TAKE THE WAY OF THE GOSPEL
REFERENCE AND ADVISORY GROUP
NOTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 24 August 2022
The key items addressed at the meeting were:
- Clarification of Take the Way of the Gospel Scope and Intended Outcomes
The request for clarification of the scope and intended outcomes was considered by the Steering Committee on 20 July. The Steering Committee reaffirmed Take the Way of the Gospel is a transformation strategy aimed at placing the whole of the Archdiocese on a more missionary footing. The work has begun with parishes, as they have a special role in promoting participation in the life, mission, and work of the faith community.
- Consultation on Missionary Renewal Pathways
Lorraine McCarthy, Animation Team Leader, led the consultation. Following the identification of characteristics of a ‘renewed’ parish, the group identified types of support parishes might need. The key themes that emerged were:
- Prayer is the bedrock
- Discernment is critical
- Providing a set of principles common across the various models (eg Rebuilt and Divine Renovation), tools to assess where the parish is currently, a range of pathways and different types of resources (eg bite size for time poor people) will enable parishes to plot their own journey and proceed at their own pace
- Leadership formation and development for both clergy and lay leaders is needed
- The right leadership structure, common understanding of roles and empowerment of lay leaders is important
- There is a need for a common language to help people ‘get on the same page’ and to build up trust and respect
The input from the consultation will be used to document the vision of a renewed parish, identify the set of principles across the various models and draw together prayer and discernment resources for consideration at the next meeting.
The next meeting is planned for 5 October 2022.
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