ST MARY’S CATHOLIC
PARISH MARYBOROUGH:
PARISH PASTORAL PLAN:
(as
updated by Parish pastoral council meeting 7/2/12, Maryborough*)
MISSION STATEMENT - ST MARYS CATHOLIC PARISH
MARYBOROUGH
We the parish of St Marys Maryborough, called by
the word of God, Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, nourished by the
Eucharist, firmly established in our Catholic faith and tradition, seek to be a
welcoming community, nurturing spiritual growth. Building our
lives on Gospel values, reaching out to all people for the purpose of the
promotion of the Reign of God
in our world. We also value working ecumenically with other Christian
denominations in a spirit of cooperation, goodwill and friendship (for example,
our agreement of goodwill and friendship with the local Anglican parish of
Saint Paul’s*).
In addition, the Parish reflects upon ways in
which we are fulfilling the Mission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane: Namely the
threefold values of
Jesus, Communion and Mission.
“We are Catholics who: Embrace the person and
vision of Jesus, Build Communion with God and others, and Engage in Christ's Mission in our world.
The Gospel command to “go out to all the world and proclaim the good news, and the fact that
Jesus was God made human who lived and delighted amongst us, impels us to go
out and live in the world. Also, THE ARCHDIOCESE HAS A NEW FOCUS FOR ITS
ACTIVITY SINCE THE ARCHDIOCESAN SYNOD MEETING OF THE CHURCH SEVERAL YEARS
AGO. IT NOW HAS A “CATCHPHRASE” THAT IS BEING USED BY OUR PARISH TOO
TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT…. THIS IS WHAT IT IS…
JESUS – COMMUNION – MISSION
We
are Catholics who:
· Embrace the person and vision of Jesus
· Build Communion with God and others
· Engage in Christ's Mission in our world
“These three dimensions are
integral to our life as Church and remind us that our faith is anchored in
Jesus Christ, who draws us into communion with God and one another and sends us
forth in mission to live, share and proclaim the good news of the Gospel in our
everyday lives.” This focus helps us keep an eye outwards to the world and not
just our own needs.
Some important Scriptural links:
Matthew’s Gospel 27:16-20
; also Luke 22:14-23; John 20:19-23;
1 Corinthians 11:17-13:13; Mark 12:28-34.
++++
In-depth nine priorities of the synod,
under categories of Jesus, Communion and Mission
1. .Jesus
(Jesus
:
When Jesus set out from
his home town of Nazareth, empowered by the Spirit, he saw his mission in terms
of proclaiming the kingdom or reign of God, the God to whom h e prayed as Abba
(see Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:16-21; Mark 14:36). The phrase “reign of God” which
he used would have evoked in his hearers the great promise of God recounted
throughout the history of the Jewish people. It was that, despite all
obstacles, God would ultimately reign over all those forces that prevented
God’s plan for this world from being achieved.
That plan envisaged a
particular way of life for human beings. By his teachings and his actions,
Jesus showed humanity how to live, above all with love and compassion. He
sought to bring in outcasts and welcome home sinners, to draw the hurt,
unloved, suffering, the lost and the excluded into closeness and friendship
with him, and therefore with God.
Jesus’ mission was to
draw all back into communion with God and right relationships with each other –
“Love God; love your neighbour” (Mark 12:29-33) – and his understanding of
neighbour allowed no restriction (Matthew 5:43-48). To love God was to live in
communion with God; to love one’s neighbour was to live in communion with one’s
fellow human beings. The latter, he insisted, was not possible without the
former.)
That Catholics embrace
the person and vision of Jesus Christ:
Embracing the person
and vision of Jesus is the key to our Christian mission. A growth in faith and
understanding of Jesus is nurtured through a lifetime of reflection in
scripture, liturgy (especially Eucharist), and prayer.
Young people
That young people are
helped by a set of faith development opportunities to integrate their faith
with everyday experience:
Reaching out to young
people must be a priority of the Church. The greatest gift we can give to young
people is a correct understanding of the person and vision of Christ, filled
with the excitement that accompanies it.
