already busy, and especially those whose sacred vocation
to marriage and family life may suffer from too much involvement in church
affairs.
Nearly all deanery and parish responses agreed that a
limited – though renewable – term of office should be adopted for all forms of
lay ministry and service in the church.
This would help to ensure that people do not feel ‘trapped’ in a
role, and also that new people can be given opportunities for service. A limited term of office might encourage
people to take on a responsibility without the fear of having to carry it on
for life! On the other hand, it would be
good if all were ready cheerfully to hand over ministries (e.g. Reader,
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Catechist) and other forms of service
to others after a certain time, perhaps to take up other forms of service
instead.
“A term of office is a very good idea. If
people knew they would only have to do something for a number of years, they
might be more confident about coming forward”
(
Once again, flexibility is required, as it can be difficult
in smaller parishes to find replacements.
The expertise gained through formation, training and experience should
not be automatically time-limited, but such gifts and talents can often be used
in many different ways.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Adult religious formation
All responses highlighted the need for a programme of adult
religious formation, in addition to any specific programmes for training for
ministry and service. Some parishes and
deaneries have already initiated local programmes of adult formation. A diocesan
input seems to be welcome, but delivered locally in some way (three centres,
one in each county; deanery; parish clusters; parish) rather than in one place
in the diocese.
(1)
Every parish is to have a Parish Coordinating
Catechist, working with the Deanery Coordinating Catechist to ensure
the best possible catechesis, adult formation, sacramental preparation,
etc. Those who have already trained as
‘Key Catechists’ are obviously very well prepared to take on one or either of
these key positions, as a resource for other catechists.
(2)
The ongoing formation of catechists throughout the
diocese is vital, and a priority for the Commission for Evangelisation
which includes all Deanery Coordinating catechists among its members.
(3)
The place of the ‘Catholic Certificate in Religious
Studies’ (CCRS) needs to be reviewed, in the light of the Bishops
Conference and the need for a diocesan programme for training for lay
leadership and involvement.
(4)
The Commission for Evangelisation will organise diocesan
training days on established programmes which may be of support to parishes
(e.g. CaFE).
(5)
The diocese also encourages the development of more informal
faith-sharing and Scripture-study groups in parishes and smaller
communities. Special attention should be given to lectionary-based groups which
gather to reflect on the following Sunday’s Scripture readings.
(6)
Deaneries, clusters and parishes are encouraged to
make greater use of days of recollection, retreats and missions.
(7)
Bishop Michael will continue to offer teaching
sessions.
Greater emphasis needs to
be given to the ongoing formation of parents as the first teachers of
their children in the faith. Parents are
the key catechists of their families.
Their children’s preparation for the sacraments of Baptism, First Confession,
First Communion and Confirmation, as well as the celebration of those
sacraments, are a prime opportunity for the deeper Christian formation of
parents. Such preparation programmes
should always include and involve the parents in some way, at least for special
sessions on the meaning of each sacrament.
The diocese and parishes must do more to promote and enrich the
Christian home as the place where Christ is to be found and encountered, and
the family as the ‘domestic church’, a holy place where prayer, Christian
witness and teaching, and loving care are woven into the fabric of daily
life. Parents‘ responsibility for the
Christian education of their children cannot be handed over to our Catholic
schools or our parish communities: our homes, schools and parishes must work in
ever closer partnership, but it is the vocation of parents to lead their
children in the ways of holiness, above all by their example and witness, and
by sharing their faith.
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Working together with
other Christians
All of this section so far has been about ‘working together’
within the Catholic community, but our common baptism calls us to work together
as closely as possible with our fellow Christians and their communities at
every level of the Church.
Ecumenism is not always easy, but it is not an optional
extra for Catholics. It is not only as individual parish communities, clusters
of parishes, deaneries or even as a diocesan family within the Roman Catholic
Communion that we move forward and outward.
It is with our fellow Christians, our brothers and sisters in Christ.
When church leaders meet, so often we find that we have the
same challenges and problems. There is
so much can be done together, above all in our public witness to the Good News
of Jesus Christ to the people of
There are already very good and friendly relationships
between the church leaders in
Ecumenism is always a challenge, but especially so in
(1) Catholic communities should be as
involved as possible in local Christians Together or Churches Together. If there are not already effective clergy
fraternals, it would be good for Catholic priests to initiate and host such
fraternals. As so often, it is the
building of good personal relations which is often a vital step towards
effective ecumenism. Joint social events
with other churches can build good relations.
(2) Scripture-study groups and prayer
groups can often be organised on an ecumenical basis. Joint services are an established
practice during Christian Unity Week, but there are surely other opportunities
during the year to worship and witness together.
(3) Teaching can often be done
together (e.g. Bishop Michael and Bishop Graham’s teaching session on Baptism
at St John’s Cathedral in Lent 2004; this ‘Two Cathedrals’ event is now to
become an annual one). Several churches
could get together to run a series of talks and discussions on as common topic,
with plenty of opportunity for friendly airing of differences as well as
agreement). The various ‘agreed
statements’ between
(4) Several Anglican and Methodist churches
in our diocese already give a warm welcome to Catholics gathering for Mass
at the weekend. When a Mass centre or
church is too small for a congregation when we need to reduce the number of
Masses, it may make sense to move to a welcoming larger Anglican or other
church.
(5) There are several Local Ecumenical
Partnerships in the diocese, including special chaplaincies. Reference should be made to the
newly-published set of leaflets from the Bishops Conference on LEPs.
The Catholic Church is fully
committed to pursuing the path to full Christian Unity. As Pope John Paul wrote in his encyclical
letter Ut unum sint, ‘At the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church
committed herself irrevocably to following the path of the ecumenical
venture…’(4). Without in any way
abandoning or undermining our distinctive Catholic teaching, ecumenism must be
central to our Catholic life: ‘Thus it is absolutely clear that ecumenism, the
movement promoting Christian unity, is not just some sort of “appendix” which
is added to the Church’s traditional activity.
Rather, ecumenism is an organic part of her life and work, and
consequently must pervade all that she is and does…’ (Ut unum sint, 20).
In other words, we cannot be truly Catholic if we are not
actively committed to working for the full unity of all Christians. At local
level, we can pray and worship together, conscious of our unity in the Spirit
of Christ. We can study together,
learning to understand each other better and enriching each other in the
process. We can work together to bring
the Good News of Jesus Christ to our communities, both in explicit
evangelisation and in bringing God’s care, love and justice to the sick and the
sad, the poor and hungry, the oppressed and afflicted. We can be friends together, enjoying each
other’s company as fellow disciples and companions of the Risen Lord.
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Working together with people of other faiths
There is a growing opportunity in
The large number of Muslims moving into
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
“Parishioners who feel responsible for
engaging in the work of their parishes are acutely aware of the need for
priests to trust them more. The days of every single decision having to be
personally sanctioned by ‘Father’ have to end if parishioners are to become
responsible adults within the local church, rather than mere helpers to the
priest in his responsibilities. Without this, people only see a diminishing
Church and an exhausted clergy. This need for shared responsibility goes beyond
the concept of ‘collaboration’, as there is real concern that, at least in
places, there won’t be any priest to collaborate with if the present trend
continues.”
(St Mary’s parish,
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
The church is a family, and as in
any family, everyone should be as involved as possible in family life, each
according to their particular place in the family. In Catholic teaching, bishops and priests –
assisted by deacons - have a distinctive and irreplaceable role as making
visible the Risen Christ as our shepherd and teacher. But the whole baptised community is the royal
and priestly people of God, and our common dignity and equality is the setting
for the role of ordained ministers. It is therefore essential that lay people
be given every opportunity to play their full part in the life, liturgy and
mission of the church in the diocese, deanery, cluster, parish and smaller
communities, always in accordance with Catholic doctrine and Canon Law.
(1)
A Diocesan Council of Laity will
be established, with one lay representative from each canonical parish. Such a representative will usually be the
lay chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Council or its equivalent, or that
person’s delegate. The Council will meet twice a year with the Bishop to
discuss, be consulted on and contribute to the planning of key aspects of the
life and mission of the diocese.
(2)
As and when such a gathering is judged necessary or
useful by the Bishop, in liaison with the
(3)
Occasional diocesan meetings will also
be held of lay people involved in particular aspects of diocesan life (cf.
those already held on youth work, justice and peace, people with disabilities,
marriage and family life). Such
specialist gatherings contribute another dimension to the process of diocesan
consultation.
(4)
There will be a forum or fora for lay
discussion and collaboration within every deanery. This
could be (a) one forum for the whole deanery (especially in urban
deaneries); (b) separate fora for parts of a deanery (for example, in
the Cambridge Deanery, where the Cambridge city parishes, Sawston and Ely might
meet separately from the four parishes of Buckden, Huntingdon, St Ives and St
Neot’s); (c) separate fora in more rural deaneries for clusters of
parishes, although still feeding into a single deanery report of some kind on
issues for discussion.
(5)
Whether or not cluster meetings are opted for above,
all clusters of parishes are strongly encouraged to hold occasional
inter-parish discussions so that lay people can contribute to the development
of the clustering process.
‘There is a need for a forum in each parish
at which people can express their views and put forward ideas, and feel that
their suggestions are being given due consideration. There is also an
occasional need for a more formal mechanism for consultation within the parish’
(OLEM parish,

(6) It is diocesan policy that every parish have an established public forum
of some kind to enable lay consultation and participation in parish pastoral
life and planning. Parishes are left to organise what kind of
arrangement is most appropriate, although this should be decided at an open
meeting of the parish rather than by the clergy alone.
The main
options for such a forum are:
(a) an
established Parish Pastoral Council,
with a constitution and members elected and appointed as agreed.
(b) an
open Parish-in-Council to which everyone is invited. This may require a
Steering group to ensure that agreed recommendations are put into practice.
Any parish
forum should meet at least twice a year, and be chaired by a lay person
who will normally be the parish representative on the Diocesan Council of
Laity.
(7) It may be appropriate for smaller
communities within a parish, especially those now or once centred on a
place of worship (whether or not Sunday Mass is celebrated there), to have
their own forum for supporting their local Catholic community life. Such a local community and its forum
should be fully integrated into the wider life of the parish. It is always the main Parish Pastoral Council
or Parish-in-Council which is to be seen as the primary forum. Local communities could well be
represented formally on any Parish Pastoral Council, or take a full part in any
Parish-in-Council.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

TOGETHER IN PRAYER
Several reports highlighted the danger of becoming so caught
up in structural and practical matters in the diocese and parishes that we fail
to focus on the heart of the matter: our call to grow into an ever-deeper
personal (but never private) relationship with our Lord as members of his
Church, the family of God. Our prayer
and worship are central to this spiritual growth and renewal. We are called to be people of prayer and
people of worship. The story of Martha and Mary in St Luke’s Gospel reminds us
that we should not become so engrossed in ‘activity’ that we lose sight of our
spiritual centre: we need Marthas in every church community, serving with zeal
and enthusiasm, but it was Mary, sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to
his word, who had chosen ‘the better
part’ (Luke 10.42).
We could all learn much from words often seen in
Catholic communities in
The suffering of
From this suffering comes
Great Compassion.
Great Compassion makes a
Peaceful Heart.
A Peaceful Heart makes a
Peaceful Person.
A Peaceful Person makes a
Peaceful Family.
A Peaceful Family makes a
Peaceful Community.
A Peaceful Community makes a
Peaceful Nation.
A Peaceful Nation makes a
Peaceful World.
May all beings live in
Happiness and Peace.
Each of us needs to be a prayerful person, as a member of a
prayerful family and a prayerful parish. Any deepening of our prayer life needs
to happen in our families and homes, and in our parishes, but the diocese may
be able to give support in different ways.
No parish can move forward unless its life and work is rooted in prayer.
(1)
The disciples asked Jesus, ‘Teach us to pray.’ Every Catholic community in our diocese
should be a ‘school for prayer’, helping us to pray on our own, with our
friends, in our families and with fellow disciples of Jesus.
