Países que conforman la Alianza del pacifico

As mentioned above, there were a range of factors in the parish that appealed to men and women of different age groups. The next sections will focus on the six common reasons for parish vitality that were valued by a majority of parishioners. These were:

1. A strong sense of belonging and community 2. Active parish groups

3. Committed parishioners 4. A welcoming parish 5. An inclusive parish 6. Vibrant liturgy

There were a range of different factors involved in each of these characteristics. These are analysed, explained and highlighted in the sections below.

A Strong Sense of Belonging and Community

Having a strong parish community was the chief reason why participants in the study felt their parish did really well. When participants described a strong community, they used phrases like “a good community where people respond well and where they are many talented people”, a place where there are “good people”, and where there was a “strong sense of community” and “an opportunity to get to know people better”.

Several participants spoke of having formed strong bonds with other people in the community, leading to firm friendships and lasting support groups and a strong sense of belonging. In some parishes, this was partly helped by parish leaders who encouraged these efforts. For many, the parish felt like “a home” or “a family”. Participants spoke about “knowing everyone well” and looking after one another. As one parish group leader from Harris Park commented, “People notice when there is anyone missing for Sunday Mass and they will come up and inquire about you”.

We know each other well and live in town and are in groups together. We are a friendly community. —Parish group leader, Mount Isa.

There is a real sense of connection and ownership. There is a sense of collective responsibility. There is a lot of bonding between people in the parish community. —Parish group leader, Cororooke.

For many participants, the parish was a place where people cared for one another and help was always available when needed. Some participants had personal experiences where someone in their family had been sick and they were grateful for the help that parishioners had offered them through visits, meals and other means. In other parishes, the outreach activities to the wider community also led to an increased vitality in the parish:

The pastoral care for the community is very strong. For example, two students in the college met with accidents and are in hospital so the support from parish and teachers and school parents is tremendous. We’ve helped organise meals to their families. —Parish staff, Warnervale.

The parish is a town hub where people who need help know they can come as needed. Outreach is significant too … There’s also recognition in the town that they help a lot of poor people down there at St Brendan’s [the parish]. There’s great respect for St Brendan’s. —Parish staff, Shepparton.

There was also a strong sense of ownership that participants felt about their parish. This had come about in two ways, either through collective fundraising for building a Church, or through regularly participating in the activities and events at the one parish Church. There were many responses which indicated a good level of collaboration among parishioners. Primarily, these were between various Mass centres, in parishes that had two or more centres of worship. Combining resources and activities, such as “one office”, “one newsletter”, “an annual parish dinner”, and a good communication system that helped keep all parishioners informed of events and activities, helped foster good relations between different parish groups. Participants indicated high levels of cooperation and help, respect for one another and their different opinions, and an absence of jealousy and other negative feelings.

There was also a high level of “connectivity” that happened in these parishes. Many of these were connections with other people and families that participants made within the parish through the school and through different parish groups that they were involved in. One parish had also built very good ecumenical connections with other denominations in the area and had regular events where people from different church communities interacted with one another.

Active Parish Groups

There were many parishes where a large number of active groups contributed to the vitality of the parish. Participants believed that these groups “offered a lot more to people”, “opened doors to parishioners”, added to “the energy and variety” of the parish and generated “high levels of involvement” among parishioners. There were many participants who reported that the very presence of a large number of active groups itself added to the overall vitality:

There are so many people involved. About 145 have volunteered to participate in various groups this year, including 50 new people. —Parish staff, Kings Park.

There’s a lot that goes on—counselling, activities for families and teens. It covers the whole gamut of society. —Parish group leader, Harris Park.

There were many different types of groups mentioned by participants. These included outreach activities, liturgical ministries, social and cultural groups, cell groups, different sorts of youth groups and evangelisation activities. However the most widespread range of groups found in parishes were the diverse opportunities available for spiritual nourishment and growth. These included different styles of liturgies, retreats, prayer and adoration groups, involvement in World Youth Days and other similar events for youth and men’s groups such as menALIVE2, amongst others. The benefit of having such a range of activities for people was that people became involved in ways that were “deeply satisfying”, which also helped their “spiritual development”. It also enabled a wider range of parishioners to find something that they could be attracted to and be involved in:

The Disciples of Jesus have three youth ministries—junior high school, senior high and a post-secondary group. Healing ministry is strong and evangelising … We have Friday devotions & healing Mass. There are cell groups strong across the parish. —Parish Leader, Narrabundah.

