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DIOCESE OF CORK AND ROSS

Pilgrim StepsJourneying together in faith

Report of theDiocesan Pastoral

Strategy Group

“God, however, does notmake people holy andsave them merely asindividuals, withoutbond or link between oneanother. Rather it haspleased Him to bringpeople together as onepeople.”

–Lumen Gentium, #9(Vatican II, 1964).

THE DIOCESAN PASTORAL STRATEGY GROUP:Chairperson: Rev. Tom Hayes; Secretary: Mr. Micheál de BarraRev. Christopher Fitzgerald CC, Ms. Nóirin Lynch, Vy. Rev. Canon John K.O’Mahony, PP VF, Mrs. Henrietta O’Meara, Rev. Kevin O’Regan CC.

Numerous people whose commitment enriched this work have generouslyassisted the group with encouragement, professional expertise, hospitality,prayer and inspiration. The Group wishes to record its sincere gratitude to all.

Photography & Design: Rev. Tom Hayes Printed by City Print, Cork2005 © Diocese of Cork and Ross

Pilgrim StepsJourneying together in faith

DIOCESE OF CORK AND ROSS© 2005

Report of the Diocesan Pastoral Strategy Group

To the people of God in the diocese

Contents

Letter from Bishop John Buckley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The Background to this report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Introduction to the Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Parish as Pobal Dé . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Parish Identity and Pastoral Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

A Praying and Worshipping Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Education, Formation, Evangelisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Leadership and the Role of the Diocese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Implementation Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Appendix: Overview of the Diocese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Schedule of Area Meetings 2004 . . . . . . . . inside back cover

Diocese of Cork and Ross 1 Pastoral Strategy 2005

To all of Christ’s Faithful in the Diocese of Cork and Ross

Cork has changed over the years, particularly in recent times. Ireland, too, haschanged dramatically. We live in a country of unprecedented prosperity, of mush-rooming housing estates, of new motorways and expanding industrial plants. Forthe first time in our history, emigration has been reversed. Most of this change hasbeen for the good; development in education, communication, economics and cul-tural activities. This has given people a self-confidence that may have been lackingin the past.

Through all this change, the majority of people in this country still hold on tomoral values. They retain a sense of God’s presence and activity in the Church andin the world and a great respect for the dignity of human life. People realise thattechnology cannot solve the hunger of the human heart. They are looking for some-thing more satisfying than the consumer lifestyle.

GOING FORWARD

It was against this background of change that the late Pope John Paul II, at thebeginning of the millennium, wrote an inspiring letter. In that letter, the pope statedthat the Church of the third millennium will need to encourage all the baptised andconfirmed to be aware of their responsibility in the Church’s life. The Pope invitedeach local Church to draw up an effective pastoral plan ‘that must be translated intopastoral initiatives adapted to the circumstances of each community’. Our pastoralplan is our attempt to respond to the challenge that the late Holy Father placedbefore us.

We are challenged to find new pathways for our pilgrim journey, new ways of com-municating the faith to young and old, new structures that will enable us to makeChrist present in the home and in the marketplace. In all areas of life today, peopleare adapting to new situations and learning new skills. The Church has alwaysadapted to changing cultures, whether it is 5th century Ireland, 16th century SouthAmerica or 20th century Africa. There is no culture that is impervious to the Gospel.

Journeying together

The message is just as powerful and as relevant today as at any time in the past.

THE AIM OF THE PLAN

The aim of any pastoral plan must be to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.All church structures have no purpose other than to bring this Good News to all thepeople. That Good News is that the Lord created each one of us in his own imageand likeness, that he loves each one of us, that he identifies with the poor and thesuffering, that he has prepared a special place for us in heaven and that only in himwill we find the truth and the happiness for which we are all searching. The task ofimplementing this vision involves the whole diocese: bishop, priests, religious andlaity. In the words of a great Irish poet: “Christ plays in ten thousand places”.

LAITY

Over the years, lay people have been involved in the work of the Church in manyways – in the handing on of the faith in the home, in the parish and in church-relat-ed organisations. No other group of people, for example, has done more for theChurch in Ireland than our national teachers. They have given this country a valuesystem that we all too readily take for granted. There have been many lay initiativeswhich have enriched the Church. The Legion of Mary was founded by a lay person.Popular devotions, pilgrimages and Station Masses were lay inspired. Today manylay people give of their time, energy and talent to all kinds of voluntary work in theparishes. Young people, too, are generous with their time in helping others, espe-cially those who are suffering.

PRIESTS

There is a genuine desire among priests to serve the people as effectively as possi-ble. How best to do that is not always clear. The style and living out of priesthood isconditioned by the times in which each generation lives. The role of the prieststoday cannot be the same as it was 40 or even 20 years ago. In the words of PopeJohn XXIII, ‘we must read the signs of the times’ and under the influence of theSpirit discern the most effective style of serving the people and of strengtheningtheir faith.

One of the benefits of greater involvement of lay people, especially young people,in the life of their parishes will, I hope, be a greater understanding of the need for apriest. The fact that priests and people are being encouraged to work together doesnot mean that we stop praying for, talking about and encouraging the young, andthe not so young, to consider a call to priesthood or religious life. There is noChurch without the Eucharist and no Eucharist without the priest. No Christiancommunity can be built which does not in some way grow from or lead to the cele-


bration of the Eucharist. This pastoral plan does not obscure in any way the irre-placeable role of the priest.

RELIGIOUS

We are all aware of the enormous contribution made down through the years bythe religious orders and congregations, especially in the areas of education andhealthcare. Any vision of the Church of the future here in Cork and Ross would beincomplete without taking into account their work and prayerful presence amongstus. The diocese has always had good relations with religious. I regularly visit theirhouses. I have always respected their legitimate autonomy and they have alwaysacknowledged my ultimate responsibility for the pastoral oversight of the whole dio-cese. Today, the religious are responding creatively to current pastoral needs. Theirsupport for people of other cultures is much appreciated, as is their work to high-light the inequalities in our society.

VISION

We have inherited, therefore, a rich heritage of faith. The best way to preserve thatspecial grace is to welcome a new one. This involves looking at the current situa-tion, listening to the needs and concerns of people today and establishing appropri-ate structures at parish and regional level. These structures, once established, willcontinue to function regardless of changes in the bishop of the diocese or thepriests of the parish. This is my vision of the Church of the future here in Cork andRoss. And this Church would also be a humble Church, a welcoming Church, alwaysreaching out to people.

BISHOP

I have spoken about the work of laity, priests and religious. I now refer to the roleof the bishop. We might have expected Jesus to sit down with Peter and his apostlesand explain to them in detail all about his ministry and his plans. He communicatedwith them in an entirely different way. He went fishing with them, he entered theirworld, he spoke to them through their work. My role, therefore, is to affirm andaccompany people and stand in their midst as one who serves. This I will continueto do to the best of my ability.