(2)
As and when appropriate, the diocese will provide prayer
cards and special liturgies (e.g. those produced for Pentecost 2004).
(3)
Times of prayer should be part of nearly
all sacramental programmes, children’s and adult formation, talks, etc in a
church setting.
(4)
The development of a range of prayer groups is
encouraged, both within a Catholic setting and with other Christians.
Opportunities should be provided to learn different ways of praying, and to try
them out in a supportive environment. These groups should always lead members
back to parish life and liturgy.
(5)
A parish lending library with
carefully-selected books on prayer would be a help to many.
(6)
A prayer intentions board or book at the
back of the church, regularly checked and referred to by the priests and people
as a source of intentions, provides a further focus for prayer.
(7)
Celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours
(especially Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer) is encouraged in parishes,
smaller communities, groups and families.
(8)
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is
strongly encouraged in every parish.
Silent adoration should be the main form of prayer, and adoration should
always be arranged in such a way that it is seen to flow from the Celebration of
Mass and leads us back to it. Every
parish is asked to try to arrange at least one hour of public Adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament each week. Longer
periods of Adoration may be possible with a rota of adorers. One great advantage of such adoration is that
the church can be kept open during that time even in those places which are
usually locked.
(9)
As already mentioned, Scripture-reflection groups are
strongly encouraged, especially when the readings for the following Sunday are
read and explored in a setting of prayerful reflection. ‘Welcoming the word of
God’ lies at the heart of our call to welcome the Eternal Word in person into
our lives. As St Jerome said, ‘Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of
Christ.’
(10)
Several parishes already organise days of
reflection, times of quiet and retreats for parishioners. Diocesan events for young people involving
prayer and reflection are already being organised. There is much room for the
development of such events at diocesan, deanery, cluster, parish and community
level.
(11)
We should make full use of the centres of prayer
which already exist in our diocese: the National Shrine at Walsingham, Clare
Priory,
(12)
Pilgrimage is an important part of our life
of prayer. Annual diocesan pilgrimages
already take place to
(13)
Spiritual direction should be encouraged for
lay people. The diocese should build up
a living resource of spiritual directors available for people across the
diocese. Our religious communities may
be in a special position to offer such a ministry. Lay people can also be trained for this
service of accompanying others in their spiritual journey through life.
“Raising the profile of prayer and spirituality for lay people seems to be key”
(individual response)
“The Mass is our greatest
prayer”
(Kings
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LIVING THE SACRAMENTS
By our baptism and confirmation, we are together a priestly
community, above all when we come together to celebrate the Eucharist, the
Sacrifice of the
(1)
“Knowingly”: further education on the meaning
of the liturgy should be central to any diocesan and parish programme of adult
Christian formation.
(2)
“Actively”: we should work towards being as
inclusive as possible regarding the liturgy. No-one should feel excluded, and
all should feel welcome. Active participation is the norm for all. Every parish is encouraged to establish a
Liturgy Committee to contribute to the overall development of liturgy.
(3)
“Fruitfully”: we can do more to celebrate the
liturgy in a way that encourages and inspires people, and allows God’s
transforming love to be at work within the whole community and each
individual. The liturgy is only fully
fruitful if we grow in personal holiness, in love for each other, and in deeper
involvement in the Church’s mission to the world. Mass and mission, worship and witness belong
inextricably together.
“The liturgy actualises salvation, making it
real for every believer and every community of believers which celebrates
it. In the liturgy, Christ, the one who
is living, dying and rising from the dead, is present and active in the
faithful. He fills them with divine life and makes them his people. The liturgy is the act of Christ gathering
his Church, building it up, sanctifying it, revealing it and making it a sign
and instrument for all humanity.”
(General Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land, p. 41)
‘People can be put off church by bad
liturgy. Conversely, people are more
likely to maintain regular Sunday attendance if their experience of the liturgy
is a good one.’
(Diocesan Liturgy Commission)
TOUCHING THE HEART
Liturgy is an encounter with the living God in the midst of
his family, the Church. It should be a deeply personal encounter, renewing and
enriching our relationship with the Lord.
Catholic liturgy should touch the heart of each person
present. The whole human being takes
part in liturgy - body, mind, heart and soul - and there is a long and rich
tradition in the Catholic Church of reaching the invisible inner person through
the visible and tangible: through art and music, sight and sound, through
touch, smell and taste (e.g. laying-on of hands, incense, etc).
Although we must never reduce the experience of God to our
emotions, we should not ignore people’s desire to ‘feel’ something of the
peace, warmth and joy of God’s presence in the liturgy. The disciples came away
from their meeting with the Risen Christ on the road to Emmaus saying, ‘Did not
our hearts burn within us?’ If only
everyone could come away from our liturgical celebrations saying the same!
Through both Word and Sacrament the Lord comes to touch and
transform our hearts. True religion is a love relationship with God, a thing of
the ‘heart’ (in the sense of our deepest inner self), and we should try to
celebrate the liturgy in a way that touches the heart. Our liturgy must address
the spiritual hunger and thirst of God’s people. We come together to lift our
hearts to the Father, to be nourished by the Risen Lord who is the Word of God
and the Bread of Life, and to drink of the Living Water that is the Holy
Spirit.
Our parish communities and our liturgy should be the
fountain, the living spring, the well from which people can quench their
spiritual thirst with the joy of salvation.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
RITE OF CHRISTIAN
INITIATION
Becoming and being a Christian is a journey of faith that
takes place within the pilgrim community of the faithful. Indeed, this process
of welcome is sometimes called ‘Journey in Faith’ rather than RCIA.
The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is the
“exemplar and rule for all Christian initiation” (Bishops of England, Scotland
and Wales, 1988). It is the normative
way for adults to be welcomed through Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion
into the Catholic Church. Such a process
aims to integrate new members into the faith and life of the parish community
and the diocese.
Far from being an imposition aimed at making becoming a
Catholic more difficult, the RCIA or ‘Journey in Faith’ is a positive way of
enriching and deepening the identity of a parish community, and is one of the
special gifts to the Catholic Church of the Second Vatican Council.
Although the RCIA team of the priest and catechists plays a
vital role in this process, the whole Catholic community has a responsibility
to welcome and support those on their journey to initiation or reception. This
needs to be made visible especially in liturgical celebrations. When these
celebrations do not happen, or are reduced to a bare minimum, both the people
being welcomed and the parish community are deprived.
It is diocesan policy that
the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (sometimes called ‘Journey in
Faith’) is the normative process for welcoming unbaptised adults as well as
baptised adults seeking reception into full communion with the Catholic Church.
The Rite allows for flexibility in special circumstances, but every
parish or cluster of parishes should have an RCIA programme in place. This is already well-established in most
parishes in our diocese. Smaller
parishes without such a programme could organise RCIA with neighbouring
parishes, and share resources.
Unless there is a very strong pastoral reason why this
should not be the case, initiation or reception should take place at the Easter
Vigil.
There are four main stages in the process of initiation. How
these are organised will vary from parish to parish depending on the length of
the programme (e.g. one year or two):
(1)
Enquiry: people expressing an interest in
becoming a Catholic explore together what this might mean. In a one-year
programme, such a period might last from the Summer or Autumn until Christmas,
leading to the Rite of Acceptance or Welcome in the parish at the
beginning of January.
(2)
From the Rite of Acceptance, enquirers become either
a Catechumen (if preparing for Baptism) or a Candidate (if a
baptised Christian preparing to be received into full communion with the
Catholic Church). This leads up to the Rite of Election with the Bishop
at the Cathedral on the afternoon of the First Sunday of Lent. Unless there are insuperable practical
difficulties, all Catechumens and Candidates from across the diocese should
attend this celebration with their priests, sponsors, families, friends and
members of their parish communities.
(3)
The period of Lent is for catechumens (known as ‘the
elect’ after the Rite of Election) and candidates a special period of Purification
and Enlightenment, during which they are given more intense spiritual
preparation with the prayerful support of the parish community. For the
catechumens, as full a use as possible should be made of the rites provided
(Scrutinies, presentation of the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, etc). This leads
to the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation and
Eucharist) at the Easter Vigil. The
newly-initiated with their sponsors and families could be invited to a simple
social event immediately after the vigil (whether just a glass of wine or a
parish party).
(4)
From the Easter Vigil until Pentecost, there follows
the period of Post-Baptismal Catechesis (or Mystagogia) during
which the newly-baptised (neophytes) and the newly-received deepen their
understanding of the mystery of Christ and his Church, and are helped to be
integrated into the daily life, worship, devotions and mission of the
church. The group usually continues to
meet during this time.
BAPTISM
By our baptism, we are immersed into the life of God the
Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, and so made new people, delivered
from the power of sin and set on the path to holiness. We are immersed into the mystery of Christ
and his Church, as beloved daughters and sons of the Father in his family, as
sisters and brothers of one another in Christ, and as the living temple of the
Holy Spirit. That is both an awesome
gift of grace from God, and an awesome responsibility for parents to take on
for their children. It is clear that we
can be much better prepared for baptism, much more involved in all baptisms in
our parish communities, and much more committed to welcome the newly-baptised
into the lives of our parish families.
“It is essential that baptism be preceded by
an appropriate preparation, in at least one meeting or more with the family and
godparents…in order to make them aware of the meaning of presenting their child
to be baptised and their responsibility in this. Baptism might even be an
opportunity to revive the grace of baptism in the family, among the godparents
and in the parish”
(General Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land,
p. 44)
“It is also important to include the parish
in this occasion in some way (publishing the names of those being baptised in
the church and offering prayers for them, for their parents and godparents
during the eucharistic celebration on Sunday, celebrating the rite of baptism during
a Sunday Mass) because baptism not only concerns the family and godparents but
also the entire Christian community which receives one of its new members”
(General Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land, p. 44)
Baptism preparation
It is diocesan policy that
every parish provide a full and adequate preparation programme for infant
baptism, and that attendance be required for parents having their first child
baptised, as well as for others when appropriate. Godparents should also attend
when possible.
Baptism is a wonderful opportunity to renew links between
parents and the community of the Church, and it is a missed opportunity if
there is no more than a filling-in of forms and the service itself. Each parish has different resources
available.
(1)
Couples or individuals expecting a baby are
encouraged to come forward for a blessing for pregnancy. This would be a good time to enrol for
baptism preparation.
(2)
The diocese recommends a baptism preparation
course of two or three evenings, or if necessary a longer weekend session,
perhaps made available every few months, and led by lay catechists with
involvement by a priest or deacon. Parents (and godparents when available) of
children being baptised in the coming months meet together. Parishioners could
be available to provide tea and coffee, and look after any children. The
parents should still complete the forms with the priest or deacon so that
personal contact can be made; it is good for the priest or deacon baptising the
child to visit the family in their home before the baptism to go through the
details of the service. In some small
parishes, the course could be led by clergy.
Alternatively clusters of neighbouring parishes could organise
preparation together.
(3)
The course should include discussion of why they want
their child baptised; an understanding of the heart of the meaning of baptism,
as being immersed into the mystery of the life of the Triune God and into the
mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, and so delivered from original sin,
as well as initiation into the community of the Church as God’s family; and an
understanding of Christian initiation as a journey of gradually deeper
belonging, leading to First Communion, Confirmation and a life-time of active
sharing in the life and mission of the Church.
The Rite itself can be used as a way of leading the parents to an
understanding of its meaning.
(4)
Suitable audio-visual materials can be
effectively used in such a programme.
(5)
The Diocesan Commission for Evangelisation will
monitor suitable programmes and resources, and provide training for
baptism preparation catechists as needed.
(6)
For an infant to be baptised, the Catholic Church
requires there to be a well-founded hope that the child will be brought up in
the Catholic faith. This must
always be judged with pastoral sensitivity and love. If such a hope is truly
lacking, the baptism is to be deferred (cf. Code of Canon Law, canon
868; Instruction on Infant Baptism, n. 28). Any such decision is one of ‘pastoral delay’
rather than refusal, in order to help the parents be more ready to undertake
the very serious commitment involved in having their child baptised.
