This week we celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ. St Paul reminds us that we use this term in at least two ways. We talk about the Body of Christ when we refer to the bread of the Eucharist, which is our nourishment and our food for the journey. We also talk about the Body of Christ when we refer to the community of believers, gathered together around Christ – the head of the Body.
The experience across our parishes over the last week has certainly felt like the Body of Christ has been gathering together in faith, hope and love. We have held three meetings of the community in relation to the proposed amalgamation of our parishes. There was a wonderful community spirit at each of these meetings as people gathered together to talk about the future. People shared openly and honestly about their hopes, worries and dreams for the future. The Parish Pastoral Council was able to collect data from over 200 people who participated in these community gatherings. The bulk of the time at our meetings was spent on four questions: what excites you about the idea of amalgamation, (in other words, what is the upside or positive about amalgamation), what worries you about amalgamation, what more do you need to know, and what is your stance towards amalgamation and what suggestions do you have. The full data is yet to be collated and analysed. That will happen over the coming weeks. Initial indications, however, show that there is a positive stance towards the proposed amalgamation.
Our parishioners, members of the Body of Christ, indicated in the discussions that they were excited about being a more missionary and outward looking Church. If amalgamation of our parishes, bringing together our communities and their resources, would help us to be more missionary, then it would be a positive thing. There was a real sense that people want to be active and creative in being present to one another and in making a difference in the wider community. There was a concern expressed in the discussions that no one be left behind in the amalgamation process. People are rightly keen that everyone is brought along on the journey and that while new structures and activities may emerge, we must be attentive to our senior parishioners and their needs along the way.
There was a sense of excitement that there may be new opportunities to meet new people, create new connections and strengthen our ministries and outreach activities. There was also a sense of reality in the discussions. Many people used the words ‘it’s common sense’, or ‘inevitable’ and ‘the right way to go’ when they spoke of the proposed amalgamation.
If you have not been able to follow the proposed amalgamation or were not able to get to the recent meetings you can catch up by visiting the Building Stronger Partnerships for Mission page on our website. This is an interactive page and you can add your comments there too.
The old adage – you are what you eat – is true. Our Eucharistic communities who share in the body of Christ each week, continue to grow into the food they eat. Willingness to enter into the proposed amalgamation shows an openness and a self-giving that is characteristic of a Eucharistic community.
Fr Brendan Reed
More detailed information and analysis of our parish meetings will be available in the coming weeks.
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Laura Facci says:
Father Brendan I think the amalgamation of the 5 churches into a new parish is a good thing. Just a thought : what if we were to call the new parish « The Greater Parish of Our Lady of Pentecost « ?
Sandy says:
These meetings really did epitomise Pope Francis’ view of the listening church.