PRAYER

Prayer is a vital part of our strategy. Prayer was central to the life of Jesus during histime on earth. Only in prayer will we perceive the real needs of the people. Without



this our pastoral plans will come to nothing. We will then share the experience ofthe apostles in the gospel story who ‘toiled all night and caught nothing’. The greattemptation would be to think that the results are the product of our plans andefforts. “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain.”

APPRECIATION

I am grateful to the members of the Pastoral Strategy Group, which I established in2002 and who have generously given so much of their time to this project. In thisdocument they have tried to collate many of the priorities identified at the consulta-tion sessions. I am grateful also to the many people who helped organise the manymeetings, to those who participated in the listening sessions and to those whomade personal submissions. A Director of Pastoral Planning has been appointed tothe task of leading the implementation of the plan. I am grateful to him for accept-ing this responsibility.

SOURCE OF OUR STRENGTH

Finally our work will not be easy. The Lord has promised to be with us. It is Christ’sChurch and he will look after it. We make our own the words of St. Paul when hetells us that Christ’s power working within us can do infinitely more than we can askfor or imagine. We are people of hope with our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus Christ.

It is particularly appropriate that this pastoral plan is announced during this year,dedicated to the Eucharist.

I entrust all our work to the care of Mary, Mother of the Church, who remains asign of sure hope and comfort for all people on their pilgrim way.

+John Buckley,

Bishop of Cork and Ross.

June 2005.


The background

In May 2002 the Bishop of Cork and Ross, John Buckley, invited a group of peopleto assess the pastoral situation in the diocese at this time and devise a strategy forpastoral renewal over the next ten years. The group took as a working title‘Diocesan Pastoral Strategy Group’ (DPSG).

The brief of the group, after consultations with the bishop, was agreed as: “To facil-itate the development of a diocesan strategy to ensure the most effective ministry inour rapidly changing world.”

Following further discussions among the group and with the bishop, a work planwas agreed. Consultation at all stages with all interested parties was to be a keycomponent of the strategy. Initial consultative meetings were arranged with clergy,religious and parishioners in order to assess the current difficulties and opportunitiesand to collect feedback from a cross-section of the faithful of the diocese.

Throughout 2002 and 2003, separate group meetings were held in several venues,with many clergy working in the diocese, with the religious orders who providechurch-based services in the city and surrounds, and with lay representatives of theparishes of the diocese. Participants at these meetings were asked to reflect on thecurrent reality of life in their parishes and to indicate what areas needed attention inorder for the Christian community to grow. Further invitations for written submis-sions were extended to all the religious communities in the diocese and a furthergeneral invitation to all the faithful was extended in The Fold magazine. A limitedconsultation was also arranged with young people with the assistance of school andcollege chaplaincy services.

Valuable feedback from these meetings, emails and letters was analysed and dis-tilled. The Draft Pastoral Strategy Document was published in the Spring of 2004and widely disseminated. Summaries of the document were also circulated and bothwere published on the diocesan website. The 68 parishes of the diocese and thereligious communities were invited to convene local meetings to discuss the keyproposals in the draft document. The DPSG provided guidelines and resources forthese local meetings and facilitators, if required. Meetings were held in 66 of theparishes. Approximately 5,000 people attended the local meetings.

The local meetings were asked to provide delegates representing parishioners andclergy to attend a series of ‘area meetings’ which were conducted in May 2004. Thepurpose of the area meetings was to begin to distil the wide variety of experienceand feedback encountered at the local meetings. Two meetings were held in eachof the seven areas which correspond to the deanery areas of the diocese. These area

meetings were professionally facilitated and attended by members of the DPSG (seeinside back cover). The feedback at each meeting was summarised and noted bythe DPSG.

Each area meeting provided three delegates to attend a day-long meeting in Corkon June 21st, 2004 at which the key feedback from the area meetings was discussedand recorded. The June meeting was also attended by Bishop Buckley who listenedto the issues raised and addressed the delegates.

Through the Council of Priests of the diocese, the clergy also requested an opportu-nity to explore how the developing strategy would affect them directly in their livesand ministry. The bishop convened a two-day conference of the clergy in Killarneyin October 2004 and asked the DPSG to assist with the preparation and organisa-tion of this conference. (The conference also addressed other issues of concern tothe clergy.)

Initial re-writing work had begun on this document but it was not possible toadvance it fully until after the October conference. The document was then substan-tially re-drafted and re-directed in the light of the learning from all the meetingsthroughout 2004. It was presented to the bishop for consideration prior toChristmas.

Early in 2005, the DPSG met the bishop on a number of occasions to tease out theimplications of the Diocesan Pastoral Strategy for the Diocese. We were particularlyanxious to examine how the implementation of the proposals could be most effec-tively managed.


“Each area meeting providedthree delegates to attend a day-long meeting in Cork on June21st, 2004 at which the key feed-back from the area meetings wasdiscussed and recorded.”

Introduction

‘I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’ (John 10:10)

We are a people united by faith in Jesus Christ. As we journey together as the peo-ple of God, our hope comes from Jesus Christ who ‘is the same yesterday and todayand forever’. At a time of unprecedented change in our country, we are challengedto ask: how shall we go forward as a faith community in this diocese? And inresponse we hear the echo of Jesus’ challenge to Peter, the fisherman, ‘Put out intothe deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’

There was a time when we might have thought that Jesus’ words were directedonly to members of our church leadership. We might have talked about ‘those whoshould do something’. However, it is clear that this is not the vision of Church thatGod has for us today. Since the middle of the last century and especially since theSecond Vatican Council in the 1960s, God is calling us all to move away from see-ing the Church as only a hierarchical institution and to recognise ourselves insteadas a faith community, a people bound by our common baptism and called to serveand be served.

At a very early stage in the work of the DPSG, it became abundantly clear that thecollaborative model of ministry was the only viable option for the diocese at thistime. By this we mean that the responsibility for promoting gospel values and build-ing up the faith community in each parish lies with all the members of the Churchin that parish, not just the priests or perceived leaders. One of the most hearteningresults of the consultation process was how strongly this notion resonated with somany people throughout the diocese. The goal of all those we consulted was avibrant Christian community in every parish, supported by the diocese.

The people of this diocese are passionate about their faith and their Church. In theconsultations which were held as part of the development of this strategy docu-ment, people spoke of a Church that is:

COLLABORATIVE : We want the understanding that the Church is ours to be at theforefront of all diocesan policy and practice. We want the Church of the future to beshaped by, and to benefit from, a spirit of togetherness and a sharing of talents andgifts at all levels.

PRAYERFUL: We hope that this spirit will be evident in the way all local and dioce-san faith communities pray and worship together.


INCLUSIVE: We believe that each person’s gifts should be developed and encour-aged, and that we should respond to the needs of each person. This personalresponse should shape our Church at home, at parish, at community and at dioce-san levels.