(7)
If parents who are not parishioners ask for baptism
for their child, Canon 857 # 2 should be borne in mind: ‘As a rule and unless a
just reason suggests otherwise, an adult is to be baptised in his or her proper
parish church, and an infant in the proper parish church of the parents.’
(8)
Godparents should be chosen carefully, and
with a full understanding of their role.
Only one godparent is required. Any godparent is there to represent the
Catholic Church, and must therefore be a confirmed, practising Catholic aged 16
or above (Code of Canon Law, canon 874). Other dedicated Christians are
invited to be ‘Christian Witnesses’ at a baptism, and will continue to be
examples of Christian living for the child as he or she grows up.
Celebration of Baptism
Baptism involves welcome into the community of the
Church. It can never, therefore, be a
private ritual simply for the family and friends of those being baptised. There
can be no such thing as a private baptism.
(1)
The names of those to be baptised should be
announced in the parish newsletter, and including in the Intercessions at
(2)
Baptism during Sunday Mass
highlights most strongly the communal aspect of baptism. When celebrated with sensitivity to the
congregation, and making full use of the pastoral options allowed in the
liturgy, such a Mass need not take much longer than an ordinary Sunday Mass. A large parish may need to adopt a policy
regarding how often baptism is celebrated at Sunday
(3)
When Baptism is not celebrated during Mass, the
baptism service should be announced in the parish newsletter, and the whole
parish community invited to participate.
This does not mean the whole parish has to be invited to the Christening
Party!
(4)
When Baptism is not celebrated during Mass, the
diocese recommends a public welcome of the newly-baptised and their
family at Mass the following Sunday.
This could take place at the beginning of Mass, after the greeting.
Follow-Up to Baptism
(1)
The priest or deacon who baptises the child should
pay a pastoral visit to the family in their home some time after the
baptism.
(2)
Some parishes find that a monthly ‘Buggy Mass’
(for parents with their babies, toddlers and pre-school children) on a weekday
morning is a good way to draw young parents into the liturgical and social life
of the parish, and to meet other people.
Such a Mass can be celebrated very simply, in a child-friendly setting
suitable for wandering toddlers and with nappy-changing facilities nearby.
(3)
Parishes could consider an annual Mass or
other celebration to which all babies and children baptised during the past
year are invited along with their parents, with a social afterwards. Advent or Christmastide is a good time for
this. Parents could be invited to bring
their babies and children forward for a special blessing during the
(4)
The parish could send a specially-designed anniversary
card to each child on the first anniversary of their baptism.
(5)
Families are strongly encouraged to celebrate
yearly baptism anniversaries, with special prayers, cards, presents and
parties. This would be a wonderful way
of building up a sense of being God’s son or daughter, and of belonging to the
family of God. Parents’ baptism
anniversaries should also be celebrated.
The baptismal candle should be lit at any celebration on such an
occasion.
(6)
Many young parents may appreciate the provision of parenting
sessions. There are established courses for parents of babies and toddlers,
primary age children and teenagers. Such courses usually involve small groups
which are in themselves ways of supporting young parents and drawing them into
the family life of the Church.
Unity with other Christians
Baptism is the sacred sacramental bond between all baptised
Christians, and it is the foundation for the unity we already share. Because of
our baptism, there is already a real although imperfect communion between
Christians. By baptism, we are brothers and sisters in the one family of
God. Perhaps local churches could hold a
joint service each year during Eastertide to celebrate our common baptism. When one parent is a committed member of another
Christian community, a priest or minister of that community may be invited to
take some part in the rite of baptism, while leaving the Catholic priest or
deacon to perform the central elements of the rite (cf. Directory on
Ecumenism, no 97).
ababababababababab
CONFIRMATION
The Sacrament of Confirmation was a major focus for our
diocese in 2004, leading up to a renewal of our Confirmation in every parish at
Pentecost. Our Confirmation is our
Pentecost: anointed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are sent forth into
the world by Christ himself to proclaim him to the world by our words and
deeds, and by the way we live, as individuals, families and parish communities.
At our Confirmation, we ‘go public’ with our faith, ready to confess it boldly
before others. Our Confirmation is our
commissioning to be evangelists or gospel-bearers. All of us in our diocese who
have been confirmed are called to fill
Lord, fulfil your promise.
Send your Holy Spirit
to make us witnesses before the world
to the good news proclaimed
by Jesus Christ our Lord.
(The Roman Missal: alternative opening
prayer for
the Rite
of Confirmation)
“the sacrament of Confirmation, together with
Baptism, is the basis for the mission of the lay person in the Church, for it
makes him or her a full member of the people of God…”
(General Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land, p. 45)
It is diocesan policy that
Confirmation will always be administered by the Bishop, except in danger of
death, or when the faculty has been given to a priest to receive a person into
Full Communion with the Catholic Church or to confirm for some other special
reason.
It is also diocesan policy
that, except in the danger of death, Confirmation will be administered in
secondary school Year 10 (the school year in which a young person reaches the
age of 15) or above.
Confirmation Preparation
(1) Preparation for Confirmation can be
organised either in a parish, among a cluster of parishes or in a deanery. Any preparation programme should be full and
adequate, enabling young people to reflect on their personal relationship with
God and their belonging to the Church, helping them to grow in prayer, and
preparing them to become full members of the Church, sharing the Church’s
mission to the world.
(2) Although Confirmation will not be
administered until Year 10, preparation can begin before then. Some parishes now use a two-year preparation
programme, combining teaching with social events, weekends away and fun
activities.
(3) Any preparation programme should take
full account of the Diocesan Confirmation Pack provided to all parishes
in the Summer of 2003.
(4) The Bishop would welcome the
opportunity to meet candidates for Confirmation during their time of
preparation.
(5) The Bishop is happy to visit parishes
for Confirmation no matter how small the group of candidates. Alternatively, Confirmation celebrations
could be organised with neighbouring parishes.
Celebration of Confirmation
(1)
All Confirmation Masses should be organised using the
norms issued by the Bishop in July 2003.
(2)
There will be an annual Mass
in the diocese (usually on
Pentecost Sunday) for the confirmation of adults. This will take place either at the Cathedral
or at Walsingham.
Follow-Up to Confirmation
“It is necessary that there be a follow-up of
those who have received confirmation for, at least, a year after they have
received the sacrament. Various appropriate works should be provided for them
in the parish, and they can be incorporated into apostolic movements which suit
their age so that they might live the grace of confirmation concretely in their
lives”
(General Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land, p. 46)
No matter how well we prepare young people for Confirmation,
and how well the Confirmation is celebrated, good follow-up is essential if
they are to be drawn more deeply into the life, liturgy and work of the Church.
(1) A post-Confirmation group is
strongly recommended, perhaps meeting monthly, and combining ‘faith, food and
fun.’ Such a group could explore and put
into action practical ideas for bringing the good news to others, e.g. through
care projects, work for justice and peace, involvement in the liturgy.
(2) An anniversary card could be sent
to each person from the parish on the first anniversary of their Confirmation.
(3) A first anniversary reunion Mass
in the parish, with a celebration (e.g. barbecue) afterwards could be
organised, perhaps with involvement from previous Confirmation groups.
(4) The diocese is exploring the possibility
of an annual diocesan Mass for young people confirmed during the previous
year (or years).
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
EUCHARIST
‘At the heart of the life of the Catholic
Church has always been the celebration of the Eucharist, or the Mass as
Catholics often call it. Taking part in the Mass is the hallmark of the
Catholic, central and crucial to our Catholic identity… For Catholics now, as
in the past, the Eucharist is the source and summit of the whole Christian
life. It is the vital centre of all that
the Church is and does, because at its heart is the real presence of the
crucified, risen and glorified Lord, continuing and making available his saving
work among us’
(Catholic Bishops of England, Ireland,
Scotland and Wales in One Bread One Body, 1998, no. 3).
Everything said above about the importance of the Mass is
true also for our diocesan family, for every parish in our diocese, and for
every small community, family and individual in each parish. This is why we need to find ways in our
imminent future with fewer priests to ensure that the Mass itself remains the
heart of our Catholic life. No other forms of worship, even those which include
the distribution of Holy Communion, can substitute for the Mass as the memorial
of the death and resurrection of Christ.
If the Sacrifice of the Mass is to remain the centre of our Catholic
life together, all of us – priests and people together – will have to be
sacrificial and generous, flexible and adaptable, in our attitude to where and
when we can get to Mass each Sunday.
The Mass is the celebration of a pilgrim people, a community
on the move. At the end of each Mass, like the people of
It is the Risen Lord who calls us to gather for the
Eucharist, who draws us deeper into his life, and who sends us out into the
world to bring his presence to others. The Risen Jesus in person is the heart
of the
But there is more to the Mass than the ‘here and now’. In some mysterious way, made possible by the
overshadowing presence of the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s Supper we celebrate is a
foretaste of the Great Banquet of heaven. All who come to Mass should catch a
glimpse of what heaven will be like. Now
there’s a challenge to all who lead and minister and participate at every
celebration of Mass in our diocese. How
can we make each Mass more ‘heavenly’, a true foretaste of the communion of
saints awaiting us at the end of time?
“This major sacrament requires a special
effort of the Church so that the Eucharist and its celebration take their
proper place in the believing community. In addition to the daily Mass, which
must not become simply a habit, the celebration of the Eucharist on Sunday must
receive special attention. This pastoral activity includes: serious preparation
for Sunday so that it might be a weekly Easter celebration in the life of the
faithful (suitable time for Sunday and daily Mass, the homily and its delivery
and content speak to the life of the listeners, preparation of the texts in
fluent and suitable language, appropriate songs, simple gestures and
initiatives which might break the routine and fill the celebration with life
and vitality).”
(General Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land, p. 47)

The Celebration of Mass
(1) Like every other aspect of the life and
mission of the Church, our liturgy is
always open to renewal. Mass can be
celebrated better – more prayerfully, more fruitfully, with more active and
conscious participation by all, and with better homilies by the celebrant
(bishop included).
(2)
The whole congregation can prepare better for Sunday
Mass by reflecting prayerfully on the Scripture readings during the
previous week, and by their prayerful ‘coming to quiet’ before Mass
begins.
(3)
Mass can so easily become too full of words. Times of
prayerful silence should be part of the Eucharist, for example after a
Scripture reading or after Holy Communion.
We need to learn how to be silent in a positive way, and to welcome
silence as the voice of God.
(4)
‘Noble simplicity’ was key to the Second
Vatican Council’s approach to renewing much of the liturgy. There is plenty of room for beauty in the
liturgy, making full use of the wonder of creation and the talents of God’s
people. The Catholic Church embraces the
part played by the senses in our human response to God in worship, for example
in art, architecture and music. But ‘noble simplicity’ excludes all forms of
ostentation.
(5)
The Mass is a sacramental liturgy, full of sacred
signs. The most should be made of
those signs in the spirit of ‘noble simplicity’. For example, always in keeping with the
official rubrics, the reception of Holy Communion under Both Kinds is
encouraged (cf. Redemptionis Sacramentum, no. 100). Moreover, people
should receive hosts at Mass consecrated at that same Mass: care should be
taken to consecrate enough bread at Mass for all present (cf. Redemptionis
Sacramentum, no. 89). The reserved sacrament should be used only once hosts
consecrated at that Mass have been distributed.
(6)
The Ministry of the Word is an
importance service at Mass. Careful selection and adequate training is needed
for those who undertake this ministry (Readers). It is also suggested that
Ministers of the Word be commissioned in some way, and have their commissioning
renewed in the same way as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion. The diocese will offer to parishes, clusters
and deaneries opportunities for training and ongoing formation for Readers, and
strongly recommends that parishes hold an annual renewal of commissioning for
readers (perhaps at Mass on Bible Sunday – the second Sunday of Advent).
Parish readers on the rota for the
following Sunday are encouraged to meet to reflect on the Scripture readings so
that they have a good understanding of what they are reading. Such a gathering could be open to other
parishioners.
