Parish Mission

Research to make a difference to your work

Last week

Some considerations of ParishMission

Parish Mission

Research projects Small research project

More onThe Ideal Parish?Research Methods

What precisely you are being asked to do

Beginning the process of doing it!

This week

What is your mission?

• What do you aim to do for the evangelising mission of the Church through the work you do?

• Write a concise (max three sentence)

“Mission Statement” for your own ministry

Ideal Parish

Ideal Parish?

Is my Parish Ideal?

It is essentially the parish which gives the Church concrete life, so that she may be open to all. Whatever its size, it is not merely an association. It must be a home where members of the Body of Christ gather together, open to meeting God…The parish institution is meant to provide the church’s great services: prayer in common and the reading of God’s Word, celebrations, especially that of the Eucharist, catechesis for children and the adult catachumenate, the ongoing formation of the faithful, communications designed to make the Christian message known, services of charity and solidarity and the local work of movements.

25th January 1997 Ad Limina visit of French Bishops

Parish is where:Principles become practices;Body of Christ is open to God, the Holy Trinity;The Churches services are provided:

PrayerSacramentsCatechesisEvangelisationService of Neighbour (Charity and Solidarity)

A Community where God’s gifts are received, and where the baptised generously make their response of faith, hope and love to the call of the Gospel

A Philosophical/theological interlude

The ‘Ideal’• Ethics: Universal principles or values which

one pursues as goals• Plato: The non-material abstract true forms

which the things we directly perceive are but shadows

A Philosophical/theological inerlude

The ‘Ideal Parish’• Ethics: Universal principles or values which

one pursues as parish goals?– The general vision which inspires specific action

• Plato: The non-material abstract true forms of Parish? – That eschatological culmination of Christian

Community

No SacramentsConstant Presence of the Lamb

No committeesNo social problems

No CatechesisNo Parishes!

No Parish is ideal• : living as an alien:

temporary dwelling in exile, Pilgrim• All Parishes are local not universal• All Parishes are specific not general– Specific geographical territories– Specific collective of peoples, community of faith– Specific location in time and history– Specific needs, possibilities and priorities

• Play the hand you are dealt

One Non-ideal Parish

One Non-ideal ParishShadows of the ideal

Priest (Bishop) celebrates Mass (nearly) daily, visits sick, hears confessions, contacts with schools, teaches, represents the Church at

Public events, etc., etc.SITS ON TOO MANY COMMITTEESNo deacon(s), no ‘Parish Sister’, no Lay Pastoral Worker

Finance Committee and Parish Pastoral Council Trained Catechists and helpers: Children’s Liturgy, First Communion. Confirmation, RCIA

No one except PP for Baptism, Marriage PrepExtraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, SacristansParish secretary/parish officeCleaners, flower arrangers, handymen etc. SVP and parish visitors/befrienders

NO PARISH CLUB

One Non-ideal ParishShadows of the ideal

Justice and Peace: FairTrade, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Eco-CongregationPrayer Groups: Meditation, Rosary, Charismatic

No Liturgy group or faithful preparing prayers of the faithfulRegular Small faith sharing groups and adult formationEcumenical and Inter-faith

Churches Together in Hatfield folded 2009Local Community Forums and VolunteersAPF Local Secretary and International Solidarity

No Evangelisation team.Limited number of people willing and able to do important things

Youth ProvisionDifficulty in Parking

Parish in Canon LawCIC 515 §1 Certain portion of the Christian faithfulStably establishedentrusted to a Pastor Can. 517 §1. When circumstances require it, the pastoral care of a parish or of different parishes together can be entrusted to several priests in solidumCIC 518 General rule is to be territorialCan. 526 §1. A pastor is to have the parochial care of only one parish; nevertheless, because of a lack of priests or other circumstances, the care of several neighbouring parishes can be entrusted to the same pastor.CIC 528 §2. The pastor is to see to it that the Most Holy Eucharist is the centre of the parish assembly of the faithful.

Can. 529 §1. … a pastor is to strive to know the faithful entrusted to his care.

Therefore he is:to visit families, to help the sick, particularly those close to death,to seek out the poor, the afflicted, the lonely, those exiled from their country, and similarly those weighed down by special difficulties. He is to work so that spouses and parents are supported in fulfilling their proper duties and is to foster growth of Christian life in the family.

Parish in Canon Law

CIC 529 §2. A pastor is to recognize and promote the proper part which the lay members of the Christian faithful have in the mission of the Church, He is to cooperate with his own bishop and the presbyterium of the diocese, also working so that the faithful have concern for parochial communion, consider themselves members of the diocese and of the universal Church, and participate in and sustain efforts to promote this same communion.

Parish in Canon Law

Can. 535 §1. Each parish is to have parochial registersCan. 536 §1. If the diocesan bishop judges it opportune … a pastoral council is to be established

in each parishCan. 537 In each parish there is to be a finance councilCan. 781 Since the whole Church is by its nature missionary and the work of evangelization must be held as a fundamental duty of the people of God, all the Christian faithful, conscious of their responsibility, are to assume their part in missionary work.

Parish in Canon Law

A Parish:Is a Community of Christ’s faithfulIn a particular territoryWith a Pastor

Who celebrates sacramentsVisitsConnects to wider Diocese and World ChurchEncourages lay ministries and supports Bishops and other priests

Has Finance Committee (and Parish Council)Keeps recordsIs missionary

Parish in Canon Law

Some New Testament Concepts

Some New Testament Concepts

KoinoniaCommunionParticipation in Divine and human CommunityFellowshipLiturgy

DiakoniaService

of neighbourof churchof world

KerygmaProclamation of the Good NewsMaking new Christians

EssentialDesirableGood

Research Methods

What do you want from your research?

• What context/situation needs examining?

• What is the background in existing thinking (literature review etc.)

• What information do you want to find out?

• What learning are you seeking?

• What questions do you need to ask?

• How do you need to ask them?

Some useful tools

• There are many organisations and businesses offering online surveys

• Many will offer a limited free basic service (and hope customers will be so impressed they subscribe)

www.surveymonkey.comwww.smart-survey.co.ukwww.surveymethods.comwww.thesistools.com

And others