FAITHFUL: We are confident that the Good News will continue to be our core inspi-ration and challenge.

When Bishop John Buckley asked the members of this group to offer a strategy forthis diocese, we were very clear that our work would have to be inspired by thisvision of being the Church. Since then, many hours have been spent praying, dis-cussing, listening, proposing, consulting, reviewing, writing, travelling, reading … inan effort to discern “what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

This document is our effort at doing justice to the brief we received from the bish-op and to the commitment made by almost 5,000 people who generously gavetime, thought, prayer and energy to our meetings and correspondence.

The good news is that the pulse of the Catholic Church in Cork and Ross is strong.Parishioners and clergy share an anticipation of a renewed Church which is alreadyhere but not fully unfolded.

The document which follows is divided into six chapters, five of which examinecore themes in the formation of these vibrant communities.

The format of each chapter is: The theme is presented and developed and thensummarised briefly. A set of practical proposals follows to try to give effect to theideals and aspirations.

The proposals are concrete and relevant and are expressed in terms that indicatethat there is still much learning to be done. The people of the diocese have devotedtime and energy to this process in the clear understanding that their voice will beheard, and responded to with decisive action.

The final chapter, ‘The Implementation Plan’, attempts to spell out how this dioce-san strategy will be implemented. It suggests structures and personnel that the bish-op must put in place to ensure that the strategy is implemented. The DPSG is veryconscious that the success of the pastoral strategy will be measured by the effectsseen and felt on the ground in parishes throughout the length and breadth of thediocese.

Everyone who contributed to the consultation process may not find precisely whatthey submitted in this document, but we have attempted to include the dominantthemes and hopes, in the hope of reflecting the ‘sensus fidelium’ (sense of the faith-ful) as clearly as possible.


Parish as Pobal Dé

The Church is rediscovering its true mission when it understands itself as acommunity of people linked by faith — not ordered by status. The peopleof our diocese are asking for the structures of our parishes to reflect asense of shared ownership and responsibility.

The parishes and communities of our diocese have a rich history of faith andinvolvement with the Church. The parish is the first and principal point of contactfor most people with the Church.

THE CHURCH AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD

In recent years, parishioners in some parishes have developed a renewed under-standing of their relationship with Church. This has happened largely in parisheswhere the notion of the Church as the People of God has been promoted. Mostpeople who have served in effective parish councils and representative parish assem-blies have drawn new light for their faith in experiencing their local parish as “ourparish”. They passionately want others to share that experience and to have thesame opportunity. This understanding of the Church, which has been at the centreof much of the Church’s teaching about itself over the past 40 years, has been slowto take root because it cannot be taught – it has to be experienced.

Many people have not experienced this particular model of the Church. Few havehad the opportunity to become familiar with the language and theology that thisunderstanding of the Church presumes.

SHARING RESPONSIBILITY

But there are clear signs of hope. In the consultation process undertaken by theDPSG in the preparation of this document, there was a strong call for the sharing ofresponsibility for the work of building the Kingdom between ordained and non-ordained. Many lay people recognise that the mission of the Church is meant to beshared by all the baptised. That this understanding of the Church should emerge asa central demand is good news because it means our starting point is close to howthe Church understands itself today. It also makes it clear that any new structures or


ways of operating are not developed primarily because of a scarcity of priests butbecause of the very nature of the Church itself.

POBAL DÉ

At the diocesan meeting in June 2004, one group was asked to consider a suitabletitle for this chapter, with the theme of ‘lay involvement in the Church’. Words likecollaboration, co-responsibility, partnership, and lay involvement were considered.These were eventually rejected in favour of the old Irish term, Pobal Dé.

This term is deeply embedded in the Irish Catholic tradition and it encapsulates theway the delegates understood the Church. It is an inclusive term for ordained andnon-ordained and implies a shared membership and responsibility for the Church. Itimplies that the Church is a faith community. But, more than that, the Church sub-sists in the life and activity of each of the baptised. The unity of the Church is foundin the relationships of people who are sustained by the same Lord. This same Lordthrough the Spirit draws our minds and hearts to him and challenges us to go outto the world to ‘proclaim the Good News’.

The late Pope John Paul cautioned that thisrenewed understanding of Church has implica-tions for every aspect of the Church’s life and forevery member of the Church.

The primary focus of our energy has to be on anew self-understanding for the members of theChurch rather than on changing structures alone.A deeper awareness of where God is calling eachbaptised person will, in turn, strengthen arenewed and vibrant Church. Any changes tostructures or local practices will only make sense ifthey flow from this spirit of service to God and hisChurch.

This vision has widespread support among thefaith community of our diocese and parishes. It isthe vision that has inspired the work of this Pastoral Strategy Group and informs theproposals it puts forward.

There are many gifts. There are many things to be done.


“Let us be under no illu-sion that unless wefollow this spiritual path,external structures ofcommunion will servelittle purpose. Theywould be mechanismswithout a soul, “masks”of communion ratherthat its meaningfulexpression and growth.”

– Pope John Paul II (1999).

SUMMARY

The corner stone of this document is based on the view that the Church at bothuniversal and local level is a community of faith with a shared responsibility for thebuilding of the Kingdom. It is the view of the Strategy Group that making this visiona reality at parish and diocesan level should inspire all pastoral endeavours. Thewide variety of Church documents issued over the last 40 years supports this view.The encouraging news from the widespread consultation in the preparation of thisdocument is that there is a deep hunger among the faithful for such a model of theChurch.

It follows therefore that the number one strategy of the diocese must be to facili-tate by every means possible the bringing into existence of this model of theChurch in our parishes and diocese.

PROPOSALS

With this in mind, we make the following proposals:

1. That the bishop and the diocesan agencies would facilitate the establishment ofthis model of Church in the diocese. This would necessitate:

a) Providing parish pastoral development with the personnel and finances toenable all parishes to put in place and sustain parish assemblies/pastoral coun-cils.

b) Ensuring that this model of the Church informs all diocesan decisions relat-ing to deployment of priests and other personnel.

2. That every parish begin a process which will lead to an assembly/pastoral councilbeing in place in all parishes within five years. These assemblies/councils would con-form to existing diocesan norms in their formation and operation.

3. That assemblies/councils would help with the establishment of groups whichwould meet the liturgical, faith development and caring needs of the parishes. Thisproposal is further developed in Chapter 3 (A Praying and Worshipping Community)and Chapter 4 (Education, Formation, Evangelisation).

4. That, as required by Canon Law, each parish would put in place a finance com-mittee that would assist the parish priest in the maintenance of parish buildings andthe provision of funds required to meet the pastoral needs of the parish.


Parish Identity & Pastoral Areas

The core values of belonging, knowing and supporting which are at theheart of being a parish are still relevant. However, parishioners also havenew expectations and realities. In this changing reality, parishes workingalone or in isolation may find themselves over-stretched. Finding ways forparishes to share resources and work together will benefit each parish —all the people of the parish.