(7)
Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion play an
important role when needed in assisting priests and deacons in distributing
Holy Communion at Mass and to the sick.
In our diocese, anyone taking on such a ministry must be invited by
their parish priest; attend both parish training and a diocesan commissioning
day; and be commissioned by the Bishop (for one year, renewable on an annual
basis by the parish priest). Anyone in
School Year 10 and above who has been confirmed may be a minister.
(8)
Our diocese warmly welcomes girls and women as altar
servers alongside boys and men, at the discretion of the local parish
priest. Most parishes already give positive affirmation and thanks to their
altar servers in some way each year (e.g. special Mass with renewal of
commitment, special events, parties, etc).
The diocese is currently considering an annual diocesan event for altar
servers.
Ministry of Music at Mass
Many people in our parishes place their diverse musical
talents at the service of the Church’s worship, and this generosity is accepted
and welcomed. Music plays a very
important part in the celebration of the liturgy, especially Sunday Mass. There
is certainly a place for choirs, singers and musicians to contribute their own
specialist gifts to the liturgy, but the primary ministry of church musicians
of any kind is to promote the active participation of the whole people:
‘Through suitable instruction and practices, the people should be gradually led
to a fuller – indeed, to a complete – participation in those parts of the
singing which pertain to them’ (Sacred Congregation of Rites, Instruction on
Sacred Music, 1967, n. 3b).
Particularly highlighted for being sung by everyone are the
‘Kyrie’ (‘of its nature it is a cry of the people of God for his mercy’) and
the ‘Sanctus’ which should be sung or said by ‘the entire congregation, in
union with the heavenly powers’; ‘the voices of all should join in with that of
the priest’ (General Instruction on the Roman Missal, 1969, nos. 30, 55,
108, 168). The ‘Agnus Dei’ should
usually be sung with the people responding, rather than by a choir on its own (ibid,
no. 56).
There is, of course, much room at Mass for the great
heritage of Catholic sacred music, including plainsong and polyphony, but the
norms above are meant to ensure that the whole congregation is allowed to take
its full active part as the community at worship.
One final point about music at Sunday Mass is highlighted by
Pope John Paul in his letter Dies Domini: ‘efforts must be made to ensure that the
celebration (of Sunday Mass) has the festive character appropriate to the day
commemorating the Lord’s Resurrection. To this end, it is important to devote
attention to the songs used by the assembly, since singing is a particularly
apt way to express a joyful heart, accentuating the solemnity of the
celebration and fostering the sense of a common faith and a shared love’ (Dies
Domini, n. 50).
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
REDISCOVERING SUNDAY
SACRAMENT OF EASTER
It may seem strange to find ‘Sunday’ in a Diocesan Pastoral
Plan, but Sunday is the Lord’s Day, and it is the special day for any Church
family. In 1998, Pope John Paul II wrote
an inspiring letter on keeping the Lord’s Day holy (Dies Domini):
‘Sunday is a day which is at the very heart of the Christian life’. The Holy
Father strongly urges everyone ‘to rediscover Sunday’ (n. 7).
It is true, of course, that our way of life today is
radically different even to a few decades ago.
For many people, Sunday is no longer a day of rest. Increasingly, it is no different to any other
day. And yet as human beings we need a
day each week when we can stop, slow down, recover our energies and spend quality
time with those we love. And as
Christians, we need to keep Sunday special, to do all we can to preserve
or restore the place of Sunday in our personal and family lives.
At the heart of a Catholic Sunday is the celebration of
Mass. There we celebrate
the wonder of our creation by God, and the wonder of our re-creation through
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
At Mass, the Risen Christ gathers us together around himself, unites us
more closely with himself, draws us into his sacrifice of himself, and
nourishes us with the gift of himself.
‘For the Christian, Sunday is above all an Easter celebration, wholly
illumined by the glory of the Risen Christ’ (Pope John Paul II, Dies Domini,
n. 8).
Each family is asked to take a fresh look at how they spend
the Lord’s Day. Could it be
more of a day when the family is together?
Is there a family meal together?
Can we make it more of a day when we take our much-needed Sabbath
rest? And how central is the celebration
of Mass to our Sundays? Is it – as the
Second Vatican Council puts it – the ‘source and summit of our Christian
lives’?
Pope John Paul teaches us that ‘the community aspect of
the Sunday celebration should be particularly stressed’ because ‘nothing is
as vital or as community-forming as the Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day
and his Eucharist’ (Dies Domini, n. 35). What can our parishes do to highlight the
place of Sunday in the lives of the Catholic community? The Mass is the heart of it all, but other
forms of prayer and social gatherings may also help. Efforts must be made to ensure that there is
‘within the parish a lively sense of community, in the first place through the
community celebration of Sunday Mass’ (Dies Domini, n. 35).
Because of this community
aspect of Sunday Mass, and our preparation for an imminent future with fewer
priests, it is diocesan policy that there should only be as many places of
worship and celebrations of Mass in each parish as are really needed rather
than preferred. For some practical guidelines, see page 65. Priests
need permission from the Bishop to say more than one Mass each day, and they
may not celebrate more than three Masses on any day (with Sunday beginning on
Saturday evening). See Code of Canon Law, canon 905.
The ideal remains a single celebration of Mass for each
parish family.
As the Holy Father points out, liturgical directives ask
that ‘on Sundays and holy days the Eucharistic celebrations held normally in
other churches and chapels be coordinated with the celebration in the parish
church, in order “to foster the sense of the Church community, which is
nourished and expressed in a particular way by the community celebration on
Sunday, whether around the Bishop, especially in the cathedral, or in the
parish assembly, in which the pastor represents the Bishop”’ (Dies Domini,
n. 35).
This is why ‘on Sunday, the day of gathering, small group
Masses are not to be encouraged’ (Dies Domini, n. 36).
This also applies to the celebration of Mass with a small
congregation in the parish church or elsewhere on a Sunday. Unless there is a real pastoral need, or the
church cannot hold the entire community at one Mass, the parish family should
gather at a single celebration of
Clearly in our modern society many factors need to be taken
into account. Distance is a particular
challenge in our diocese. But working
towards a single Sunday Mass is not simply a practical necessity for a future
with fewer priests: it is something suggested by the very nature of the Sunday
Mass as the gathering of God’s family.
Above all, every Sunday Mass should be a celebration of
Easter, a celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord. That simple teaching may challenge the way we
celebrate Sunday Mass. As already stated
earlier, Pope John Paul reminds us that ‘efforts must be made to ensure that
the celebration (of Sunday Mass) has the festive character appropriate to the
day commemorating the Lord’s Resurrection. He highlights the importance of ‘the
joy of the weekly Easter’ if we are to rediscover the full meaning of
Sunday.
What can everyone involved in the liturgy - including
priests, musicians, welcomers, and each member of the congregation - do to
enhance Sunday as a day of joy and Sunday Mass as a celebration full of the joy
of Easter?
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Services of the Word
& Holy Communion
As we continue to discuss the use
of “Celebrations of the Word and
Communion” in our diocese, especially as the
number of priests declines, we will need to take full account of the various
statements from
Only when the celebration of the
Eucharist is impossible on a Sunday (either in the local church or at somewhere
nearby) can another form of celebration be used (162, 164). In our diocese,
with the current number of active and retired priests, a “Celebration of the
Word and Holy Communion” should be used only in emergency (for example the
sudden illness of the priest with no supply possible at such short notice);
permission must be sought first from either the Bishop or Vicar General.
We should also note, however, that
Redemptionis Sacramentum does not encourage regular weekday celebrations
of this kind (166); the Bishops are asked prudently to discern “whether Holy
Communion ought to be distributed at such gatherings”.
It also suggests that it is
preferable not to have a single lay person lead the whole celebration
(165). In the introduction to the
authorised Celebrations of the Word and Communion, the rubrics recommend
that “the leader does not exercise several ministries within one liturgy”, and
that the leader of such a service (although perhaps an already-commissioned
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion) should be assisted by other ministers
such as readers, ministers of communion, musicians. Only “if necessary” should
the leader read the Gospel.
The Bishops of
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First Reconciliation (Confession)
and First Holy Communion
First Holy Communion is not simply the great gift of
receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus for the first time. It is also a sacrament of deeper initiation
or welcome into the Church. A child
should become more ‘churched’ as a fruit of receiving Holy Communion, and
parents have the key responsibility for ensuring this happens by their own
example of regular participation at Mass and receiving the sacraments.
It is diocesan policy that
First Holy Communion should be received in primary school Year 3 (the school
year in which a child reaches the age of 8) or above. A child’s
readiness for First Holy Communion will be decided by parents, child, priests
and catechists together.
(3)
Catechists involved with First Confession and First
Communion preparation are encouraged to explore the range of programmes and
materials available, so that whatever is used best combines good Catholic
teaching with a child-friendly approach appropriate for 7-8 year olds.
(4)
The Diocesan Commission for Evangelisation will
explore available resources and provide ongoing formation as appropriate
for First Confession and First Communion catechists.
(5)
Parents should be involved as fully as
possible in their children’s preparation for these sacraments. Adult formation sessions on Reconciliation
and the Eucharist should always be part of any children’s preparation
programme. There are published
preparation programmes which seek fully to involve parents in the whole process
(e.g. Celebrating the Gift of Forgiveness and Celebrating the Gift of
Jesus).
(6)
Children and parents should be encouraged to be
involved on a regular basis in Sunday
(7)
Because First Holy Communion is a rite of deeper
initiation into the church, usually between Baptism and Confirmation, it should
as far as possible take place within the setting of the parish family
rather than a special Mass for First Communion children and their families
alone. In a small parish, there is little problem with having First Communions
at an ordinary Sunday Mass. When there
are large numbers, some parishes have found it better to divide up the children
over a number of Sundays at the main parish Masses; this is then followed by a
‘Solemn Communion’ Mass a week or so later when all the children come together
and are handed their certificates, followed by a party. Such an approach can help children and their
parents to focus on the spiritual dimension of the actual First Communion
celebration.
(8)
As with all sacraments, follow-up is important
for children who have made their First Holy Communion. There should be parish activities which
pro-actively seek to involve them (Brownies, Cub Scouts, children’s groups,
etc). Children who have made their First
Communion can also be invited after a few months to become altar servers.
(9)
As part of our diocesan and parish concern for child
protection, if the photos of First Communion children are to be displayed
in the church, hall or other public place, no child’s name (even Christian
name) should be identified in any way
with any photo.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
FORGIVENESS & RECONCILIATION (Confession)
The Sacrament of Forgiveness and Reconciliation is one of the Lord’s
great gifts to us. It is a Sacrament of Resurrection by which the Risen Lord
raises sinners from the death of sin and leads them forward on the path of
holiness. It is a sacrament of
liberation and healing, involving a deeply personal encounter with Christ the
Reconciler through the priest in the community of the Church.
There is little doubt that Catholics in our country
celebrate this sacrament much less frequently than was the custom in the past,
but it is often celebrated today in a way which is more evidently a powerfully
healing encounter with Christ the Good Shepherd. For many people, it is a
sacrament of conversion, a vital part of our life-long journey from sin to
holiness. For some, it is very much a sacrament of ‘return’ in which the Father
welcomes back his prodigal sons and daughters with an embrace of love,
replacing the cloak of holiness around them, putting a ring on their finger,
and celebrating their return with joy.
This sacrament has many names: penance, confession,
forgiveness. For all of us, whether our failings be great or small, it is a
sacrament of reconciliation, making present the fruits of the great gift of
Reconciliation between God and the world that Christ has achieved by his death
and resurrection. Calling the sacrament
‘Reconciliation’ also reminds us that sin and holiness are never a private
affair: sin impairs our relationship with others as well as with God;
forgiveness reconciles us to one another as well as to the Lord.
Our Catholic communities and our personal Christian lives
are the poorer without this sacrament, and we need to put some careful thought
into how we can best encourage people to return to its celebration.
