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St
John the Apostle ~ Kippax
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CANBERRA,
AUSTRALIA |
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Parish Pastoral Council 2011
MEMBERS OF THE PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL 2011
What is the purpose & function of the Parish Pastoral Council? The Parish Pastoral Council shares responsibility for guiding the parish community in its life and in its mission. This means vision-oriented work that articulates the present movement of Jesus’ Spirit for this parish, and task-oriented work that organises projects or events that build up the community and facilitate its mission.Its basic purpose is to set the broad direction of the parish, while safeguarding and promoting the unity of the parish family, and striving for the active participation of each member of the parish community. The Parish Pastoral Council is to be sensitive to the movement of the Spirit among God’s People, to work for communion among its members, and to help the whole parish meet the challenge of being a community of Christian believers in the modern world.The specific purpose and functions of the Parish Council will be:• to help discern the gifts of the Spirit in the parish community, and to empower people to exercise their gifts. We begin by discerning gifts, and only then look at needs. • to identify the spiritual and temporal needs of the parish community, set priorities and implement strategies to meet these needs. • to promote, encourage and coordinate apostolic activities within the parish. • to serve as a constructive forum for dialogue. • to provide direction and leadership as we seek to carry out Jesus’ mission in the Church, for the world. Various priestly ministries of the faithful The Church exercises the priestly mediation of Christ by 1. faithfully carrying out his mission of revealing God to the world 2. compassionately drawing the world into communion with God = "sanctifying/consecrating the world". Christians participate in the priestly mediation of Christ in a variety of ways. ‘There are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit; there are varieties of ministries but the same Lord; there are varieties of ways of exercising power but it is the same God who inspires them all in everyone To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good’(1 Corinthians 12:4-7). Note the Trinitarian dimension. The Spirit's gifts are given with a view to the carrying out of the mission of Christ, and are effective because empowered by the creative energy of God the Father. Specific TasksContinuing development of Parish Neighbourhood Communities1. The goal The parish (thank God) is too big for people to really get to know each other in such a way that they feel fully part of the parish community. We have over 400 Catholic households within our parish boundaries. By dividing the parish into smaller neighbourhood areas, and by setting up structures that facilitate people within those smaller neighbourhoods to get to know each other better, it is hoped to create an even better sense of community that will also affect the larger parish. As people get to know the people in their neighbourhood, there is more opportunity for friends introducing them on a broader scale. What distinguishes Neighbourhood Communities from other groups within the parish is that they are essentially geographic. If a person lives in a certain neighbourhood he/she belongs to that neighbourhood community automatically. People obviously need other groups (Charismatic prayer group, Catholic Women’s League, Family groups, Teams, Cursillo etc – just to name a few), but these are not organised geographically (nor should they be). The Neighbourhood Community has only one aim, and that is to encourage community within a neighbourhood, and to look after our neighbours such that gifts and needs come together in simple ways, and ‘loving one’s neighbour’ becomes a richer reality. 2. The strategy • Within the geographical boundaries of the parish of Saint John the Apostle, Kippax, we have organised 20 neighbourhood communities, named after the suburb. There are 8 neighbourhoods in Holt, 5 in Latham, 4 in Higgins, 2 in Macgregor and 1 in the small part of Florey that is within the parish boundaries. • In each neighbourhood there is a contact person (or couple). There is no expectation of meetings. These will happen only when and if requested by the contact persons. Nor is there any expectation of visitation. Visiting will only happen when the contact person wants to do this for a specific reason. In a lesser way we also have contact people to keep in touch with parishioners in those areas outside our parish boundaries where a number of parishioners live: Florey, Dunlop and Flynn. • Some of the needs that emerge within the neighbourhood are the following. The contact person may be happy to carry out some of these services, but others within the area may also be willing. : visiting new parishioners & those in special need : taking communion to anyone who is sick & visiting them in hospital : getting to know families with children at school who may have little contact with the worshipping Sunday community. : driving people to church who need it : delivering birthday cars to pre-school children who were baptised here • The idea is to involve as many people as are willing, but each involvement will be small, being limited to the neighbourhood. Of course, people can do whatever they are moved to do. The aim is to set up a strategy that makes sure that everyone is being looked after, and people are getting to know and love their neighbours better. • The key role of the contact person is to know what is happening in the neighbourhood and to help liaison with the parish office. Parish Neighbourhood Communities (Contact persons - click HERE ) Attention to Adult Education • Weekly Homilies (from the Ambo and on the Web) • Lecture series offered in the Parish Centre • Lenten Discussion groups • Parish Library • Catholics Returning Home Program • RCIA Program (An Emmaus Journey) • Marriage Preparation ‘Evenings for the Engaged” • Retrouvaille (A program for healing and renewal for married couples) • Parent participation in preparation of children for the Sacraments Support of Parish Groups - St Vincent de Paul - Social Justice Committee - Refugee Resettlement Committee - Teams (A Married Couples Movement) - Family Groups - Catholic Women’s’ League - Over 45s - Youth Group Programs that are promoted within the Parish. - Christian Meditation and Centring Prayer - The Beginning Experience - Cursillo - Marriage Encounter - St Thomas More Forums - Christians for an Ethical Society - Retreats - Various Retreats and Discussions within the Archdiocese Support of Caring Connections A committee that aims to discover people who are experiencing special needs and to help link them with agencies that could assist them. Catholics Returning Home Program Beginning in April and October 2005 and continuing in the intervening years the Saint John the Apostle Parish has been conducted our ‘Catholics Returning Home’ programs. The original committee, led by Anne Ots and directed by John O’Heir, consisted of Josette Allester, John Bannon, Veronica Brennan and Maryanne Ferguson. The present committee is led by Moira Sutch and directed by Tom O’Halloran. Other members are Veronica Brennan, Rob Caskie, Robert Day and Jan Haydock-Wilson. The programs are designed to encourage people who may have lost touch with a Catholic worshipping community to consider rejoining and actively participating in their local faith community. Each program is conducted over a seven-week period, one night per week for an hour and a half per night. Parishioners offered their services in leading a number of the evenings, and the team guided the participants (the ‘seekers’) through these talks and discussion sessions. Participants were reminded of what it means to be Catholic in our current world and had the opportunity to question, or voice issues of concern, in an open and welcoming environment. As of 2009 the program will be offered once (not twice) in the year, after Easter. The Liturgical Life of the Parish See information on the Parish website. Go to link liturgical life. Building an even more welcoming community The Coffee club after the 10:00am Mass on the 2nd and 4th Sundays is one way of making people welcome. The Information desk in the foyer is another way, as is the more extended welcoming of each other before the beginning of each Mass.
Parish Groups: Contact persons
MEETING DATES 2011The 2nd Thursday each month at 7.30pm
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