The formation and development of faith communities continues to be the principalrole of the parish. This in turn will lead to a desire to spread the Good News andthereby build up the Kingdom of God.

OUR HISTORY AND CURRENT REALITY

Various bishops formed the 68 parishes in the Diocese of Cork and Ross over timein response to pastoral needs. By and large this system has served the Church well.A parish priest was appointed to look after the parish for the bishop. The identity ofthe parish was very much tied-in with the priest. He set the agenda and expectedthe other priests and lay people to co-operate and fund the work.

There is still a tremendous sense of loyalty to one’s parish, as a faith community,and as a place we call home. However, this is found less in the younger generationsand is associated more with the older age groups.

Movement of populations to larger urban centres in recent decades and theincreased mobility of people in their daily lives have contributed to the weakeningof people’s links with their parish. People go to Mass when and where it suits.Children attend the primary school of their parent’s choice and often receive thesacraments outside their parish. Many young couples get married away from theirhome parishes and abroad. The decline in religious practice and regular Mass atten-dance has also has an impact on parish identity in both rural and urban areas.

THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE PRIESTS

People value highly the experience of being ministered to by a priest who knowsthem, a priest who is also part of the community and involved in the community.This is the key value underlying parishioners’ calls for a priest to live in each parish,


including the smaller rural ones. Rural communities, in particular, feel threatened bythe non-replacement of priests in recent decades. The sale of the priest’s house has,in many cases, followed the closure of the post office, the creamery and the localschool. This has been acutely felt in parishes where there was a high level ofdependency on the priest for leadership (a situation very often not of the parish-ioners’ making). Parishioners who have been through the experience of losing apriest also note that there was little or no consultation with them.

The people of the diocese and the clergy agree that they want the identity of eachparish preserved and developed. The people do not want ‘priestless parishes’. Mostpriests do not aspire to living alone in an isolated location where there is little con-tact with peers and perhaps no structure for shared responsibility with the parish-ioners. Priests have also indicated that they do not want their lives or their ministryreduced to only the moments around the sacraments but want to be partners withthe parishioners in the building up of the Christian community.

PASTORAL AREAS – A WAY FORWARD

People have put a lot of energy into expressing what they want in their parishes.Clergy, too, are calling for their needs to be addressed. The concept of a “pastoralarea” is one way of answering these key needs in the context of ongoing change insociety and in the Church.

The concept of a pastoral area does not mean the suppression or amalgamation ofparishes. Nor does it mean changing parish boundaries or closing churches. Eachparish will retain its own identity.

Its focus is on drawing strength from co-operation. Several examples of this co-operation already exist in the diocese where parishes have begun to work together.Some share planning meetings for parents of First Communion classes; others havejoint programmes for training of Ministers of the Eucharist and other ministries; localprovision is being made for Mass during priests’ holidays, sickness or other leave.

Because the work of building the Kingdom of God makes new demands on ourtime and place, isolated parishes that stand alone are less likely to have ‘effectiveministry’. Few parishes on their own have the resources, even now, to develop aprogramme which will address all their pastoral and community needs. No parish isgoing to be assigned a priest who can do everything that needs to be done. Fewpriests want to work in a parish where they are over-burdened as priests and under-nourished as people. For parishes to benefit from the co-operation and support ofone another in a pastoral area, they must be working towards the same vision—thatof parish as Pobal Dé, as outlined in Chapter 1.

The ideal is that there would be at least one priest resident in every parish.However the lack of vocations will be a big issue for the foreseeable future. The rap-idly changing age profile of the clergy compounds this problem. The various min-


istries that priests carry out in hospitals, colleges, universities, chaplaincies and otherspecialised ministries will still be needed. Also, a parish with 300 families cannotexpect to have the same number of priests assigned to it as one with 3,000 families.

The setting up of a pastoral area will benefit all concerned. Parishioners will contin-ue to be ministered to by a priest who is assigned to their own area and more likelyto know them. The pastoral area can also make provision to have work which sup-ports ministry (e.g. secretarial, office and administrative) done on an area basis.

Parishes will be assured that a number of priests, working with others as needsarise, in consultation and co-operation with the parishioners, will assess and thenanswer the parish’s needs and those of the neighbouring parishes. A working pas-toral area would ideally involve at least three neighbouring parishes. The plan forthe area would evolve rather begin with an imposed blueprint. Parishes will be invit-ed and encouraged to work together at a level and pace which suits the local situa-tion.

The parishioners of the city parishes are more concerned to ensure that betterchoice of service and quality of service is available. When city parishes reduced Massschedules in the past, for example, many of the parishes adopted the sametimetable. More co-operation between parishes will ensure better choice for people.Priests also need help and support so they can adapt to being involved in pastoralareas. Priests and people must realise that difficulties will arise but with co-operationand goodwill the difficulties will be overcome.

The person of Jesus Christ must be at the centre of any Christian community, andany attempt to build up the people of God. If this is the case we will be able to pro-mote the values of the Gospel and to enshrine the important values of our Christianheritage in today’s rapidly changing world.

SUMMARY

The consultation process showed that people still have a strong sense of identifica-tion with their parish and their priests. However there was an acknowledgment thatparishes can no longer work effectively in isolation.

Parishioners in all parishes do not want to lose their parish identity or a priest oftheir own in whatever changes lie ahead.

Many priests want to work in co-operation with parishioners and other priestsrather than in isolation, especially as the number of clergy decreases.

The setting up of pastoral areas is seen as the best way forward so that theexpressed needs and desires of people and priests are met and the resources avail-


able can be used efficiently. A two-stage approach is seen as the best way for theintroduction of pastoral areas.

Phase One would involve developing co-operation where there is little or noneat present.

Phase Two would involve piloting ways of developing more formal co-opera-tion and sharing of resources.

PROPOSALS

1. Phase One: Co-operation.

(a) It is envisaged that all parishes would engage in developing closer co-operationas soon as possible. Such co-operation will strengthen the local sense of belongingand provide parishioners with the choices for which they are calling.

(b) This co-operation could involve some or all of the following:

q The training and ongoing formation of people for the various ministries,courses in adult education, liturgy, etc, would be run jointly in one venue serv-ing a number of parishes;

q The co-ordination of Mass times in an area;

q The priests of the parishes would help one another, especially in providingcover for essential duties. Parishioners would know that cover is being provid-ed and by whom.