2. Communion
(
Communion
Two experiences were fundamental to Jesus’
sense of mission: the experience of God to whom he prayed as Abba, and the
experience of the Spirit of God enlightening and empowering him in his mission.
Christians would come to see that the God whom Jesus revealed was a communion
of Abba (Father), Jesus Christ (Son) and Spirit. To be in communion with Jesus
was to be in communion with the God who is Trinity. The Second Vatican Council [Lumen Gentium #1] teaches us that our membership of the Church
is, before all else, the expression of our relationship with God – Father, Son
and Holy Spirit. The Church is called to be a communion of love modelled on the
Trinitarian communion of God. As communion, the Church must itself in its
internal relationships model that mutuality of love existing within God. Communion, therefore, means much more than
being linked together at a social level, like members of a club or even a nation.
It means more than being just a community with a common purpose. It means being
in a relationship whose intimacy flows from our relationship with the three
divine persons – the Trinity. Such an
understanding of what it means to be Church demands that we share a common
spirituality, transcending but not ignoring those many particular forms of
spiritual devotion designed to promote growth in individual holiness. This has
already been identified as a “spirituality of communion” or a “spirituality of
relationships”, flowing from the communion among the divine persons. We are never more truly Church as communion
than when we gather together around the table of the Lord, as brothers and
sisters in Christ. There we share the living Word of God, the body and blood of
Christ, and our communion with one another in the Spirit. It is through the
Eucharist that the Church is truly a communion of love, with the power to
attract and energise others. The Eucharist is where we experience communion and
are empowered for mission.)
Liturgy
That parish liturgy
becomes more vibrant, meaningful and inclusive:
Liturgy means in the
first place Eucharist, and Eucharist is the total representation of the life of
Christ. It is the ultimate expression of the Church’s communion, a sign to the
world of God’s kingdom, past, present and future.
Welcoming communities
That parishes are
welcoming, inclusive communities to which people are drawn and have a strong
sense of belonging:
If the parish is really
the sign of the kingdom that it is meant to be, its life, vitality, friendship
of people at worship, and care and concern will attract those who have lapsed
in their faith and those who have no faith.
Pastoral leadership
That parish pastoral
leadership is promoted, supported and resourced at all levels:
Further exploration
needs to be given to effectively developing and supporting priests and pastoral
ministers in their leadership roles. We need pastoral leaders who can provide
the creativity, vitality, and deep faith that is a normal part of effective
leadership.
Small groups
That
parishes accept, value and use the initiative of small groups to nurture
and support people on their faith journey:
It is important for the
Church not merely to try to stimulate and support the community of the family
and that of the Church, but also to encourage small communities that provide
both a sense of belonging and a place where God can be found.
3. Mission :
Mission
The mission of the Church as communion is to
promote the reign of God on earth. In so doing, it responds to God’s call to
continue the mission of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This mission centres not on
the Church but on the transformation of the world according to the person and
vision of Jesus Christ, especially his kingdom values of peace, justice,
forgiveness and love. Above all,
Christian mission means announcing the “Good News” of God’s reign in Jesus
Christ and the Spirit. This evangelising task of the Church must be carried out
with sensitivity and respect for all human values and cultures. It must be
communitarian; it requires collaboration; and it calls for dialogue. This means
the Church must listen as well as proclaim. Proclamation and dialogue are both
essential components of Christian mission. As dialogue, mission involves a
four-fold activity: dialogue of life,
sharing in the joys, sorrows, hopes and aspirations of all people dialogue of action, collaborating with
others in social justice and human liberation
dialogue of ideas, deepening our understanding of the spiritual values
of all churches and religions dialogue
of religious experience, sharing spiritual riches through ecumenical prayer and
interfaith activities. The proclamation
and promotion of God’s reign in these ways are not intended to ignore the
importance of building up the Church itself. This means not so much building up
the numbers, but rather the Church itself becoming a more authentic witness of
God’s transforming action in the world. The Church becomes truly missionary when the hearts and minds of Christians are set
on fire with the love of God. To be
baptised a Christian is to be called to a missionary life of communion with God
and of loving action in collaboration with all God’s people. In family life, in
the workplace, and in all areas of human interaction, our baptism calls us to
carry forward the mission of the Church. It is at the local level that we are
called by God today to rediscover our missionary nature).
