There have been so many false starts in the last two years that I have been hesitant to begin this process for fear that I pre-empt another interruption to the liturgical and pastoral rhythm of our community. This reluctance is however waning as I see more and more signs that we are returning to more familiar patterns of parish life. The sacramental programs are up and running, baptisms are prolific and weddings are again emerging. The vast numbers of people who attended our Lenten & Easter Celebrations gives me confidence that people are again ready to reconnect with their faith and their community in a very concrete way.

A regular expression that I hear in the media and in general conversations is the “new normal”. While the pandemic experience heralded inevitable change (some of which will have long term benefits), it would be imprudent to forget the strengths contained in the “old normal”. I am grateful that the communication methods of the “new normal” extended our outreach, however it still left us void of real human contact, and without this contact, community is difficult to live, let alone build.

This is an invitation to the whole community to engage in a renewal of our commitment to re-establish the communal credentials of St Paul Apostle. Many of the previously vibrant ministries in which we engaged have, unfortunately, suffered due to the effects of COVID. The simple fact is; the more people are involved, the more vibrant the community is. There is a parish in the USA where people who join the community must sign up for a parish ministry. This is an extreme policy that I do not intend to follow, but the purpose of the system has great merit.

If we are going to reinstate our declaration to be one family and fulfil our parish mission/prayer, we all need to evaluate our commitment to making these aspirational statements a reality. Therefore, the Motto that the Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Team has settled on is, “Sharing the Load to Live Our Mission.” Many years ago, the parish had stated in a ministry document that it valued engagement: As an integral part of our stewardship program all parishioners are invited to take an active involvement in parish life. Each one of us has been blessed with gifts and talents so let’s use them to build our Parish.

One of the more concerning traits of religious expression in the Modern Western world has been what religious sociologists call the “privatization of faith”. This describes people who live their faith but practice it on their own terms and at their own time. Their faith maybe very strong, and that should be respected, but they do not feel a great need for an experience of community or a passion for mission. While they may observe traditional practices, it is a very individualistic understanding of faith and unfortunately in keeping with the growing individualism evident in Western societies. Christianity has so much to offer our world and among its many gifts are an emphasis on community and a desire to serve our neighbour. We are an “other-oriented” faith that thinks in communal, rather than individualistic terms.

There are unquestionably people whose life is extremely busy. This is especially true if you have young families whereby your capacity to contribute is curtailed by a greater responsibility. Recognising that everyone’s situation is different and that we do not all share the same gifts and talents, the team fully understands that people’s participation in the community is dependent upon a number of factors. For this reason, there are roles that range from 1-2 hours a week to 1-2 hours per month. The formula is simple: the more people shift from being bystanders to participants the stronger the community and the more effective our mission will be.

There are so many areas of potential engagement within the parish and they fall under the broad headings of Liturgy and Celebration; Faith Development; Prayer; Mission and Outreach: Parish Leadership. There are many groups within these categories and there remains a possibility that new groups may emerge. A fuller description of each group including the relative time commitment will be published in the coming weeks. In the meantime, please give some consideration to assisting the parish with your own particular talents. I can assure you they will be most welcome.

Blessings,

Brendan CP