2. Phase Two: Pastoral Areas.

a) We propose that the bishop, in consultation with the implementation team,invite parishes to volunteer to develop pilot ‘pastoral areas’ from September 2005.Ideally, two or three areas would be developed as pilot programmes. Because thisprocess is new in the diocese, its development needs to be characterised by ongo-ing learning and flexibility rather than by seeking a predetermined set model. Adetailed review will be undertaken after the pilot phase with a view to learning fromthe experiences of all involved.

b) The decision to move towards establishing a pastoral area would be made bythe bishop and implementation team, after discussion and discernment in theparishes. Parish assemblies and parish councils will play an essential part in nurturingthis process of close co-operation.

c) A pastoral area would involve at least three parishes working closely together in


all areas of pastoral activity. Each parish would discuss locally how to work as onewith the neighbouring parishes in an area. One team of clergy would be assigned tothe parishes to minister in all the constituent parishes of the pastoral area. Detailedconsideration would also be given to the involvement of religious sisters, brothersand priests depending on their availability and particular charisms.

d) Issues such as residency of the priests would be primarily decided at local leveland only after due consideration for the wishes of the people and the priests con-cerned.

e) The priests would work in close collaboration with parishioners and parishgroups to plan the pastoral needs of the area and design a programme to meetthese needs together.

f) The bishop would establish a diocesan support structure and deploy resourcepersonnel to support this development work. (See chapter 6, ‘The ImplementationPlan’ for more details).

g) Each parish would have a parish pastoral development structure in place, i.e.pastoral council or parish assembly, or at least at the planning stage, to reflect themodel of the Church as Pobal Dé outlined in Chapter One.

h) The pastoral area would develop a structure at area level to also reflect the col-laborative model of organisation and ministry. Here, parishioners and clergy repre-sentative of all the constituent parishes would work together for the good of thepastoral area.

i) With support from the bishop and following norms developed in conjunctionwith the diocese, the area would develop a body or committee to co-ordinateshared programmes and ministry.

j) When the pastoral area has developed a formal structure, it will be in a positionto employ and resource lay pastoral workers who would also be part of the ministryteam in the area. These would also be represented on the pastoral area coordinatingbody or committee in an ex-officio capacity.

k) The unity of a pastoral area would be further expressed in the development of ashared or centralised parish office, a common newsletter with material from eachparish and from the diocese, a more consistent use of information and communica-tions technologies to serve the parishioners and ministry team.


A Praying & Worshipping Community

The Christian community draws its life from Jesus Christ. He has prom-ised: ‘For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there amongthem’ (Matt 18:20). Worship and prayer are essential elements of Churchlife and are the lifeblood of the Christian community.

The most frequently mentioned topic at the parish meetings and area meetings inthe course of our consultations was the manner in which people pray and worship,especially at Sunday Mass. The Church has always recognised the centrality of pub-lic prayer and this is what the Church means when the term liturgy is used.

Liturgy means coming together to pray, not as individuals but as a community offaith, ‘the People of God’, Pobal Dé. From this prayer we draw grace, strength, ener-gy, encouragement and hope. At its heart is our encounter with God. We jointogether in faith, with one voice, in song, and in word and sometimes in silence togive glory and praise to God and to celebrate his sacred presence.

Our liturgies too have a special connection with the threshold experiences of life,such as birth, marriage and death.

LITURGY AND COMMUNITY

Many people have positive things to say abouttheir experience of the Church’s liturgy at spe-cial moments in their lives and that of theircommunities. Their experience at baptism, FirstCommunion, Confirmation, marriage andfuneral liturgies is personal and intimate, rele-vant and spiritual. They want to repeat thisexperience at all celebrations, especially theSunday Eucharist (Mass), but many feel thatthe Sunday Eucharist is often uninspiring. Themilestone events have an in-built community dimension and they are family occa-sions. Transferring that experience to the Sunday Mass is more difficult.

The late Bishop Michael Murphy wrote that ‘Sunday is a special day when weremind ourselves of who we are, our common faith, our shared hope and our unwa-vering determination to make the world a better place’.


“Sunday is a special daywhen we remind ourselves ofwho we are, our commonfaith, our shared hope andour unwavering determina-tion to make the world abetter place.”

– Sunday Eucharist, Bringingour Celebration of Mass to Life,

Lenten Pastoral of BishopMichael Murphy, 1994

However, we have tended to be a group of individuals at Mass, doing our own ‘pri-vate’ prayer, ‘between God and me’. This is a barrier we need to overcome if we areto achieve those active, vibrant celebrations that people sought so fervently at thevarious consultation meetings.

The experience of Sunday Mass is as varied as the people who attend. We arrive asindividuals. People have different levels of faith and come with different expecta-tions. People are also there for different reasons. Some come because they want to,others because they have to, need to, or feel obliged to be there. The mood,thoughts and prayers of the Mass will not connect with every person’s life experi-ence, all the time.

Parishioners and clergy want liturgy to be experienced as a faith community event.They want it to re-engage people who have drifted from it and to involve thosewho feel left out, especially the young. In order for this to happen, it is necessarythat people feel they belong, that it is their Church that is gathered. This requiresthat collaboration is the dominant model of Church life. Each member of the com-munity has different gifts and roles but responsibility is shared and does not restwith the priest alone.

People are enthusiastic for this level of involvement as already evident by the num-ber of people who dedicate their gifts and energy in various ministries and liturgygroups. However, inadequate training and support combined with lack of invitationsometimes frustrate others who want to contribute. On-going training for leaders,and ministers and participants is urgently needed.

LITURGY AND (E UCHARISTIC) C ELEBRATION

All the baptised have a vital role to play if the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist isto be experienced as more life-giving. For this tohappen the congregation must have a sense of own-ership and understanding of the Mass and peopleneed to be involved in, and helped to plan, the cele-bration.

Preparation is important. There is a pool of peoplein every community who would be willing, if invited,to take on this role. This goodwill needs to be har-nessed more so that all feel they belong and cancontribute.

Adequate time needs to be devoted to good cele-bration. Good liturgy is inclusive, inviting and partici-pative, rather than something that is ‘got in’. People’s desire to be more activelyinvolved needs to be more clearly welcomed with new opportunities offered andmore support given at parish and diocesan levels.


We also need to re-capture our ‘sense of the sacred’ and avoid over-secularising ourcelebrations. Change for its own sake is not helpful. We should also cherish theEucharist as something so special that it is not the automatic choice for markingevery event in a community. Meaningful and appropriate alternative liturgies andoccasions of prayer need to be developed. In time such occasions of prayer can beorganised and led by members of the faith community other than the priest.

LITURGY AND LIFE

Liturgy must connect with people’s lives. It should also enhance the living of ourlives. The Eucharist and other meaningful liturgies and all occasions of prayer haveconsequences for how we as Christians live our lives. We are a community of com-munities who are linked together by our faith in Jesus Christ, who “came that wemay have life, and have it to the full” (Jn. 10:10). We gather in the name of JesusChrist, in the person of Jesus Christ and as a Christian people. So therefore, no mat-ter what the celebration, when we leave our place of worship, we are meant to putinto practice in our daily lives what we have celebrated together, to “Go in peace,to love and to serve the Lord.’