Daily Life
That Catholics
recognise and value the impact of their everyday Christian living on building a
better world:
The great value of the
Second Vatican Council was that it turned the Church towards the world as
Christ himself had turned to the world. As a result Christians need to
recognise that everything we do, especially in our normal work, is able to
promote or hinder Christ’s vision of the world.
Communication
That the person and
message of Jesus and the works of the Church are effectively communicated in
wider society:
The good news of Jesus
Christ demands to be communicated effectively to all people. It excited people
in Jesus’ time and it will do the same today if presented adequately and in its
fullness.
Justice and welfare
That a deep awareness
of and commitment to social justice and social welfare are characteristic of
Catholics throughout the Archdiocese:
We cannot really be
called ‘followers of Christ’ unless we are involved in matters of social
welfare and social justice. There are still so many matters in our society and
world that cry out for Christian attention if we wish to transform the world
according to the vision of Christ.
++++
PARISH MINISTRIES AND
GROUPS
OUR
PARISH COMMUNITY ENGAGES IN CERTAIN ACTIVITIES IN ORDER TO PUT INTO ACTION THE
THINGS WE BELIEVE IN.
SOME
OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE ‘IN-CHURCH’ ACTIONS THAT HELP WITH THE UPKEEP OF THE
BUILDINGS AND ASSETS OF THE CHURCH, OTHER ACTIVITIES HELP MAKE THE RITUALS AND
SACRAMENTS THAT WE DO TO BE ABLE TO OCCUR.
THEN
THERE ARE THE ‘MISSION ACTIVITIES’ WHICH ARE THINGS WE DO TO PUT INTO PRACTICE
JESUS’ GOOD NEWS MESSAGE IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY AND IN OUR LIVES. HERE IS A
LIST OF THESE ACTIVITIES:
Many
of these activities are Parish based in a sense that parishioners are engaged
in them, though this does not necessarily mean they are organised or originated
from the parish team. Many lay people have, throughout the generations, seen a
need and initiated action, which the whole parish supports because of its
connection to the mission of the gospel.
PARISH PASTORAL TEAM
(THE PASTORAL TEAM IS HERE TO PROVIDE
SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO THE PARISH COMMUNITY AND TO THE WIDER
COMMUNITY BY MEANS OF PROVIDING FOR PRAYER AND WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES BY MEANS
OF SACRAMENTS AND OTHER IMPORTANT RITUALS. WE ARE ALSO HERE TO SUPPORT THE
WIDER COMMUNITY, OFFERING SPIRITUAL, RELIGIOUS AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND HELP
TO PEOPLE IN THEIR DAILY LIVES AND VOCATIONS).
· FATHER PAUL KELLY. PARISH PRIEST
· MRS KATHY BANNEY. PASTORAL MINISTRY COORDINATOR
· MARY KIRKPATRICK. PARISH SECRETARY
· JUDY ZAIA.
EVERYDAY MISSION:
(EVERY CHRISTIAN PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE
IN JESUS’ MISSION IN THE WORLD. A SIGNIFICANT PRACTICAL ASPECT OF
THIS CHURCH COMMUNITY IS THAT, NOURISHED BY THE WORD OF GOD AND THE SACRAMENT OF
CHRIST’S PRESENCE IN THE EUCHARIST, EVERYONE GOES OUT FROM THE CHURCH BACK TO
THEIR DAILY LIVES WHERE THEY LIVE OUT THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST BY THE WAY
WE SHOW LOVE, KINDNESS AND RESEPCT FOR EVERYONE WE MEET).
· ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF THE CHURCH COMMUNITY GIVE
WITNESS TO THE TRUTH OF JESUS’ GOSPEL IN THEIR LIVES AND
ACTIONS. THAT IS, EACH OF US, IN BIG AND SUBTLE WAYS TRY TO LIVE OUT
THE GOSPEL IN OUR DAILY LIVES; IN THE AREAS WE LIVE, WORK, STUDY AND SOCIALISE.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS:
(A KEY MISSION ACTIVITY OF
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THIS AREA IS THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION
SYSTEM – REPRESENTED HERE BY THE TWO PARISH SCHOOLS. THIS ACTIVITY IS A
PRACTICAL EXPRESSION OF COMMITMENT TO CHRISTIAN EDUCATION. THE TEACHERS, STAFF,
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES OF THESE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE
CHURCH’S MISSIONOF LIFE-LONG LEARNING AND EDUCATION WITHIN A CARING
CHRISTIAN CONTEXT).
· ST MARY’S COLLEGE, 51 LENNOX STREET, MARYBOROUGH
· PH 4121
2650, WWW.SMCM.QLD.EDU.AU
· ST MARY’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL, JOHN
STREET, MARYBOROUGH
· PH. 4121 5705, WWW.SMPMARYBOROUGH.QLD.EDU.AU
CATHECHISTS (TEACHERS) IN STATE SCHOOL.
(NOT ALL CHRISTIANS GO TO CATHOLIC
SCHOOLS, SO WHERE RESOURCES PERMIT, THE CHURCH HAS CATECHISTS, TEACHERS, WHO
TEACH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES IN THE STATE SCHOOLS FOR THE CHRISTIANS WHO
ATTEND THERE).
ADULT EDUCATION: (CONTACT
PARISH OFFICE)
(THE CHURCH NEEDS TO NURTURE AND ENCOURAGE
THE ONGOING LEARNING OF ITS MEMBERS BEYOND SCHOOL. OUR FAITH IS
A LIFE LONG JOURNEY SO WE NEED TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO RENEW AND UPDATE AND
DEEPEN OUR FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE BY MEANS OF COURSES AND STUDY OPPORTUNITIES AND
BIBLE GROUPS AND DISCUSSION GROUPS AND LIBRARY RESOURCES AND INFORMATION
HANDOUTS AND TRAINING SESSIONS FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN BECOMING CATHOLIC).
· FAITH
EDUCATION
· RCIA PROGRAM
· TISSOT PARISH MAGAZINE EDITORIAL TEAM
· LENTEN PRAYER AND DISCUSSION GROUPS
LITURGICAL GROUPS: (CONTACT PARISH OFFICE)
(THE CHURCH HAS A MAJOR ROLE IN
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR PRAYER AND WORSHIP. IN ORDER TO MAKE A
LITURGY HAPPEN IT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE DOING ALL SORTS OF IMPORTANT
JOBS. HERE ARE AS MANY AS WE COULD THINK OF)
§ LITURGY COMMITTEE
§ LITURGICAL MUSIC. MUSICIANS AND SINGERS
§ READERS
§ EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
§ ALTAR SERVERS (including Altar Servers Social Group)
§ SACRISTANS AND ORGANISERS FOR THE MASS.
§ CHILDREN’S LITURGY GROUP
§ CHURCH CLEANERS AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR THE SACRED VESSELS,
BRASS, SO ON.
§ FLOWER-ARRANGING LADIES
§ ECUMENICAL WORSHIP LEADERS
§ LEADERS OF THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
§ COLLECTORS
§ COUNTERS-
§ TRANSPORTERS OF PEOPLE.
§ VISITORS TO THE ELDERLY, THE SICK, HOUSEBOUND. (COMMUNION AND
GENERAL VISITS)
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS: (CONTACT
PARISH OFFICE)
- BAPTISM PREPARATION
- SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME COORDINATORS
WELFARE AGENCIES AND GROUPS
(THE CHURCH IS NOT JUST PRAYER; IT IS
ACTION TO LIVE OUT JESUS’ VALUES. JESUS CALLED US TO HELP THE POOR AND THOSE IN
NEED. WE HAVE GROUPS AND CHURCH ORGANISATIONS WHO SPECIALISE IN PRACTICAL
THINGS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES
§ CENTACARE: (PROVIDES COUNSELLING AND SUPPORT AND
EDUCATION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE PREPARING FOR MARRIAGE, WHO ARE SUFFERING
BEREAVEMENT OR EMOTIONAL ISSUES IN THEIR LIVES, EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT
AND MUCH MORE).