(1)
The diocesan focus for 2005 will be the Sacrament of
Forgiveness and Reconciliation, along with a special outreach to
those Catholics we often call ‘lapsed’ but many of whom are awaiting an
invitation to ‘come home’. This will
include special prayers and liturgies, a pastoral letter and literature. There will also be in ongoing formation day
on the topic for priests, led by Bishop Michael.
(2)
Every parish is asked to look at the way this
sacrament is celebrated. Is it at the
best time for people? Could the special
place for the celebration of sacrament be made more prayerful? Is full use made
of the Rite of Penance, or is our confessional practice (as priests and
penitents) little different from days of old?
The emphasis should be on a joyous, welcoming and peaceful atmosphere.
(3)
More positive teaching and preaching is needed
in parishes on reconciliation in general and on the sacrament in particular.
(4)
Rite 2 (Communal Rite of Reconciliation
with individual confessions) should be used more frequently in order to
emphasise the communal nature of sin and reconciliation. It is widely thought that Rite 2 is the most
appropriate celebration for First Reconciliation: after a simple liturgy, those
priests available could sit at different places in the church rather than in
the Reconciliation Room, with appropriate ‘covering’ music in the background to
ensure privacy (Taize music is particularly useful for this). Children could each light a candle or votive
light and place it before the altar after being reconciled.
Similar services are appropriate
before First Holy Communion, and during primary school years until they are
more ready for Rite 1 (Rite of Reconciliation with individual penitents). Such communal celebrations (perhaps organised
at deanery or cluster level in order to ensure a number of priests) should be
made available at high points of the liturgical year, and especially during
Lent and Advent.
(5)
Before celebrating Reconciliation for the first time
(First Confession), children and their parents could be invited to special
celebrations of God’s forgiving love, informal liturgies focusing on God’s
unconditional love and readiness to forgive (e.g. using the Parable of the
Prodigal son).
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
ANOINTING OF THE SICK
The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is perhaps the
most ‘hidden’ sacrament in the Catholic Church.
Many Catholics still understand it as ‘Extreme Unction’, as a final
anointing in preparation for death, and are therefore reluctant to ask for the
sacrament for themselves or for relatives.
Education is clearly needed on the place of this sacrament in Catholic
life. It is a sacrament of God’s healing
love, strength and peace for those who are seriously ill, or weak through
advanced age, or about to undergo major surgery. Receiving the Sacrament of Anointing should
be normal for a Catholic who is seriously sick in some way.

This sacrament is
also a sacrament of ‘communion’ with the Church: it helps keep the sick and
elderly ‘in touch’ with the life of the church.
Perhaps the best way to highlight this understanding is the public
celebration of the Anointing of the Sick.
Pope John Paul’s celebration of anointing at
(1)
There is already an annual diocesan celebration of
the Anointing of the Sick at Walsingham during the SVP Pilgrimage of the Sick.
(2)
The diocese recommends an annual parish or cluster
Mass with the Anointing of the Sick. Any such Mass needs to be
sensitive to the needs of the sick, especially regarding the length of the
(3)
The sick and housebound are always a primary focus
for the pastoral care of the Church, as they can all too easily become cut off
from the spiritual life of the Church, especially from the
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
HOLY MATRIMONY
The number of marriages in
Catholic churches in
Our diocesan approach to the
support of marriage and family life needs to take full account of the fact that
few marriages nowadays are between two practising Catholics. Great sensitivity
and welcome must be shown to the spouse and parent who is not a Catholic. We
can sometimes be too demanding of such situations, and it can be very difficult
for some Catholics to live in full the Church’s vision of marriage and family.
It can be particularly difficult for the Catholic parent to share their faith
with their children, and hand on to them the Good News of Jesus Christ. And yet
we also need to acknowledge warmly those non-Catholic husbands and wives who
give such generous support to their Catholic spouses in the upbringing of their
children in the Catholic faith. Many
come to Mass with their families on Sundays, and become key members of the
parish family. They are warmly welcome, and a blessing to our Catholic
communities.
As Christ’s Church, we need to
support married couples and families, during good times and bad. We must be a caring family for the widowed,
separated and divorced, for single parents, and for single people in
general. But we must also present
Christian marriage as a great gift of God’s joyful love to our world, as well
as giving special care to preparing couples for marriage.
(1)
Priests are asked to use every suitable
opportunity to preach the positive and joyful meaning of Christian marriage.
(2)
Care and time needs to be given to long-term
preparation for married life in general and the sacrament of marriage in
particular. Our Catholics schools have a
vital part to play in this process.
There should be more preaching and teaching about the distinctive
Christian understanding of marriage in our parishes. Full use should be made of opportunities for
such teaching, for example during Confirmation preparation programmes, youth
retreats and missions, etc. A positive
appreciation of and desire for marriage can only be brought about through
developing a general culture of vocation among our young people.

(3)
Care also needs to be given to immediate
preparation for marriage. Such
preparation includes the necessary paper-work and organising the wedding
ceremony, but the heart of all preparation should be a positive presentation of
the meaning of the sacrament of marriage within the setting of the couple’s
relationship with God, their vocation from him, and their involvement in the
community of the Church. In addition,
short courses for couples preparing for marriage are provided by Marriage
Care from their various centres across the diocese.
(4)
The Diocesan Commission for Marriage and Family Life
will explore and provide information on other forms of support for couples
preparing for marriage and living their marriage (e.g. Engaged Encounter,
Marriage Encounter, Teams of Our Lady).
(5)
The diocese will seek to give more support to Marriage
Care, whose professionally-trained marriage counsellors offer counselling
for those with marital and relationship difficulties. Most of their centres provide information on
fertility awareness and instruction on natural methods of family planning.
(6)
More education needs to be given on the principles
and methods of Natural Family Planning. There are contact addresses in
the Diocesan Year Book.
(7)
In a country where the birth rate is declining and
the average age of the population increasing, the Catholic Church has a vital
role to play in promoting the vocation to parenthood and the gift of
children as a blessing from God for the future of humanity.
(8)
Every celebration of marriage should be a community
celebration. The names of couples
preparing for marriage should be included in the Intercessions at Mass, and the
dates and times of weddings announced in the parish newsletter. Couples could be encouraged to celebrate
their engagement with a prayer and blessing in church.
(9)
When one of the couple is a committed member of
another Christian community, a priest or minister of that community may be
invited to take some part in the rite of marriage, while leaving the Catholic
priest or deacon to perform the central elements of the rite (cf. Directory
on Ecumenism, no 158).
(10)
The follow-up to the celebration of marriage
is particularly important. If a couple
are to move elsewhere after marriage, their details should be forwarded to the
local parish priest. The church community
needs to explore ways to support newly-married couples during their first few
years of marriage and of parenthood. The
Diocesan Commission for Marriage and Family Life will continue the discussion
of such topics begun at ‘Listening 2004’.
(11)
Every parish should provide an annual opportunity for
the renewal of marriage vows.
If this takes place at Sunday Mass, special sensitivity should be shown
to those present who are separated, divorced, experiencing marriage
difficulties, widowed or single.
(12)
An annual Jubilees Mass in each
parish, cluster or deanery is also strongly recommended. Such a celebration could take place on a
Summer weekday evening, and be followed by simple refreshments. Those
celebrating significant wedding anniversaries are invited to celebrate and
renew their marriage commitment. This
could also be combined with others celebrating special jubilees (e.g.
ordination, religious life).
(13)
Special care and welcome needs to be given to people
who are separated and divorced, or experiencing marriage difficulties. Some parishes establish supports for such
people. The Association of Separated and Divorced Catholics has various
representatives across the diocese (see the Diocesan Year Book).
(14)
The whole community life of the parish, with its
liturgy and social life, should be supportive of marriage and family life
precisely by seeking to be as inclusive as possible, as well as providing
special groups and events for different age-groups (e.g. young wives, mothers
and toddlers, etc). A parish baby-sitting
circle may be much appreciated.
(15)
Many of these issues will be taken up by a restored Diocesan
Commission for Marriage and Family Life resulting from the ‘Listening 2004’
process in our diocese.
DIOCESAN MARRIAGE TRIBUNAL
It is sometimes possible
for people to move on from their current situation of irregular relationships
(e.g. being divorced and re-married) and so take a full part in the life of the
Church. The Diocesan Marriage Tribunal is our pastoral team of experienced and
qualified canon lawyers who handle the investigation and judgement of marriage
cases for nullity. The Tribunal can be contacted directly and confidentially
at:
Diocesan Marriage Tribunal,
21 Upgate, Poringland,
or by e-mail at:
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a prayer for priestly vocations
Father,
in your plan for our salvation
you provide shepherds for your people.
Fill your Church
with the spirit of courage and love.
Raise up worthy ministers for your altars,
and ardent but gentle servants of the
gospel.
Roman
Missal
HOLY ORDERS
At the heart of our Diocesan
Pastoral Plan is the greater involvement of lay people in the life of the
Catholic Church in
The Catechism of the Catholic
Church sums up much of the Second Vatican Council’s teaching: ‘In the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself
who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, High
Priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth’ (1548); ‘Through the
ordained minister, especially that of bishops and priests, the presence of
Christ as
As a
Catholic community, we are those from among whom Christ will call people to
serve him as priests and deacons. One
reason we will have fewer priests in our diocese in the future is that few
parishes have ‘provided’ priests for the service of the Church. We must therefore keep vocations in our
prayers, and care as best we can for the priests and deacons we already have.
(1)
Our
Catholic schools have a vital role to play
in creating a culture of vocation, and in presenting a positive view of
priestly ministry to our young people.
The school should be a place where children and young people meet and
get to know their priests, and where they are taught to understand the special
ministry of the priest. Young people
should be encouraged, as they begin to think about their futures and careers,
their hopes and dreams, to ask what God might be calling them to do with the
gifts he has given them, and explicitly and positively to include ordained
ministry and religious life among the possibilities. School chaplains and
careers advisors have an important role to play.
(2)
It is contact with the local priest which
is most likely to make a young person first think about the priesthood. Every priest has a key role to play in
presenting the priesthood as a joyful and fulfilling way to live one’s life.
‘A positive presentation
of priestly ministry – good role models – will speak more loudly than words’
(individual
response)
(3)
Prayer for
vocations is vital. Every parish has been asked to have regular
times of prayer specifically for vocations to ordained ministry and religious
life, as well as including the intention in the Intercessions at
(4)
Without putting undue
pressure on them, seminary
students from our diocese have a role to
play in presenting the possibility of a priestly vocation to young people in
our diocese, both in our schools and parishes.
(5)
Thought will be given to a
new vocations exhibition for use in schools and parishes.
It is diocesan policy that
all priestly and diaconal ordinations take place at the cathedral unless there
is a very strong pastoral or personal reason for another venue. Any priest or deacon is ordained firstly for service
of the diocese (cf. Code of Canon Law, canons 1010 & 1011).
A special celebration can
later be held in the home parish of the person who has been ordained (‘First
Mass’, etc).
(1)
Because of the
essentially collegial nature of ordination, all the priests of the diocese are
to be invited to every priestly ordination, and all deacons (and their wives)
to every ordination to the permanent diaconate.
(2)
The order of service for any ordination should be
arranged in full liaison with the Bishop and the Cathedral Dean.
All ordained ministers need ongoing spiritual renewal and formation
throughout their time of service. This
is not an optional extra, but a pastoral necessity (cf. Canon 279).
(1)
Our current programme of ongoing formation for
priests will be reviewed and renewed, primarily through discussions at deanery
meetings.
(2)
Priests and deacons are expected to make an annual
retreat. More needs to be provided for the spiritual renewal of our
priests, through the provision of the opportunity for a diocesan retreat for
priests, as well as occasional days of reflection. From 2005, the diocese will
organise a study and social week and a priests’ retreat in alternate years.
(3)
Work begun a few years ago on regular review (or
appraisal) of ministry for priests needs to be taken up again and put into
place after due consultation.
(4)
Greater opportunity for sabbaticals should be
provided, within the limitations inevitably imposed by a declining number of
priests. The increased pressures on
priests precisely because of that decline may well make such sabbaticals more
important.