The ultimate goal of our journey is that we learn to become a ‘Praying andWorshipping Community’.

SUMMARY

Liturgy is about coming together as a faith community, not just as individuals. It isas the Pobal Dé that we worship. People yearn for the personal and intimate experi-ence of a special liturgy, where the ups and downs of life are celebrated, e.g. StationMasses, First Communion, weddings, funerals and suchlike. This can only beachieved if people understand that everyone, priest and people, has an importantrole in celebrating the Eucharist. All must be actively involved in its planning andcelebration.

We also need to recapture our sense of the sacred and provide people with mean-ingful alternative liturgical celebrations and occasions of prayer so that the Mass(Eucharist) does not become the easy and automatic choice to prayerfully celebrateany and every occasion.


PROPOSALS

1. That the bishop appoints a full-time Diocesan Co-ordinator of Liturgy (see TheImplementation Plan) with adequate resources to support the integration of thisstrategy into the liturgical life of the parishes, churches and diocese.

2. That the bishop re-establishes a Diocesan Liturgy Commission which will coordi-nate education, ongoing training and models of good practice in the preparationand celebration of the liturgy.

a) That the Diocesan Liturgy Commission establishes a Diocesan MusicCommittee as a sub-committee. It will provide guidance, training andresources for the use of music in the celebration of the sacraments and otherliturgies.

b) The Mass is the supreme expression of the bond between the praying com-munity and Christ. However, there is a whole variety of other liturgies whichcan enrich the life of a parish. The Diocesan Liturgy Commission will workwith others to develop a programme of training for lay people to lead variousliturgies and occasions of prayer.

3. That every parish establish a Liturgy Group/Committee, if one does not alreadyexist. It will work closely with clergy, parish sisters and others to lead the renewal ofliturgical life at parish level. It will assist in co-ordinating the celebration of sacra-ments and the various forms of worship in the parish, based on models of goodpractice from the Diocesan Liturgy Commission.

a) The Liturgy Group will consider as an urgent priority ways of promoting andenabling the involvement of young people in the Mass and other liturgies inthe parish.

b) Programmes to involve and prepare more people for various ministries ineach parish will be developed, possibly in collaboration with other parishes.The goal is that all liturgy will have active participation and a sharing of min-istry by parishioners and clergy.

4. That the bishop provides for a review of Mass schedules for weekends and week-days throughout the diocese, in consultation with parishes and churches.

a) This should be undertaken and co-ordinated on a deanery or area basis.Changes to Mass schedules in an individual parish will only be sanctioned afterthe bishop is satisfied that the change is not just for the benefit of a singleparish and that area consultation has been adequately done.

b) Schedules should provide people in an area with a reasonable choice oftimes and churches, while avoiding fragmentation of congregations. Thereview will allow adequate time for Sunday Mass, and ensure that schedulescan be sustained by local clergy during holiday times and sick leave.


Education, Formation, Evangelisation

One of the key resources required to help build up the parishes and thediocese is a commitment to more and better religious education for allages. In particular, adults want to take ownership of their faith.

EVANGELISATION

In the first draft of this document, this chapter was entitled ‘Education andFormation’. Evangelisation, that is ‘telling the Good News’, was added as a result ofthe consultation meetings, as it became abun-dantly clear that many people are beginning torealise again the vital importance of this aspectof the mission of the Church. There is a spiritualhunger today in our world and in our diocese,especially (but not exclusively) among youngpeople. This is a hunger that the trappings ofwealth and encroaching materialism cannotreach.

The Church can and should address this hungerby representing the Good News in the languageof our times. The focus of evangelisation, there-fore, needs to be on those who have never reallyfelt part of the Christian community and thosewho for whatever reason no longer regularlyparticipate in the life of the Church. Many com-mitted churchgoers feel inadequate to spread the Good News to others; many par-ents feel helpless and unable to introduce even their own children to the person ofJesus.

As a diocese, we should be empowering and supporting our people to be evange-lisers in their own families and lives.

ADULT FAITH FORMATION

Religious education ceased for many people when they left school and they nowrealise that their religious understanding and theology are no longer adequate for


‘The time is fulfilled, andthe kingdom of God hascome near; repent andbelieve the good news.’

(Mark 1:15)

‘The split between thegospel and culture is,without a doubt, thetragedy of our times’.

(Evangelii Nuntiandi,Second Vatican Council).

today’s world. There is an urgent need to address adult religious education and for-mation. Many efforts have been made in the past in this regard.

From the consultation process it is clear that adult religious education needs to bebased in the parish or station-area or even in the home. Resources for these locallybased adult faith formation programmes may have to be provided by the diocese orin time by the pastoral area. Such faith formation and development programmesmust attempt to link theology with life and discern the spiritual needs and hungerof particular areas and groups. To succeed, adult religious education initiatives mustbe particularly well advertised and presented and try to meet people where they arerather than coming with a pre-determined package. Yet the difficulty of reachingand engaging with people in these busy times is not to be underestimated.

There is general agreement that good liturgy, effective preaching, parish newslet-ters, visitation by priest or parish team member all help the ongoing faith develop-ment of the people. As a diocesan initiative, the re-emphasis on the family as theprimary transmitter of the faith would be a good starting point.

There is general acknowledgement that primary teachers do a very good job in thesacramental preparation of our children. However, it was also strongly felt that par-ents and parishes should be more directly involved in the preparation forReconciliation, First Communion and Confirmation. There is a real need to establishprogrammes at parish level which support parents in handing on the faith, in part-nership with schools and teachers.

The parish (or pastoral area) can support its parents and the children who preparefor the sacraments, irrespective of which schools they attend. A better balancebetween the contribution of home, school and parish could be nurtured in this way.

FORMATION FOR MINISTRY

The work of collaboration in parishes and among parishes will also requireresources and formation from the diocese. New types of ministry and parish initia-tives will demand support and direction from the diocese. The introduction of layparish workers / pastoral assistants, for example, in a parish or pastoral area, wouldnecessitate formation for the workers themselves and also for the congregationsthey serve.

Many of the clergy acknowledge their need for ongoing formation which willenable them to minister effectively in a changing world.

Many of the other proposals in this document have a formation and educationcomponent that needs to be assessed and addressed.


SUMMARY

There is spiritual hunger today in our country and in our diocese. The Church mustaddress this hunger by restating the good news in the language of our times.People need to be empowered to become evangelisers in their own families andlives. Those who already are evangelisers, such as parents, teachers, parish or com-munity leaders need to be cherished and supported. Adult faith formation is urgent-ly required to help people understand their faith in today’s world. The developmentof collaborative ministry will also require formation for all those who will beinvolved. Many other proposals in this document, e.g. in the area of liturgy, have aneducation and formation component which must be addressed.