§ ST
VINCENT DE PAUL: SERVES JESUS IN THE POOR. PROVIDES FOOD AND CLOTHING AND
PRACTICAL SUPPORT TO PEOPLE IN NEED.
o ST MARY’S
CONFERENCE
o BLESSED MARY MACKILLOP CONFERENCE (VISITS PEOPLE TO
GIVE THEM EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL SUPPORT)
§ SOUP
KITCHEN TEAM: OFFERS A NICE HOT MEAL TO PEOPLE WHO NEED FOOD AND
FRIENDSHIP. A COOPERATIVE PROJECT OF THE ANGLICAN
AND CATHOLIC CHURCHES.
·
SEW PNG Group. Collects and produces clothes to send to a village
in PNG.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT GROUPS
§ CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE. PROVIDES SOCIAL ACTIVITIES,
FUNDRAISES FOR WORTHY CAUSES AND PROVIDES PRAYER AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR ITS
MEMBERS.
§ PLAY
GROUP
§ MEN’S
SHED SOCIAL GROUP
§ PRISON MINISTRY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO VISIT THOSE WHO ARE IN PRISON AND OFFER THEM SPIRITUAL AND
EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND OFFER THEM THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST.
§ DEBUTANTE BALL PLANNING COMMITTEE. OFFERS SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
SUCH AS THE DEBUTANTE BALL.
§ AGED
CARE AND HOSPITAL MINISTRY. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO VISIT THE SICK AND THE ELDERLY
IN HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES. THEY BRING THEM THE SACRAMENT OF COMMUNION AND
OFFER PRAYER AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
·
AGREEMENT
OF GOODWILL AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES OF ST MARY’S CATHOLIC
PARISH AND ST PAUL’S ANGLICAN PARISH. (*)
PASTORAL COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT GROUPS
(THESE GROUPS MEET TO ENSURE THE PHYSICAL, FINANCIAL
AND RUNNING OF THE PARISH AND ITS PRIORITIES OCCURS)
§ MANAGEMENT & FINANCE
COMMITTEE:
§ PARISH COUNCIL
ADMINISTRATION
(PRACTICAL DAY TO DAY RUNING OF THE PARISH)
§ STAFF
AND MEMBERS OF THE PARISH TEAM
SPECIAL FOCUS GROUPS
§ SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARENESS
§ ROSARY GROUP (PRAYER)
§ VOCATIONS AWARENESS (PRAYERS FOR VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD
AND RELIGIOUS LIFE)
+++++++
In
the name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
We, parish
priests for the time being of the Anglican and Roman Catholic parishes in
Maryborough, gladly make the following declaration and commitment to each
other:
In the light of God’s grace, we celebrate
what we have in common and the journeys we share, even though our emphases
differ:
·
the
Christian faith, including the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit;
·
the
Scriptures, the historic creeds, the sacraments;
·
well
over 1000 years of shared history;
·
and a mission to the community of
Maryborough.
In the light of God’s grace and our
shared journeys, we commit our respective parishes to:
·
pray
for each other Sunday by Sunday in our services;
·
hold
joint services in each other’s churches at least once a year;
·
meet
for events common to our parishes, such as Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,
etc;
·
respect
the depth, integrity, and value of each other’s traditions while remaining
loyal to our own;
·
and, further, as priests, we commit
ourselves to:
·
meet
regularly for fellowship and support and prayer, and
·
preach in each other’s pulpits at least once
a year.
_____________________ _____________________
Jim McPherson Paul
Kelly
Parish priest Parish
priest
Anglican Parish St
Mary’s
Maryborough Maryborough
Signed in St Paul’s Anglican Church,
Maryborough
at a joint service
9 August 2009