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Those
who lead and serve our parishes as ordained ministers need ongoing care and
support – from the bishop and his team, from one another, and from the
communities they serve. Parish priests
in particular are often overstretched and overburdened. There is an increasing danger of the
‘privatisation’ of the priesthood and the isolation of our priests as most now
live and work alone. The burdens on priests have increased during the ‘Forward
& Outward Together’ process, but the hope is that some of the changes
proposed in this plan will give priests more support so that they can exercise
even more fruitfully a joyful and fulfilling ministry in our diocese.
“The mission placed on the
shoulder of the parish priest requires also that he be taken care of. He needs
human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral support from the ecclesial
hierarchy, from his brother priests and from the faithful, especially from the
committed faithful. Of course, this does not absolve the priest from taking
care of himself in order to renew his gifts continually. This support must take the form of great
solicitude for the basic and invaluable diocesan treasure represented by the
parish priest:
- spiritual care, whereby
he finds sufficient time to be with his Lord, who loves him, calls him and
sanctifies him (spiritual retreats, both monthly and yearly, prayer, meditation
and liturgical prayer, persevering in reading and meditating on the Word of
God…) so that he does not lose his identity as a man of God and servant of the
believing community;
- human care, whereby
he preserves his human and social equilibrium, not being exposed to despair,
disillusion and depression in a society which no longer supports him as it once
did in the past; he must, therefore, allow himself sufficient time to renew his
spiritual and bodily strength;
- pastoral care, whereby
he receives permanent and serious formation, enabling him to understand what is
happening around him in the Church and in society so that he is able to take
appropriate initiatives. This pastoral care must provide the priests with
instruments and means to facilitate pastoral work amidst the numerous and
manifold demands all around him;
- cultural, theological
and human care, whereby he does not get cut off from the Church or from
society, through the regular organisation of programmes which include these
dimensions of the life of the priest;
- material care, which
measures up to the criteria of his needs as well as to the criteria of his
vocation, mission and witness, so that he can make himself completely available
for his basic mission in the parish.
The accompaniment of the
parish priest, in love, tenderness and paternal support, helping him to
understand the challenges, innovations, calls and responses, is a priority in
the life of the diocese. “Do not neglect the spiritual gift which is in you” (1
Timothy 4.14), “that is why I am exhorting you to fan into a flame the gift
that God gave you with the laying on of hands” 2 Timothy 1.6). “Be the shepherds of the flock of God that is
entrusted to you, watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God
wants it; not for sordid money, but because you are eager to do it. Never be a dictator over any group that is
put in your charge, but be an example that the whole flock can follow. When the
chief shepherd appears, you will be given the crown of glory” (1 Peter
5.2-4).” (General Pastoral Plan for the Holy Land,
p. 101-102)
(1)
The
spiritual, human, pastoral, intellectual and material care of our clergy is
vital for the future of our diocese. The Bishop has primary responsibility for
such care, assisted especially by the Deans. The mutual support which flows
from the brotherhood of priests is an essential dimension of such care, and
this is a key reason for the deanery structure and the clustering of parishes.
(2)
Priests are entitled and
encouraged to take a weekly
‘day off’. Ideally this should be arranged
in liaison with neighbouring parishes so that a nearby priest can be available
in emergency: the name and phone number of the priest or priests who are
‘covering’ should be included in any answer-phone message. Such liaison is also important when arranging
holidays, particularly when no full-time ‘supply’ has been arranged. A priest’s
entitlement to time away from the parish is clearly stipulated in the Code of
Canon Law; the same applies for assistant priests as for parish priests.
‘Unless there is a grave
reason to the contrary, the parish priest may each year be absent on holiday
from his parish for a period not exceeding one month, continuous or
otherwise. The days which the parish
priest spends on the annual spiritual retreat are not reckoned in this period
of vacation. For an absence from the parish of more than a week, however, the parish
priest is bound to advise the local Ordinary.’ (Canon 533 # 2)
(3)
All forms of priestly fraternity
and mutual support are strongly encouraged. Some priests may wish to organise
support groups, perhaps focused on a shared interest. Priests within a ‘cluster’ will hopefully
visit each other and meet for a meal occasionally. ‘Faith, food and fun’ are as important for
our priests as they are for our young people. Such ‘clusters’ provide a good
setting for the care of sick and retired priests who live within one or other
of the clustered parishes.
(4)
The Bishop asks priests whether there are ways he personally can provide additional
opportunities for priests to come together in small groups for friendship and
fraternity.
(5)
Special care and support
needs to be given to newly-ordained
clergy, especially during the first five
years of ministry. The Bishop will meet regularly with newly-ordained priests.
The Director of the Permanent Diaconate and his team will support
newly-ordained permanent deacons.
(6)
A priest will
be given special responsibility for the support of our retired priests, and
possibly those working outside the diocese.
(7)
A Diocesan
Clergy Welfare Group has been established to
monitor aspects of practical care for clergy currently unable to work, of those
in financial need, and those in retirement.
This group will liaise with the East Anglia Sick and Retired Priests’
Fund.
(8)
More care must be given to
long-term support for priests preparing
for retirement.
(9)
A ‘portfolio’ is being
compiled of presbyteries and other properties in the diocese suitable as places for active retirement for priests.
(10)
The
Diocesan Sick and Retired Priests Fund, and the Clergy Pension Fund, need very considerable increase in income if we are to be confident about
providing an appropriate future for our priests when they retire.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Deacons are ordained as sacramental images of Christ the
Servant, to assist the bishop and priests of the diocese in their
ministry. The Diocesan College of
Deacons is already a significant body in the life of the diocese. The diaconal ministry is flexible, as it
adjusts to the particular needs of the church at a particular time and
place.
The present and future role of deacons in providing pastoral
guidance and care to worshipping communities with no resident priest needs
further discussion, with clear guidelines to be established. Deacons entrusted
with such a service will always minister as assistants of the parish priest
responsible for such communities. This is important in order to preserve the
distinctive ministry of the deacon as a positive gift to the life of the
diocese.
Deacons currently assist in a range of special chaplaincy
work (in prisons and hospitals, with the police, etc) as well as working with
priests and people in parishes. This forms of service can be developed within
the limitations of deacons’ available time and energy, and always being fully
sensitive to their family lives and forms of employment.
(1)
The vocation to the diaconate will be included in all
our prayer for vocations. We hope to expand the
(2)
The selection, formation, discernment and ongoing
formation of all deacons will be carried out in full accordance with
the Bishops’ Conference Directory for the Formation of Deacons and Handbook
for the Selection of Candidates for the Permanent Diaconate.
(3)
Deacons in East Anglia are asked to make their
primary focus their ‘ministry of charity’, and to seek to enable lay
people to become more actively involved in practical care for those in need,
and for justice and peace.
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RELIGIOUS LIFE
‘All religious, whether exempt or
not, take their place among the collaborators of the diocesan bishop in his
pastoral duty’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 927). All religious
communities in
(1)
Regular area meetings will be
held between religious and the Bishop, focusing on a particular theme. These meetings will feed into the annual
Diocesan Meeting of religious which provides a forum for all religious in
the diocese.
(2)
The possibility will be explored of establishing a Diocesan
Vocations Team to include vocations both to religious life and ordained
ministry.
(3)
Individual religious should be kept in mind when
seeking people with particular charisms and talents for special service in
the church, whether in parish, cluster, deanery or diocese. Many are already very busy, and making full
use of a wide range of skills.
(4)
The presence of religious communities, however small,
is a gift of God to our diocese and its parishes. They provide places of prayer and welcome, a
‘warm hearth’ at the heart of the church with an influence far beyond their
numbers. Religious are now often in a
special position to enable lay people to become more responsibly involved in
the life of the church.
(5)
Religious should be positively invited and
welcomed to all parish events, ceremonies, etc.
FINANCES
It is diocesan policy that
there be full openness and transparency about finances at every level (parish,
diocese, etc).
This was something asked for in nearly all parish and
deanery responses to ‘Forward & Outward Together’, and it is important that
the stewards of our diocesan resources respond as fully as possible. Such transparency is part of the gift of
trust which is so essential between priests and people.
What has also become very clear is the need for the diocese
to move towards greater financial stability and security. If we are to develop our diocese in the way
envisaged by this Diocesan Pastoral Plan, further financial resources will be
needed. But even just to maintain our
diocese, its parishes and schools at our present level, it is essential that we
increase our giving to the Church.
Most parishioners are aware that a large proportion of the
money given each week in the collection is sent to the Diocesan Finance Office. This proportion may have to increase. At the moment, a total of 33% of the
offertory collection goes to central diocesan funds: 20% of this supports our
Catholic schools; 4% goes into the Priests’ Pension Fund; 1% to the Ministerial
Formation Fund (which now includes lay formation); 8% goes into the General
Diocesan Fund.
We should not think of this as money sent from our parish
communities to some outside body we call the diocese. Each parish is an integral part, a living
cell of the diocese, and we are all together one single diocesan family of
Just as in the early church, Christian communities share
what they have with one another, and support each other.
Our diocese has few central funds, and most of the resources
of the diocese are vested in its parishes.
It is therefore important that parishes continue to support the mission
and ministry of the whole diocesan family, and that they even be urged to do so
more generously in the future than they have in the past.
Priests and people sometimes express concern about the
number of second collections in our diocese. Some are required either by Rome or by our
Bishops Conference (Catholic Education Service; Holy Land Shrines; Catholic
Communications Service; Catholic Trust for England and Wales; Peter’s Pence;
Apostleship of the Sea; Association for the Propagation of the Faith; CAFOD):
all of these support the Catholic Church throughout England and Wales,
including our diocese, and the work of the Church across the world. Others
directly support essential activities in our own diocese (Catholic Children’s
Society; Ministerial Training; St Edmund’s Fund; Diocesan Youth Service; Sick
& Retired Priests Fund).
One major expense in every diocese is the care of sick and
retired priests, and especially the provision of a pension for them on
retirement. The East Anglia Sick
and Retired Priests Fund needs building up considerably, and the Priests
Pension Fund in particular is severely short of money and needs a major
injection of money each year in order to ensure proper care for our priests
after their long years of service to our diocese and its parishes. The Catholic Children’s Society is also in
need of increased funding if it is to continue its vital work in our schools
and for our children.
(1)
In all matters concerning the finances of our diocese
and its parishes, the requirements of the Charity Commission will be
fully implemented.
(2)
Canon Law requires every parish to have a Finance
Committee. When fully developed,
such committees provide a key way in which lay people can share responsibility
for administration in the parish, relieving the parish priest so that he can
concentrate on his pastoral and priestly ministry. Every parish is strongly encouraged to make
full use of such a committee, perhaps by developing it into a Finance &
Building Committee responsible not only for the parish finances but also the
general oversight of the maintenance and repair of church properties. Such a committee should make full use of
professionals in the parish: e.g. qualified accountants, people with banking
experience, architect, solicitor, health & safety officer, etc.
(3)
The diocese will help parishes to make far more of
the Gift Aid Scheme.
(4)
A parish fund-raising committee would help to
increase parish income; this is essential when major parish projects are
proposed.
(5)
The diocese will publish in full its annual
accounts, making use of the diocesan newspaper and website (when established in
a new form).
(6)
Every parish should publish its annual
accounts, so that parishioners know where their money goes.
(7)
We need to find a way to increase very considerably
annual funding for our Priests Pension Fund. This may require an increase of the money
given each year from parish offertory collections to diocesan central funds.
(8)
The best way to increase diocesan funding is to increase
parish funding. The more that is
given each week in the collection, the greater the resources available for both
the diocese and its parish communities.
Many people are already very generous.
Many simply cannot give any more than they already do. But everyone is asked to seriously budget
what they give to their church, and to reflect on whether they could give more
each week. Could people who are
employed give the equivalent of the wages for the first hour of each week’s
work, as the ‘first-fruits’ of their labour given to God and his Church? Or at least a reasonable percentage of their
weekly wage? Although no-one should give to the church in a way that causes
difficulties for themselves and their families, we may need a greater sense of
being stewards of God’s creation, responsible together for the life and work of
his family.
