Report on parish/church area meetings

Married Priests. Lengthy Sermons. A Diocesan Youth Council. Training of Laity in Church Administration. These were but a few of the topics raised at recent parish meetings held throughout the Archdiocese of Tuam.

Last September the Archdiocese of Tuam embarked on a process in preparation for a Diocesan Pastoral Assembly to be held next November.  As part of that process almost 80 parish/church area meetings were held at which over 2,500 people participated. Explains Fr. Tod Nolan, Chairperson of the Pastoral Assembly Steering Group; ‘Our hope was to involve as many people as possible in a diocesan wide conversation in order to identify what are the main areas which we, the church of the Archdiocese of Tuam, need to address as we begin to plan for the future.’

In response to the invitation of Archbishop Michael Neary those initial meetings explored questions under five broad headings: Sharing Ministry, Renewing Liturgy, Engaging with Young People, Building Community and Preparing for change. ‘The enthusiasm and energy at those initial meetings was palpable’ continued Fr. Nolan, ‘The vitality of those meetings suggests that people’s faith is very important to them. There is a growing awareness that we need to plan in order to ensure that in an ever changing Church, our faith which has sustained us for so long will continue to be a source of support and sustenance into the future The parish/church area meetings gave people an opportunity to express their concern for faith and for parish.’

In all over 120 issues were raised. Issues varied from the need for ongoing formation and development of Pastoral Councils to the need for Station Masses as a tool to build up community, from the affirmation and involvement of young people in church life to the assisting of parents in supporting their children’s faith, from a desire for shorter and more relevant sermons to the need to establish ‘Good News Clubs’ for children in parishes.

Other more controversial issues also came to the fore: The introduction of married priests, the ordination of women and the provision of General Absolution all found mention. Comments Fr. Nolan ‘While our Assembly is a Diocesan Pastoral Assembly and is not in a position to deal with such questions the fact that these issues are raised suggests very real concern and indicates the need for discussion and debate around these issues’ Fr. Tod points out that ‘of more immediate pastoral concern perhaps is the challenge which faces us in our ministry to youth, to young married couples, and indeed to unmarried couples, and to the ever increasing immigrant population’. ‘Our faith is something very special which we want to celebrate and to share.  We, all who believe, need to take responsibility for that faith.’

As part of the diocesan wide process gatherings for Third Level students were held in GMIT Castlebar and NUI Galway in order to give young people an opportunity to raise issues and concerns which they feel ought to be addressed at the Pastoral assembly. ‘The presentation of Sunday Mass was of particular concern for Third Level students’ says Fr. Tod, ‘Students are willing to be involved if asked but often feel that the parish Sunday Mass doesn’t engage them as young people.’

An indication of the importance given to this consultative process and the efforts being made to afford a voice to as many people as possible is that Archbishop Neary has taken the unique step of writing a letter specifically to all Second Level students of the diocese. ‘Young people’, he writes, are ‘our greatest hope but also our greatest challenge’. ‘We need to help young people’ Fr. Nolan adds, ‘to feel part of our church by not alone allowing them to have their voice heard but also by listening and responding to what that voice is saying.’

Schools have been invited to partake in the process through specially prepared class plans which accompanied the Archbishop’s letter and a special ‘Junior Assembly’ will be held in Knock on April 27th. It is hoped that every Second Level school in the Diocese will be represented at that gathering.

The next phase of the process will see meetings held at Deanery Level – groupings of 6-8 parishes. At those meetings representatives from parishes will explore the issues raised from across the Diocese and identify those issues which will be brought forward to form the programme for next November’s Diocesan Pastoral Assembly.

‘The whole experience has been truly inspiring’, enthuses Fr. Nolan. Initially over 100 people received training to act as facilitators for parish meetings. They gave of their time freely and generously and have been a central part of a process which in all will have involved more than 5000 people. An other appealing element of the planning has seen specially prepared Prayer cards provided for the sick and the housebound so that they too can play an important part in the process. ‘At a time when some would have us believe that the Church is a thing of the past, the experience of this Diocese is that not only is faith important to people but that people, young and old, are eager and anxious to be part of a Church which seeks to cherish, sustain and celebrate faith now and in the future. This is indeed an exciting time for the Church and we have no need to doubt but that the Holy Spirit will ensure for us and our diocese a future full of hope.’