PROPOSALS

1. As a diocese we need to re-emphasise the missionary and evangelising nature ofthe Church in our changing society. This will highlight the central place of Jesus inour lives. A programme of ‘re-evangelisation’, aimed at those who have drifted fromthe Church, might be considered.

2. We recommend that programmes to enable parents to be more involved in thecatechetical and sacramental preparation of their children be promoted and devel-oped in the parishes, in tandem with the work of the schools.

3. The formation and education components of the other strategy initiatives, e.g. inthe areas of liturgy, ministry, etc., need to be assessed by the implementation bod-ies and provision made for their inclusion as part of the faith formation initiative.The diocese needs to develop a process to encourage and enable lay people to trainfor full-time ministry in the diocese.

4. We recommend that the Bishop appoint a Diocesan Co-ordinator of FaithFormation. The co-ordinator would research the needs further and then put in placea group or team of collaborators who will work with the co-ordinator and theimplementation team.

5. The need for on-going formation and support for clergy must be addressed in asystematic and practical way, in particular in the areas of team-ministry and adminis-trative skills.

6. The Co-ordinator of Faith Formation will work closely with the parish pastoraldevelopment process.

7. There are obvious links to be made between faith formation initiatives and exist-ing diocesan agencies, such as Family Ministry, diocesan advisors, etc.


Leadership and the role of the Diocese

In a renewed understanding of the Church as community of faith andservice, there are implications for all who make up the diocese—especiallyin the way we engage with each other and work together.

There are many different understandings of the word ‘diocese’.

During the consultation process (Spring 2004), ‘the role of the diocese’ was theone topic which parishioners were reluctant to discuss. For many, the issues affect-ing their own parish were far more relevant. Some felt that, in discussing ‘the dio-cese’, lay people were asked to talk about ‘management issues’ that were beyondtheir remit. Many parishioners had never heard of the term ‘deanery’ or of a ‘dean-ery conference’ - the Church’s traditional grouping of parishes according to geo-graphical areas. While inter-parish co-operation is crucial for the future, the realitywas that any discussion about diocesan or deanery meetings was difficult.

THE ROLE OF THE DIOCESE

The crucial role of the diocese and of the bishop was seen to be that of providingeffective and inspiring leadership, as well as dependable support at parish anddiocesan levels. There was a desire for greaterunity and cohesion. People were very consciousthat when we support each other and workwith a common purpose, we achieve muchmore. A good way of describing the diocesewould be as the Pobal Dé of Cork and Ross,working and praying as one people.

Looked at in this way, the diocese is ‘a com-munity of communities’. It consists primarily ofparishes, but also includes the faith communi-ties of hospitals, prisons, schools, religious com-munities and specific apostolates, like socialservices. In order to support the work happen-ing in these communities, the diocese alsoincludes necessary offices and agencies (e.g. social services, parish pastoral support,finance, property and educational support). All structures - from parishes to commit-tees and agencies - only exist to help the Pobal Dé to grow in faith together.


“God, however, does notmake people holy and savethem merely as individuals,without bond or link betweenone another. Rather has itpleased Him to bring peopletogether as one people.”

–Lumen Gentium, #9 (VaticanII, 1964).

‘A COMMUNITY OF COMMUNITIES’

When we become aware of this ‘community of communities’, then we can see thatno parish is alone on its journey. For good spiritual and practical reasons, we mustgo forward with common vision and a diocesan strategy.

Caring for this diocese cannot simply be an issue of management or organisationthat is solely the responsibility of our bishop and our priests. This diocese includes usall, and so its vision and its strategy must be the vision and the strategy of the entirePobal Dé. In the consultation process on the role of the diocese, priests and parish-ioners were united on one point: that they have high expectations of the diocese interms of pastoral support and organisation. That is to be welcomed.

This diocesan support will, obviously, require financing as well as provision for theemployment of qualified pastoral personnel. The pastoral and financial implicationsof this support were not widely discussed at the meetings. However, there are impli-cations in this for us all. Parishes are, at present, the primary source of diocesanfunds. There are legal and financial implications arising from the employment of laypeople. New practical issues will arise as we move forward. Clear and fair condi-tions, contracts and lines of accountability will be needed before lay pastoral work-ers can be employed across the diocese in just and workable circumstances.

There is a strong call for a common, clear, diocesan policy on this matter as soon aspossible.

SUMMARY

A diocese is a community of communities journeying together in Christ. In our dio-cese this understanding needs to be reflected in

- An inspiring and uniting vision;

- The model of leadership used at both diocesan and local level;

- The availability of resources across the diocese, so that this vision can becomea reality in every parish and home.

In order that our community of communities will continue to grow in unity, thisstrategy recommends that structures be put in place to ensure that this model ofChurch becomes normative throughout our diocese. (See Chapter 1: Parish as PobalDé).


PROPOSALS

Thus we propose:

1. That on the occasion of the publication of this document, the bishop, in consul-tation with the Strategy Group, puts in place structures that will ensure the imple-mentation of this strategy.

a. The implementation structures will consist of two separate, though inter-linked, strands:

w The Strategy Implementation Board which will oversee the implementationof the strategy and to which the task-force will report.

w The Diocesan Pastoral Team which will have responsibility for the day-to-daytask of implementing the strategy.

The members of both groups will be representative of the proposals containedin the strategy document and will be qualified and capable of undertaking thework set out in the document.

b. Both bodies will have clear, agreed-upon terms of reference and guidelines.This document will be the primary guideline.

c. The bishop will charge the bodies with responsibility for developing thisdiocesan strategy over the next four years. The Strategy Implementation Boardwill be the management body for this strategy and a consultative body to thebishop. It is envisaged that the bishop will be an ex-officio member of thisboard.

d. The Strategy Implementation Board will work in co-operation with thePriests’ Council and all other diocesan bodies.

2. The interim implementation structures, being properly resourced and supported,will, within four years, ensure that:

a. Resources will be in place for parish pastoral development in parishes so thatevery parish can establish and sustain best practice in its pastoral leadership.(i.e. pastoral councils or parish assemblies).

b. The piloting of a number of pastoral areas will be under way, in a well-resourced and supported manner, offering models of best practice to the dio-cese.

c. Work will have been undertaken with the parishes in each deanery, enablingthem to work towards pastoral planning at local level.

d. The Strategy Implementation Board, together with the bishop, will havemade arrangements for replacing itself by establishing a diocesan pastoralcouncil which will continue this work as the enduring, and representative,implementation body for the diocese’s developing vision and goals.


Simultaneously the Strategy Implementation Board will have arranged andreceived, from review groups, reports on these themes:

w A review of existing diocesan pastoral support structures/services, to enablethe diocese to organise well for the future and bring into place any addi-tional resources that might be needed to implement this diocesan strategy.

w Updated guidelines and recommendations for employment in this diocese,at parish, pastoral area and diocesan levels.

Further details on these proposals is contained in The Implementation Plan.