(9)
Greater giving through Standing Orders is
strongly encouraged.
(10)
People are encouraged to consider a legacy to
the ‘Roman Catholic Diocese of East Anglia’, as a way of helping to ensure the
long-term future of our diocesan family.
NEW STRUCTURES
It may well be that this is where you have begun reading
this Diocesan Pastoral Plan, skipping the previous 58 pages to discover what
plans there are for your deanery, parish and place of worship. That is natural, but please do return to the
beginning to read the rest afterwards.
Although we need to streamline our structures and make them more
effective, what is most important for our future is in the first part of this
document.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
(from 13th September 2004)
Although many lay people see
little value in the deanery except for their clergy, it remains a key structure
for enabling clergy and people to work together on a local basis (see page 27).
Further reflection during Deanery
Meetings in the Spring and Summer of 2004 has led to the following changes in
our current deaneries.
Bury St Edmunds Deanery
This Deanery will remain
as it was, but with the addition of Hadleigh.
Some deanery activity will be done in the three main clusters rather
than at deanery level.
There will be no change to this
deanery, but in much of its working, especially regarding pastoral planning and
lay participation, it will operate as two ‘sub-deaneries’ or large clusters:
(a)
(b)
Buckden, Huntingdon, St Ives and St Neot’s
Coastal Deanery
This Deanery will remain as it
was, but with the addition of Poringland.
This
Deanery will remain as it was, except that Hadleigh will move to the Bury St
Edmunds Deanery.
King’s Lynn & Norwich Deaneries
Three
Deaneries are to be formed from the previous
(a)
Poringland will move from the Norwich Deanery to the
Coastal Deanery.
(b)
Holy Apostles, Earlham, is to be integrated with the
Cathedral; Burnham Market has already been integrated with Walsingham.
(c)
Because it is clustering with Swaffham, Dereham will
move from the
(d)
A new North Norfolk Deanery will be formed from the
parishes of Cromer, Fakenham,
This Deanery will remain as it
was.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
As a result of these changes, the
diocese will have eight rather than seven deaneries.
Brandon; Bury St Edmunds;
Clare; Diss; Hadleigh; Haverhill; Newmarket; Stowmarket; Sudbury; Thetford
Buckden; OLEM, Cambridge;
St Laurence, Cambridge; St Philip Howard, Cambridge; Ely; Huntingdon; St Ives;
St Neot’s; Sawston.
Beccles; Bungay; Gorleston;
Lowestoft; Poringland; Southwold; Great
Dereham, Downham Market,
Hunstanton,
Costessey;
(name to be chosen)
Cromer; Fakenham;
March; St Peter & All
Souls, Peterborough; Our Lady of Lourdes & St Oswald, Peterborough; St
Luke, Peterborough; Sacred Heart, Bretton; St Anthony’s, Peterborough (Italian
Mission); Polish Mission, Peterborough; Whittlesey.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
PARISH CHANGES
(for change in 2004)
(1) The current parish of Holy
Apostles, Earlham is to be integrated as a distinct community within
the Cathedral Parish, and served from there (from 13th September
2004).
(2) The former parish of Burnham
Market has already been integrated as a distinct community within the
parish of Walsingham, and is now served from there. The priest’s house is
available for an active retired priest who could celebrate Mass for the
community and share in pastoral care without the burden of administration.
Alternatively, a lay administrator or a deacon could live there. Whoever takes
up residence, however, needs to be ready to allow the main room to be used for
parish gatherings.
(3) The current parish of North Walsham
is being expanded to include the part of
(4) Watton is to be
transferred to Swaffham parish. Parish boundaries will need to be redrawn.
(September 2004)
(5) Quidenham is to return to
Diss parish to which it originally belonged.
Sunday Mass at Quidenham is dependent on the continuance of the
(6) Hadleigh parish has a total Mass
attendance which would all fit into one Mass in the parish church in Hadleigh,
and yet there are currently three Masses in three different places of worship
each weekend (Hadleigh, Nayland and Withermarsh Green). There is naturally a strong attachment to St
Edmund’s in Withermarsh Green because of its Catholic heritage, but it is not
in a centre of population. Strong views have been expressed and heard, but the
process of clustering and the need for neighbouring priests to ‘supply’ for
each other requires that the number of Masses and places of worship in Hadleigh
parish be reduced to two (and possibly eventually to one). From the beginning of 2005, there will be
only two Masses in Hadleigh parish. Withermarsh Green will no
longer have Mass every weekend. We very much hope to retain the church for
occasional celebrations of Mass and special events, preserving a long Catholic
heritage and ensuring care for the graveyard.
Mass times will need to be coordinated with neighbouring parishes,
especially
(7) In St Philip Howard parish,
(8) Mass will no longer be celebrated weekly
at Stanground (All Souls’,
(9) A new church is to be built at Sawston
on the understanding that weekly Mass will no longer be celebrated in the
Anglican churches at Hauxton and Great Shelford once the new church is
built. The new church must be able to
accommodate all at a single
(10) Any new or replacement churches to be
built in the diocese will require the building to be large enough to
accommodate the entire Mass attendance at a single
ababababababababab
(for gradual change over the next few years)
The responses to ‘Forward &
Outward Together’ have emphasised the need to be careful to preserve as fully
as possible our diocesan service of rural communities. Our large towns/cities,
however, offer possibilities for reducing the number of parishes and
coordinating the times of Sunday Masses, not only to cope with fewer priests
but also to create a better sense of Catholic community and mission. Ipswich
and
Although OLEM currently serves a
large number of outlying Mass centres, that is dependent on the number of
priests currently resident there, a number which is likely to decrease. However desirable it may be to maintain most
of those Masses, it is unlikely to remain viable to do so. OLEM needs to develop a strategy to cope with
this in a phased way. It also needs to
be kept in mind that Sawston (with one Mass) may one day need to be served from
Chaplaincy provision for the hospitals and developing
university needs to be integrated into any overall plan.
Peterborough
Deanery has given much thought to the possibility of reducing from the current
five city parishes to either three or eventually one. The deanery has opted to
move towards the creation of three new parishes with maximum sharing of
personnel and resources. The
three-parish model is based on the following re-structuring:
(a)
St Oswald’s and Sacred Heart,
Bretton
(b) All
Souls and Our Lady of Lourdes (with the Italian Mission fully integrated)
(c) St
Luke’s with Hampton, Yaxley and Sawtry.
There
will need to be phased progress towards such changes, alongside the development
of city-wide ministry and pooling of resources. A single city parish remains an
option for the future which may emerge as a natural consequence of increased
cooperation. The plan presumes that the
Italian Mission will be sensitively integrated into the remaining parishes if
and when they do not have their own Italian priest.
There
will no longer be weekly Mass at Stanground. The position of Yaxley is being
reviewed in the light of developments at
Whittlesey
may need to be included in long-term plans for the
Chaplaincy
provision for the hospital and prison needs to be integrated into any overall
plan.
ababababababababab
PARISHES TO COMBINE
(only as this ever becomes necessary)
If the overall number of active
priests in the diocese continues to fall, we will need to combine parishes in
some way so that one or two priests can serve a number of churches. Our present
and future retired priests would play a vital role in such a process.
Several combined parishes would
inevitably involve the ending of weekly Mass in some places of worship, and a
reduction in the number of Masses in the main churches. Some of those parishes would perhaps be
served by one parish priest, but assisted on an informal basis by retired
priests living in the parish.
If any such changes become
necessary, it may not be possible to continue weekly Mass at various churches
and other Mass centres. We need to be
aware, however, of problems which could arise from closure of such centres and
limited space in the main church.
Besides the proposals for the city parishes outlined above,
the following parishes (in no significant order) are the most likely for the
first stage of such a process. Others may follow.
(1) Cromer & Sheringham
(2) Dereham & Swaffham
Any eventual combination would involve a serious reassessment of the viability of continuing Mass at Watton.
(3) Beccles & Bungay (the current
Benedictine parishes), perhaps eventually with Poringland; Harleston could
perhaps become part of Diss parish.
Any eventual combination would
involve a serious reassessment of the viability of continuing weekly Mass at
(4) Gorleston & Great
Such a combination will make it difficult to retain both the Mass centres at Acle and Caister-on-Sea.
(5) Instead of 4 above, possibly Gorleston,
Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft served by two priests at first rather than the
current three.
Any eventual combination involving
(5) Fakenham & Walsingham
Such a combination would
depend on the continued presence of large numbers of active retired priests in
the parish of Walsingham, which already includes Blakeney, Burnham Market &
Wells.
(6) Brandon/Mildenhall & Thetford
(7) March & Wisbech (the current
Rosminian parishes).
(8) Instead of 7 above, March, Wisbech &
Whittlesey could be served by two priests rather than the current three.
Chatteris might be served from Ely.
(9) St
Mary Magdalen & St Pancras,
(10) Clare &
(11) Hadleigh &
Any eventual combination would involve a serious reassessment of the viability of retaining Nayland.
(12) Instead of 9 & 10 above, possibly a
team of two or three priests covering three or all four parishes.
ababababababababab
Besides the basic Deanery Structure, most parishes will be
grouped in ‘clusters’ of two, three or
four, and will reach decisions together on times for weekend Masses, joint
events and sharing resources. Especially
in rural Deaneries, such clusters may be a better structure for organising
consultative bodies for lay people, etc.
There are two main aims in such ‘clustering’. Firstly, even those parishes which are likely
to remain such in the foreseeable future will benefit both themselves and
others by closely working together, sharing resources, etc. Secondly, in many cases the process of
‘clustering’ is but a first step towards eventual combination into a single
parish: the more closely that parishes work together now, the less traumatic
will be the eventual combination. Within ‘clusters’ of more than two parishes,
it will soon emerge which combinations provide the most likely options for the
future. For further thoughts on ‘clusters’, please see page 28f.
Although any decisions need to be flexible and open to
review and change, the following ‘clusters’ are to begin from September 2004,
and are now seen as an essential part of diocesan life. One of the new roles of the Dean is to monitor
the progress of such clusters within his deanery.
BURY ST EDMUNDS DEANERY
(1)
Clare,
(2)
Brandon, Diss & Thetford
(3)
Bury St Edmund’s, Newmarket & Stowmarket
(1)
This developing clustering will involve a serious
reassessment of the viability of continuing all the Mass centres served by
OLEM.
(2)
Buckden, Huntingdon, St Ives & St Neot’s
COASTAL DEANERY
(1)
Beccles, Bungay, Poringland & Southwold
This developing clustering will inevitably involve a
serious reassessment of the viability of continuing weekly Mass at
(2)
Gorleston, Great Yarmouth & Lowestoft
This developing clustering will inevitably involve a
serious reassessment of the viability of retaining St Nicholas, Pakefield;
Acle; Caister-on-Sea.
(1)
Dereham & Swaffham (with Watton)
(2)
Downham Market, King’s Lynn & Hunstanton (centred
on
(3)
March, Whittlesey & Wisbech (cross-deanery
cluster)
Wisbech will stay in
(1)
Aldeburgh & Woodbridge (although long distances –
17 miles may make this difficult)
(2)
This developing clustering will involve a serious
reassessment of the viability of continuing weekly Mass at Capel St Mary and
the
(3)
Already agreed is the clustering of St Mary Magdalen’s & St Pancras. Sunday Masses are being rationalised.
(1)
Cromer, Sheringham &
(2)
Fakenham & Walsingham
(1)
Cathedral, St George’s & Costessey
(1)
(2)
March, Whittlesey & Wisbech (cross-deanery Rosminian
cluster)
Wisbech will stay in
APPENDIX 1:
Towards One Mass
If the Mass is to remain at the
very centre of our Catholic lives, as it must, we will have to be flexible
about where and when we go to
Many factors need to be kept in
mind as we reduce the number of places of worship and of Masses in each place,
especially in our rural communities.
Environmental concerns are important: it makes sense for one priest to
travel to the people rather than for many people to travel long distances
(rather than just a few miles). This
would be better also for people with no transport of their own.
