Welcome to YOU ARE LIVING STONES Meeting of Priests – 18 February Coffee 10.20Opening Prayer & Address – Bishop Malcolm 11.00Deanery Discussion 11.45Feedback & General Discussion 1.00Lunch

YOU ARE LIVING STONES - CONTEXT It is fifty years since Pope John XXIII began the renewal of the Church at the Second Vatican Council. ‘You are Living Stones’ is helping us to celebrate the Year of Faith, called by Pope Benedict XVI.

WHY ‘YOU ARE LIVING STONES’? Coming to him as to a living stone... chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (2 Pet 1:5)

WHY ‘YOU ARE LIVING STONES’? We are called to live our baptismal consecration in the heart of the Church: Proclaiming the Gospel Sacrifice of praise Witnessing with faith-filled lives Our parishes are the visible sign of the Church in the Diocese

YOU ARE LIVING STONES … is guided by two principles: Organic development Co-responsibility

YOU ARE LIVING STONES … is not: A blueprint A done deal Top-down/imposed A closure programme Planning for the future

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Is: A prayerful reflection A consultation Realistic Faith-filled Community-based Celebratory Preparing for the future

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Is for: The whole Diocese Every single parish Chaplaincies Priests, deacons and people Religious Schools Catholic groups and associations

YOU ARE LIVING STONES The Process: Rooted in prayer Celebrating what we have Reflecting on past, present & future Sharing good practice Renewal!

YOU ARE LIVING STONES How was the consultation carried out: Differently by parish & deanery Questionnaires Parish meetings Parish audits

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What has come out of the consultation: Willingness to accept the principle of co-responsibility

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What has come out of the consultation: Willingness to accept the principle of co-responsibility Resistance to accept co- responsibility in practice

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What has come out of the consultation: Willingness to accept the principle of co-responsibility Resistance to accept co- responsibility in practice Realistic appraisal of clergy numbers

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What has come out of the consultation: Critical examination of each parish and deanery’s strengths and weaknesses

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What has come out of the consultation: Critical examination of each parish and deanery’s strengths and weaknesses NIMBYism

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What has come out of the consultation: Critical examination of each parish and deanery’s strengths and weaknesses NIMBYism Genuine and heartfelt appreciation for the ministry of priests, deacons & religious

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What has come out of the consultation: Above all, a desire to build on what we have got and to prepare properly and realistically for the future

YOU ARE LIVING STONES The present demography: We have: 108 parishes – 10 run by Orders 94 diocesan priests in office – 7 aren’t in parishes retired priests Priests from religious institutes, other dioceses, the PCMEW & the Ordinariate

YOU ARE LIVING STONES The present demography: Age profile of priests in ministry:

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Preparing for the future: Parishes will have to work together

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Preparing for the future: Parishes will have to work together Fewer parishes will have a resident priest

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Preparing for the future: Parishes will have to work together Fewer parishes will have a resident priest There will be fewer celebrations of Mass on Sunday

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Preparing for the future: Some smaller parishes will have a resident priest with extra responsibilities

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Preparing for the future: Some smaller parishes will have a resident priest with extra responsibilities Some parishes may be united in a ‘team ministry’

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Preparing for the future: Some smaller parishes will have a resident priest with extra responsibilities Some parishes may be united in a ‘team ministry’ Lay people will be called to a much more active role

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Preparing for the future: More work has to be done in outreach – evangelisation, catechesis & schools

YOU ARE LIVING STONES Preparing for the future: More work has to be done in outreach – evangelisation, catechesis & schools Deepening our communion

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What happens next? Which parishes can work closer together in the presumption that they will eventually share a parish priest or fully unite?

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What happens next? How can this be done? Short term Medium term Long term

YOU ARE LIVING STONES What happens next? How can this be done? Short term Medium term Long term What suggestions do you have?

YOU ARE LIVING STONES From today: Parish consultation Deanery meeting Working group of deans

YOU ARE LIVING STONES The aim: Celebrating and strengthening our unity

YOU ARE LIVING STONES The aim: Transforming our words and our lives to demonstrate that the Kingdom of God is at hand.

YOU ARE LIVING STONES The aim: Remembering that the Church is not here to serve herself, but to serve God and the world.

YOU ARE LIVING STONES The aim: Evangelisation of those who have not embraced the Gospel, using effective means, appropriate to our own era, while always respecting those who we serve

YOU ARE LIVING STONES The aim: Being realistic, practical and faith- filled, ensuring that our structures facilitate the Church’s prophetic, priestly and kingly mission