The parish is very organised. There are different groups and different leaders. There are almost 40 groups in the parish which people can join if they want to. The groups invite people in ... There is a recognised need for fresh members. —Parish staff, Shepparton.

2

menALIVE Ministries Inc., "Welcome to menALIVE.org.au", menALIVE Ministries Inc http://www.menalive.org.au/ [accessed 8 August 2013].

In some parishes, participants were especially attracted by particular parish groups that were functioning really well and which they felt added to the overall vitality of the community:

We have a very active liturgy team which meets every month. Every member is active—in music, drama, the proclamation of the Word and data projection. —Parish group leader, Albany Creek.

The Spiritual Companioning program could be a good model for other parishes. The people connect in various ways or through groups. The people respond to needs that are in the community. —Religious brother, Mount Isa.

We have a Conversation Group that meets once a month for people who want to come together to share their life journey. The depth of sharing and interaction is wonderful. —Parish Leader, Warnervale.

Committed Parishioners

One of the great influences on parish vitality, according to many participants, was having a good number of committed parishioners. Not all parishes had very large congregations like Harris Park; nevertheless, many parishes had several people participating in numerous parish activities. These were not just people who attended Mass regularly but those who were ready to help out when needed and to see the parish through the difficult times. Participants spoke of their parishes as being “people driven”. There was “great ownership among people” and a “collective responsibility” leading to “greater participation”.

We have a very well-functioning liturgy committee, a very strong Parish Council, a 10 year committee. These are full of people who are committed and energetic. —Parish Leader, Warnervale.

People are very involved. They will give of their time and talents e.g. working bees (combined school and parish). We have 18 volunteers for the office for whatever needs to done from maintenance, accounting, admin or newsletters … Members will report problems to the office where it will be listed on a whiteboard and maintenance volunteers will do it the following week. It’s a continuous process that happens. —Parish staff, Kings Park.

Participants described these committed parishioners as people who “worked hard and were deeply involved” in the parish. They were “ready to step up and keep the parish going” and were “committed to making things work”.

The people in the three centres have stepped up to the plate and gone with something more than they were comfortable with. A lot of it has to come from us [parishioners]. —Parish group leader, Myall Coast.

The overall participation by parishioners was great. People wanted to survive so kept things going. The ongoing survival of the parish was a very important factor in this. —Parish Leader, Cororooke.

…When the children went to high school, us mums started as a social group and we’ve ended up being the group that cleans the Church. I know I can rely on them. —Parish staff, Launceston.

There was considerable admiration among participants for the faithful work that these people did. The willingness of the people to do things and the generosity of parishioners in sharing their gifts and skills was frequently mentioned. At the same time, their awareness of others and their charity to one another was also commended. As the parish leader of Cororooke noted, “They are welcoming, they are involved; they encourage participation [and] invite others to join in”. This resoluteness of people “to keep things going” and to” keep the parish alive” was one the reasons why these parishes did so well.

A Welcoming Parish

There were several participants who felt that the vibrancy of the parish was largely due to the welcoming atmosphere that pervaded their parish. They described their parish as “an open community”, “hospitable”, “friendly” and “down to earth”, a place that was “simple, yet inviting” and where people were “enthusiastic and welcoming”.

It [Welcoming] has to do with how people are greeted and how services are offered. There needs to be liturgical hospitality—making it easy for people. —Parish Priest, Kings Park.

There were many ways in which people were welcomed into the parish. In most parishes, the parish leader took an active role in making people feel welcome whether it was at the Church doors before Mass or in their day-to-day dealings with parishioners.

The many ways in which people were welcomed differed from parish to parish as various participants spoke of welcoming several groups of people into the community:

The RCIA is a great part of the parish’s life and a prime way of welcoming people into the parish. You welcome people at depth then enable them to get involved. It enables newcomers to commit to something … The aim … was to have the parish become an RCIA parish where we are involved and outgoing and try to be more Christ-like. —Parish Council member, Shepparton.

The parish is big on fellowship…building relationships…good at hospitality and welcoming people at the doors. The priest welcomes new people. You go in to Mass and sit next to somebody new (make this a mission). It’s a good way to avoid cliques and meet new people. —Parish staff, Narrabundah.

Some participants had personal experiences of this warmth and friendship that had made a difference in their lives. One parishioner recounted her experience of joining her current parish:

At the other parish I never got involved, it was very "cliquey". There were a lot of older people running things and I could never break in. I was there for a long time and I was too scared to put my hand up for anything. Here I knew a lot of people in a lot less time and more closely than I ever did in the other parish … We were a new parish and we had to be open to each other so we quickly became a community. —Parish Council member, Warnervale.