People will find it more difficult
to get to Mass if the number of Masses is reduced: people without transport,
families with small children, people with Sunday commitments – the less choice
of Mass, the more difficult things become. And of course we understand how
attached people become to a place of worship, especially if it is part of our
Catholic heritage, or their families helped to build the church, or they have
worshipped there since childhood.
But this is not necessarily a
realistic solution. As the number of
priests declines, and parishes are combined, those priests will be required to
celebrate Mass in more than one main church. This will only be possible if less
Masses are celebrated in each place, and smaller places of worship are closed.
We also need to keep in mind the
need for neighbouring priests to ‘supply’ for each other: simply because a
priest is allowed to celebrate a maximum of three Sunday Masses does not mean
that he should be doing so unless there is real pastoral need.
Especially when they are close to
another church or away from centres of population, we will have to rethink our
use of churches whether they are ancient or very modern. If the English Reformation had not happened,
we would probably now be making many of our great medieval churches redundant all
over
Some communities with Sunday
morning Masses will be asked to change to a Sunday evening or Saturday
evening. Whatever people think of ‘one
Sunday mass’ as an ideal, reducing the number of Masses and changing Mass times
across the diocese will be essential precisely in order to ensure Mass for as
many people as possible.
Neighbouring parishes are going to
have to start working more closely together now, and gradually adjust their
Mass times so that eventually one priest can serve both parishes. This will
happen in quite a few of our parishes over the next few years. It is surely
best to prepare for that now, and move in stages towards it, rather that wait
until a parish suddenly realises they will no longer have a priest. Imagine,
for example, two neighbouring parishes (perhaps 6 or 7 miles apart, or closer
in an urban setting), each with a Saturday evening Mass and a 9.30 Mass on
Sunday morning. It makes sense for one
parish to have a Saturday evening Mass and the other a Sunday evening Mass, and
to stagger the Sunday morning Masses so that one is at 9.00 and the other at
11.00. That would mean that each parish
priest could cover or ‘supply’ for the other when ill.
There are places in the diocese
which need two Masses because of the small size of the church, but where that
just will not be possible in the future.
We need to explore radical solutions if we want to keep our
(a)
A few churches could be enlarged so that
two congregations could fit into one
(b)
In others, we may need to
abandon our cherished small church and move Mass to somewhere larger (perhaps
the Anglican or Methodist church nearby, or the main Catholic Church several
miles away).
(c)
Another possibility is to
sell the current church site, and to build a new church on a more accessible and
central site elsewhere, with more parking.
Any new church built in our diocese must be large enough to accommodate
the whole Mass attendance at a single Mass, with room for future growth.
Local parish communities need to
explore such possibilities with creativity and adaptability. Our situation will increasingly demand that
we reduce the number of Masses precisely in order to ensure we have as many
Masses as we can with fewer priests to celebrate them.
APPENDIX 2: A PARISH LINKS SCHEME (one parish as an example)
Inspired by the missionary example
of St Augustine of Canterbury, we decided as a parish family to reach out more
positively and fruitfully to all Catholics (especially those who do not
regularly come to Mass) and to those other people of our town who have yet to
respond to the Good News of Jesus Christ, or who are in special need (the poor,
the lonely, the sick, the bereaved, etc).
We have established a simple skeleton structure of small neighbourhood
groupings or ‘clusters’ across the whole parish which are open to development
according to the needs and wishes of each local area.
(1)
All known Catholic homes in the parish are allocated
to local neighbourhood ‘clusters’, ideally between 10 – 15 homes in each. This
is to be an informal and flexible structure, a living expression of communion
and pastoral care which is in no way intended to be intrusive or threatening.
(2)
In each cluster area, we try to find one or two
people (perhaps a married couple) suitable to be Parish Link People. Their role
is to get to know the Catholic households in their clusters, providing personal
points of contact between the parish centre and each household in an
appropriately sensitive way, carefully respecting the wishes of each person or
family.
(3)
An annual meeting of these Link People provides a
valuable forum for discussion on the state and future of the parish. This
usually takes place after an evening Mass at which all Link People are renewed
in their commissioning.
(4)
It is recognised that putting this project into
operation will be patchy and slow. It will work in some areas, but perhaps not
in others. It may not be possible to
find Link People for every area. Patience and perseverance will be required.
(5)
When Catholic newcomers move into the parish, their
names and addresses are given to the Link Person in their area, who will visit
them in person, inform them of other Mass-going Catholics in that area and of
aspects of parish life, and encourage other local Catholics to make themselves
known to and welcome the new person or family. This ministry of welcome is a
key role of the Link Person. ‘Welcome cards’ are provided for them to deliver
to anyone moving into the neighbourhood, whatever their faith.
(6)
Link People may be able to assist with general
outreach, distributing leaflets in person, making the clergy and others aware
of local people in need, giving support to the bereaved, sick, housebound,
etc. A special information sheet will be
sent from the parish office when people in an area need special support and
care. Some Link People may be able to
deliver the weekly parish newsletter to each ‘lapsed’ Catholic household.
(7)
Several times a year, especially in Advent and Lent,
materials will be provided for delivery to every Catholic household in each
area. Link People are asked to deliver these in person, contacting residents
and checking the information on the list of Catholic homes.
(8)
In some areas, it may be possible to arrange social
activities, reflection groups, celebration of House Masses, etc, but this will
be the natural fruit of a gradual weaving together of people’s lives rather
than a structure imposed or encouraged from outside.
(9)
Link People may be able to do things with
neighbouring ‘clusters’: e.g. organising a House Mass to which all Catholics in
two or three clusters are invited.
(10)
None of this is intended to undermine the pastoral
responsibility of priests, deacons, or of the care organisations of the parish
(Welfare Officer, SVP, Bereavement Group, etc).
(11)
We are trying to move towards a system whereby Holy
Communion is normally taken to the sick and housebound by a Lay Minister of
Communion within that area.
(12)
Special care should be given by the clergy of the
parish to maintaining good contact with Parish Link People, as key servants of
the unity and well-being of the parish.
(13)
It may be beneficial to develop e-mail contact within
each area, especially for reminding Catholics of key events, and perhaps for
sending the weekly newsletter.
APPENDIX 3: Youth
Masses
Some guidelines from Bishop Michael
As part of our diocesan programme to help our young
people to experience a greater sense of welcome and belonging in our churches,
and to become more fully involved in the life and worship of the Catholic
Church, I have strongly encouraged deaneries and parishes to organise regular
youth Masses. Several deaneries and
parishes have already done so with much success.
But what is a ‘Youth Mass’? Firstly, a Sunday Youth Mass will not be for
young people only, but a community Mass with particular focus on the young
people and participation by them.
Secondly, many people seem to
think a Youth Mass is simply Mass as usual, but with livelier music accompanied
by guitars rather than organ.
Careful choice of music is a vital
dimension of any liturgical planning, and this certainly applies to the
celebration of Mass with young people.
The same is true of how the music is played: young people do not respond
well to hymns played more slowly than they are meant to be!
But a ‘Youth Mass’ is far more
than a Mass with young people present and a few guitars replacing the organ.
A Youth Mass aims at full, active,
conscious participation by the young people present. First and foremost, that means spiritual
participation, prayerfulness, openness to the presence of God. Such a Mass
provides an opportunity for young people to express their worship to God and
communicate with him in a way with which they feel comfortable.
The creation of the right
atmosphere is important there. The Taize
community is one of many experiences from which we can learn. Taize has
developed a form of liturgy much loved by many thousands of young people from
across the world. This involves a simple
setting, careful use of subdued lighting and colour, candlelight, meditative songs,
short Scripture readings and long periods of silence. The prayer at Taize often
seems to touch the heart (rather than merely the emotions) of young people.
(For more on learning from Taize, click my article ‘The air you breathe at Taize’ on the Taize website – www.taize.fr/en/index.htm
- under ‘About Taize’ on the right hand of the web-page).
The priest’s homily is also a key
factor. It needs to be carefully
directed to teenagers and their concerns. It could well be developed by the
priest in dialogue with a group of young people beforehand.
The most important people to ask
about good ‘Youth Masses’ are not well-meaning adults but the young people
themselves. The monthly Youth Mass is my
last parish was developed at the request of the Parish Youth Council (it was
their unanimous Number One priority at their first meeting) and in ongoing
discussion with them as to what they wanted.
Any parish planning to have a Youth Mass should arrange a meeting of
teenagers and ask them what they want. Small groups feeding back into a general
discussion works best, in my experience.
Inevitably some of them will come
up with ‘wild and wacky’ ideas which are liturgically unacceptable. Any Youth Mass must operate within the
official liturgical norms of the Catholic Church (for example, a lay person –
young or old - may not read the Gospel at Mass). But often the young people themselves are the
first to weed out unacceptable ideas.
They are not after the ‘wild and wacky’, but a liturgy in which they are
fully involved and feel they belong, and which touches and nourishes their
spiritual depths with the presence of God.
Despite the common perception,
young people have a great sense of spirituality, and respond well when offered
the opportunity for prayer and reflection. Taize shows us that young people can
spend five minutes in silent prayer without much guidance or direction. Every Youth Mass should include at least some
time of quiet reflection, inviting God deeper into their lives. The priest can
easily create the right atmosphere for this after Communion, perhaps after a
meditative and ‘quietening’ song.
How can young people be as fully
involved as possible in such a Mass?
All of this is in addition to the
choice of music and music ministry in general.
As far as possible, young people should be involved in the choice of
music for the Mass, while avoiding the same songs each time.
Forming a good ‘Youth Band’, at first
with sensitive adult support, will enable a good repertoire of liturgical music
to be developed. There is an increasing
amount of youth-friendly and lively music suitable for Mass, rather than some
of the old ‘Folk Songs’ which have long passed their prime and some modern
songs whose theology is sometimes difficult to reconcile with Catholic
teaching. Care needs to be taken with
the words of songs as well as the tunes.
No celebration of Mass is meant to be a concert: liturgical music of any
style should aim above all to enhance and enrich the Mass as a time of worship,
a time of prayer in community.
There can sometimes be resistance
from church musicians to the development of Youth Masses with a very different
style of music. Music ministry needs to be as varied as the musical needs of a
community, and there must be room for developing and enlarging the team of
people responsible for music in the liturgy.
But established church musicians can contribute greatly by supporting
this development, whatever their personal musical preferences, and giving
others the freedom to move in new directions.
Both the Diocesan Director of
Music and the Director of our Diocesan Youth Service can give details of music
resources. The latter is also happy to
work with parishes and deaneries in the organisation of Youth Masses.
The songs of Taize are often
popular with young people when used properly: they will not respond to the same
short song being sung 20 times without harmonies, instruments, etc.
Many young people have tremendous
musical talent: singing, instrumentals, and even composition. These should be
fully used. Ideally, a music group for a
Youth Mass should be primarily composed of young people, rather than a group of
adults playing what they think young people will like.
The more young people see other
young people actively involved in the Mass in all kinds of different ways, the
more they will feel they and their peers truly belong. In the end, the purpose is not to give them a
‘liturgical high’, but to draw them deeper into a living relationship with God
within the life of his Church.
A well-organised ‘Youth Mass’ in
which young people are fully involved can be an inspiration not only to the
young people themselves, but also to the rest of the parish family who take
part in the Mass. Many of our older
parishioners themselves long for a liturgy which is both more alive and more
prayerful. In my last parish, quite a few of our ‘senior citizens’ opted for
the Youth Mass because they knew it would be uplifting for themselves, and
because they were so pleased to see young people at the heart of parish life.
a future not our own
We accomplish in our lifetime
only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise
that is God’s work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is another way of saying
that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No programme
accomplishes the Church’s mission.
No set of goals and objectives
includes everything.
That is what we are about.
We plant a seed that will one day grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations
that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects
far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything,
and there is a sense of liberation
in realising that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning,
a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord’s grace
to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results,
but that is the difference between
the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders,
ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Archbishop Oscar Romero