The Parish Renewal Team coordinated a formation workshop in November 2024 for Priests & Pastoral Council Members. 6 Priests and 40 PPC members from 21 parishes spent four hours reflecting on Parish Life – how to build on what already exists.
Using images, thoughts and words of Pope Francis, participants considered eight fundamental charisms of a Parish, as the Workshop outlined these Charisms.
1) A community founded and centred on AN ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST
A community calling members, above all, to a deep encounter with Christ. Where through Sacramental Celebrations and prayer we are brought to Christ and grow in faith.
Pope Francis: ““Without prolonged moments of adoration, of prayerful encounter with the word, of sincere conversation with the Lord, our work easily becomes meaningless; we lose energy as a result of weariness and difficulties, and our fervour dies out. The Church urgently needs the deep breath of prayer”.
2) A house of WELCOME & HOSPITALITY
A Parish is a house of welcome and hospitality. Committed to building a vibrant, non-judgemental, open family where all belong, where all are understood and accepted. A place of hope for all.
Pope Francis: “May the Church be a place of God’s mercy and hope, where all feel welcomed, loved, forgiven and encouraged to live according to the good life of the Gospel. The Church is the home that accepts everyone and refuses no one … the greater the sin, the greater the love that the Church should show.”
3) A place that creates opportunities for FAITH FORMATION
The Parish Community is to create opportunities for faith formation – adult and child. Seeking to encourage spiritual growth – to enrich, deepen and expand faith. A place to hear, learn and articulate the Church’s rich wisdom/Tradition.
Pope Francis: “To be faithful, to be creative, we need to be able to change. To grow! And why must I change? So that I can adapt to the situations in which I must proclaim the Gospel”.
4) Called to REACH OUT AND SEEK THOSE IN NEED
A Parish is a community reaching out to those in need. A place where the poor see the face of the Church in a personal human encounter. We are a people concerned with respecting the dignity of every human person.
Pope Francis, “we are called to find Christ in the poor/ neglected /alienated, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.”
5) Called to Christ’s MISSION to be the light of the world
We are a community devoted to the Mission to be salt and light for the world. Tasked with bringing the Good News to all humanity. A people that lives to transform the world.
Pope Francis: “We need to avoid the spiritual sickness of a church that is wrapped up in its own world: when a church becomes like this, it grows sick”. “Evangelizing entails attracting by our witness those who are far off and distant from God.”
6) A community open to RENEWAL and led by the Spirit
A people led by the Spirit open to Renewal. Creatively seeking new ways to live and proclaim the Gospel dynamically. Learning from our history – good and bad. Finding a new voice in a changing world.
Pope Francis: “Instead of being just a church that welcomes and receives by keeping the doors open, let us try also to be a church that finds new roads, that is able to step outside itself”.
“I would like a beautiful church that goes forward”.
“To be faithful, to be creative, we need to be able to change. To change! And why must I change? So that I can adapt to the situations in which I must proclaim the Gospel”.
7) Where SERVANT LEADERSHIP is marked by collegiality & collaboration
Marked by a Servant leadership. Working together – aware and respectful of the roles, responsibilities and gifts of every member. Pastors and people in dynamic collaboration, openness and solidarity.
Pope Francis: “The Holy Spirit, in the variety of his gifts, unites us and enables us to contribute to the building up of the Church in holiness. In this great work, each of us has a part to play; each of us, as a “living stone”, is needed for the growth and the beauty of God’sholy temple. Let us ask the Lord to help us to take an ever more active part in the Church’s life and mission, guided by the Holy Spirit and with Jesus as our cornerstone.
8) A COMMUNITY OF COMMUNITIES
Pope Francis: “Today, we need a Church capable of walking at people’s side, of doing more than simply listening to them; a Church which accompanies them on their journey.”
“A Christian who withdraws into himself, hiding all that the Lord has given him, is not a Christian! I would ask all our people to be generous with their God-given talents, their faith, for the good of others, the Church and our world.