At one of the consultation meetings with clergy in October 2002.

The Implementation Plan for the DiocesanPastoral Strategy

The Diocesan Pastoral Strategy Group has been conscious from the outset that thesuccess of this pastoral initiative will be measured by its impact on the ground inthe lives of the people. Accordingly, we have decided to spell out in detail how wesee the strategy being implemented in the short term and in the long term. Thebishop has agreed to put interim implementation structures in place immediatelywhich we hope will embed the strategy in the life and work of the diocese andevery parish. After four years the interim implementation structures should evolveinto a more permanent arrangement which will continue to oversee the strategyimplementation for many years to come.

We envisage two strands to the interim implementation structures:

w The Strategy Implementation Board

w Diocesan Pastoral Team

STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION BOARD

On the occasion of the publication of this document, the bishop has agreed toannounce the names of those appointed (in consultation with the DPSG) to whatwill be known as the Strategy Implementation Board. This board will assist the bish-op in implementing the recommendations of the strategy document. The board willhave a four-year term of office, at the end of which its functions will be taken overby a diocesan pastoral council. It will be the duty of the Strategy ImplementationBoard to make arrangements to put this diocesan pastoral council in place.

Membership of this board will consist of:

r Chairperson (appointed by the bishop);

r A representative from each of the advisory/resource groups to be assembledby the diocesan co-ordinators, (see 2(a) below);

r A representative of the Priests’ Council;

r A representative of the DPSG;

r Two additional co-opted members.

The bishop will be a member of this board. We recommend that the chairperson of


the board be a lay-person if the Director of Pastoral Strategy is a priest or religious.The board will meet monthly from September to June. The chairperson and secre-tary of the board, in consultation with the Director of Pastoral Strategy (see 2below) and the bishop shall order the agenda and business of these meetings. It willbe the responsibility of the board, in consultation with the director, to give priorityto aspects of implementation arising from the Diocesan Pastoral StrategyDocument.

We strongly recommend that the Strategy Implementation Board arrange for athorough review of the strategy and its implementation before the end of its four-year term.

DIOCESAN PASTORAL TEAM

The Diocesan Pastoral Team will consist of the following full-time personnel:

r Director of Pastoral Strategy;

r Co-ordinator of Parish Pastoral Development;

r Co-ordinator of Liturgy;

r Co-ordinator of Faith Development.

The Diocesan Director of Pastoral Strategy will have overall responsibility for theday-to-day implementation of the pastoral strategy under the direction of theStrategy Implementation Board. S/He will report directly to the board and s/he willbe assisted in the day to day implementation of the strategy by the other teammembers in their respective areas of pastoral responsibility. The Director of PastoralStrategy will attend all regular meetings of the board and when the need arises,may request any of the co-ordinators to attend and report on their area of work.

2(a) Pastoral Resource Groups

Each of the co-ordinators will, in consultation with the Strategy ImplementationBoard, assemble an advisory resource group to assist and support him/her in carry-ing out the duties assigned to him/her by the director.


Appendix 1: Overview of the Diocese

¦The Diocese of Cork and Ross includes 68 parishes. These have 118 church-es. Six parishes are currently in the care of religious order or missionary soci-ety priests.

¦ Twenty congregations of women religious, 11 male religious orders andmissionary societies, and two congregations of religious brothers, havecommunities in the diocese. The majority of these sisters, priests and broth-ers are retired.

¦ At the beginning of 2005, the Diocese of Cork and Ross had 118 ordainedpriests available for assignment by the bishop. A further ten diocesan priestsare retired and there are five on assignments outside the diocese. Thirty-four priests from other dioceses, religious orders and missionary societieshold appointments from the bishop in the diocese.

¦ One in four of the diocesan clergy who hold appointments (not countingthose who are retired) is 65 years of age or over. Half of the diocesan clergyin active ministry are 55 years or older.

¦ There are 235,000 (approx.) Catholics in the diocese.

¦ There are five men training to be priests of the diocese at the national sem-inary in Maynooth. (They are involved in a six- or seven-year formation pro-gramme.)

¦ Twenty-nine parishes now have a structure in place which will enablepriests and parishioners to work together to develop the faith community.Three more are currently developing that process.

¦ Twenty-three of the 68 parishes have a ‘parish office’ where someone otherthan a priest is assigned secretarial/administrative work. Most are part-time.

¦ Five of the city parishes have full-time parish sisters.

¦ As well as parish work, priests of the diocese serve as chaplains to hospitals,schools and colleges. Some are teachers and lecturers. A few are involved indiocesan administration.

¦ Fourteen of the secondary school chaplaincy posts in the diocese are heldby lay people (ten) and religious (four).

¦ The diocese already employs lay people and nominates others for appoint-ment in administrative, chaplaincy, co-ordinator and secretarial positions inthe diocese.


Consultation on draft Diocesan Pastoral StrategySchedule of Area Meetings May 2004

Deanery Area Dates Time Venue Facilitator

Bantry May 11 & 13 8–10.30 pm Westlodge Hotel, Paul MoriartyBantry

Bandon May 4 & 6 8–10.30 pm Munster Arms Hotel, Joe O’MahonyBandon

City North May 18 & 20 7.30–10 pm Moran’s Silversprings Elizabeth Hotel Garry-Brosnan

City South May 18 & 20 7.30–10 pm Maryborough House Joe O’Keeffe(incl Religious Orders) Hotel, Cork

City West May 11 & 13 7.30–10 pm Kingsley Hotel, Cork Elizabeth Garry-Brosnan

Kinsale May 4 & 6 8–10.30 pm Carrigaline Court Hotel Joe O’Keeffe

Ross May 18 & 20 8–10.30 pm Quality Hotel, Rev. Tom HayesClonakilty

Kinsale Area Meeting Ross Area Meeting

Bandon Area Meeting

On average,30 parishdelegatesattendedeach areameeting.

Keep up-to-date with the pastoral

strategy and events in the parishes

and the

Diocese of Cork and Ross.

[This document is also available for

download on the website.]

Visit the website of the diocese at

www.corkandross.orgPastoral Strategy Team: [email protected]

Parish Development Office: [email protected]

This report is the outcome of three years of work initiated in 2002 by Bishop JohnBuckley. The Diocesan Pastoral Strategy Group was formed “to facilitate the devel-opment of a diocesan strategy to ensure the most effective ministry in our rapidlychanging world”.

This document is the group’s report to the bishop and to the many people acrossthe diocese who participated in consultation meetings about the future of theChurch in Cork and Ross.

The report identifies five principal themes which bring together the concernsraised. Each theme has a set of proposals which aims to find appropriate ways ofdeveloping and responding to the key themes.

An agreed implementation plan includes structures, personnel and other resourceswhich need to be put in place to ensure that the strategy will be effective through-out the Church in Cork and Ross.

Pilgrim Steps

http://www.corkandross.org

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