There were many instances where participants mentioned the openness that their parish had to reach out to the people in the wider community. The groups most frequently spoken about were newly arrived immigrants and other newcomers to the parish who had moved into the area or had joined the parish community through the RCIA program. There were also references to other groups of people such as the homeless and the distressed, the elderly, the students and families of parish schools, people participating in the Catholics Returning Home program, children and families involved through the parish Sacramental programs and, in one parish, people of other religions who were invited to use the Church space when their own facilities did not suffice.

Most people were welcomed through the Sunday Mass and other liturgical services where parish leaders encouraged people to greet and introduce themselves to one another. In some parishes, there were different groups and events which provided the

welcoming for different groups of people. One parishioner from Albany Creek briefly described the role of the special “Welcoming Committee” in her parish that looked after receiving new people:

Part of their job is keeping an eye out for anyone new at Mass. The new parishioner’s book is available at the piety stall which people fill in. Someone from the parish rings them up and visits them if they like. We also have a supper every year for new parishioners. Everyone new gets a copy of the Stewardship Book which has a list of all the parish groups and contact names and details.

The welcoming of people did not end at just a greeting but extended to looking after them as well. Many participants mentioned the care and concern for one another found in their parish. This was sometimes accomplished through simple, thoughtful gestures, as the parish housekeeper at Shepparton explained,

Hospitality is No 1. … you do what you do at home. You look after people like you do at home ... We [people in the parish] do small things really well. When there was a lot of talk about sex abuse in the paper I organised for a bunch of flowers to be left in the hallway with a note from everyone saying how much we love them [the priests].

An Inclusive Parish

Inclusivity means attempting to involve all people who belong to a parish community, irrespective of age, class and culture. It includes making certain that people feel that they belong and that they are valued members of the parish community. Being inclusive had several meanings for the participants in the study, who explained it as “welcoming new parishioners”, “providing for the whole community”, “sharing resources and gifts across the parish”, “supporting one another”, “celebrating different cultures” and “telling people that they are loved”.

Being inclusive also meant providing for the needs of diverse groups of people in the parish. There were a large number of opportunities in terms of programs and parish facilities available for people to be involved in parish life in many different ways. Many participants stated that their parish was able to adjust to the cultural and social needs of parishioners in order to cater for all age groups. “It’s a cradle to grave community” said

one participant, “where all age groups are taking part”. Respect for differences among people was held in high value in many parishes with participants indicating that their parish recognised that people were called differently to work in different ministries. There were also opportunities available in parishes like Albany Creek where people could “switch over and try something new or change leadership” during the Stewardship Ministry Fair held every two years. Some of the other good qualities mentioned were “the desire to get things happening” and the willingness to “try new projects and keep expanding”. As the parish priest of Mount Isa explained, “As a priest, I try to see a need and do something about it. It can be challenging (in a positive way) for everyone”.

The manner in which inclusivity was achieved differed in each parish according to the demographics and the makeup of the parish community. The presence or absence of a parish school, the number of parishioners with different ethnicities, proximity of the parish to aged care homes and newer housing developments, and the presence of young families are all factors that determine the different groupings of people present in a parish community. This in turn determined the nature and type of inclusivity found in each parish.

Inclusivity between various age groups

Several participants indicated that their parish included children, youth, adults and the elderly in programs and activities held in the community, making sure that all felt at home in the parish:

The parish invites all ages, all walks of life from seniors to the children. The parish provides so much to the whole community. —Parish group leader, Harris Park.

There is a large presence of young families. … There is also a regular morning tea every fortnight. We also have Confession available at these Sunday events for the parents. —Parish Leader, Narrabundah.

There was a particular emphasis on involving young families and children through the sacramental preparation programs when parents bring their children to the parish to prepare them for receiving the Sacraments of Baptism, the Eucharist, Confession and Confirmation:

It’s a mixture area—you’ve got older people who are happy to be involved and also younger people who turn up which adds to the vibrancy and young families through the sacramental preparation programs. And everybody gets on well with each other. —Parish Council member, Warnervale.

Inclusivity among different cultural communities

In the multicultural parishes, such as Kings Park and Mount Isa, there was a particular emphasis on involving people of different cultures in parish activities. Especially in working with new immigrant groups, one parish priest remarked, “the parish makes lots of effort to connect with and to be with them”. Ethnic inclusivity did not try to make everyone a part of one homogenous group but rather recognised and valued the diversity of each cultural group.

Most parishes included people of different cultures in the various parish groups and in