The Sentinel is Published by the Pastoral Planning Forum of the Central Deanery.
The printed version is distributed through parishes and schools, and can be downloaded from this page. The text of the printed version will also be reprinted here, with added links for more information.
Issue 2 - Mary, Queen of Heaven, 2005
Download PDF version (246Kb)
Draft Pastoral Plan given to parishes for comment.
About 100 people - Pastoral Councillors, Finance Councillors and staff from each of the 15 parishes in the Deanery - met at Red Hill Parish hall on Saturday 23 July, when the Draft of the Deanery Pastoral Plan was made public.
The Deanery has been asked to produce a Pastoral Plan based on an allocation
of 8 priests in 2006, and 7 priests in 2011, down from 11 priests now. Most of
the transition to the pastoral arrangements and Mass times planned for 2011 will
need to occur well before then. The Draft plan is available from parishes, and
can be downloaded from the deanery website [Draft of the
Central Deanery Pastoral Plan (PDF 165 Kb);
Cover Page (PDF 734Kb);
Map of the Central Deanery (PDF
827 Kb)]
Parish councils have been asked to seek feedback from parishioners by August 24, and forward a response to the Dean by 31 August. The Deanery Pastoral Planning Forum will then revise the plan before submitting it to the Archbishop in October.
The draft plan proposes that, for the purposes of Sunday Masses: St John’s Wood The Gap (SJWTG) and Lutwyche would each be assigned a priest; 2 priests, with assistance from the RBH Chaplain would be lead 8 Masses in across Dorrington and the six parishes known as Jubilee (Ashgrove, Bardon, Herston, Newmarket, Red Hill & Rosalie); and 3 priests would share responsibility for at 10 Masses across the Cathedral, Bowen Hills, New Farm, South Brisbane and Dutton Park. Sunday Mass at St Luke’s, Buranda, would only continue with the assistance of the current retired priest.
For pastoral leadership, there would be one pastor each for Dorrington, Jubilee, Lutwyche, SJWTG, Bowen Hills and the Cathedral. One priest would be assigned to either South Brisbane, Dutton Park or New Farm, with the two other parishes having a lay pastoral leader appointed.
The plan proposes that Dorrington and Jubilee will co-operate fully for pastoral, sacramental, financial and administrative purposes; and suggests that New Farm and Bowen Hills operate in future as a “cluster”, similar to the Jubilee parishes. A Deanery Pastoral Council would be established to foster cooperation between all 15 parishes of the Deanery.
New Role for Dean
Fr Peter Dillon has been appointed pastor of Southport parish, starting January 2006. Fr Dillon is currently Dean of the Central Deanery and Administrator of St Stephen's Cathedral. The new dean, and new administrator of the Cathedral, have not yet been appointed.
What is a Deanery?
A deanery is a regional cluster of parishes within a diocese, working together on common ministries and headed by a dean. The deanery has the role of fostering mutual support between its parishes, joint planning of key elements of pastoral life and mission, and sharing of resources. The dean provides leadership in the deanery in the implementation of the Jesus Communion Mission vision and priorities promulgated by the Archbishop following Synod. Across the Archdiocese of Brisbane there are 109 parishes that are grouped into 13 geographical deaneries. The 13 deans meet regularly with the Archbishop, the two Auxiliary Bishops and the Moderator.
What is the Deanery Pastoral Planning Forum?
The Archbishop has asked each Deanery to establish a body to oversee the development of a Deanery Pastoral Plan. The Central Deanery Pastoral Planning Forum was established by the Dean for this purpose. Each parish has been asked to provide one delegate able to speak on behalf of their parish.
Parishes working Together
“...It is clear that parishes must work together more and more to carry
out their mission." I believe… that it is very important to utilise the deanery
as the vehicle through which parishes work together to carry out the mission of
the local Church… meeting the challenge of following Christ and transforming the
world in our own times.
Archbishop Bathersby
Supporting Deaneries and Parishes
May 2004
The Plan’s Limits
The Draft plan is a response to the clergy allocation for 2006 and 2011. Questions of why will there be fewer priests and what should the church be doing about it -“importing” priests, married priests, women priests, etc. - are beyond the scope of the plan.
What is a Lay Parish Pastoral Director?
A Lay Parish Pastoral Director is entrusted by the Archbishop with the leadership and care of a parish community, in partnership with a priest-supervisor, who oversees the work. Priests would still be needed to preside at Mass and administer sacraments – these may be retired priests or priests in other ministries.
[See First Lay Parish Pastoral Director Catholic Leader, 19 December 2004]
What is a Deacon?
A deacon is an ordained minister of the church. All priests are first ordained as deacons. There are also permanent deacons, who do not intend to be ordained as priests. Suitable single men over 25 and married men over 35 may be ordained as deacons. At Mass, deacons may read the Gospel, give the homily, and would normally administer the chalice to the faithful. The may also preside at baptisms, weddings, and funerals that are not a Mass. Their ordination also confers upon them duties of pastoral responsibility and the service of charity. Permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Brisbane would not normally be employed by the church but would earn their livelihood by other means.
[See Date with Destiny for First Permanent Deacon Catholic Leader 27 February 2005]
Fair deal for rural parishes
This letter first appeared in the Catholic Leader, 5 June 2005.
AT this time, the Church is doing the very important and pressing work of looking at future planning to ensure that parishes have the sacramental and pastoral care that they need.
This is undoubtably a very difficult time, as many churches face questions about how much longer into the future they can expect to have a priest regularly celebrating Mass in their parish.
In other ways this is also an exciting time, as we reflect on the things that are most important to our Catholic tradition, as well as looking at ways lay leadership can be further fostered and nurtured.
There is in the country parishes a growing sense of wondering occurring.
We are wondering if the city parishes really are comprehending the extent of the demands being placed on the more regional centres.
Let me give you an example in order to make the point.
Imagine a priest getting up on Sunday morning and celebrating Mass in Enoggera church, then getting in his car and driving to Caloundra to celebrate the second Mass of the day.
Then he drives to Coolum and celebrates his third. Finally he drives back to Enoggera and (perhaps, even though canon law really does not permit it) celebrates a final Mass in Stafford.
Sound a lot? Well, these are the relative distances covered by a parish priest in North Country Deanery in Brisbane archdiocese.
Did you also know that North Country Deanery, under current proposed plans of priest allocations, is expected by 2011 to minister to its whole deanery region with only 11 priests?
I only realised recently that North Country Deanery covers approximately half the geographic area of the entire archdiocese.
It is no wonder that people in the country are starting to get really upset when they hear that parishes are complaining when they are starting to be asked to think about perhaps driving five to 10 minutes to another church or to consider working in amalgamation with other neighbouring parishes.
I am wondering if it is time to bite the bullet and fairly and prayerfully re-look at the plan and draw it up more realistically and more sensibly. The people of the country have already been undergoing rationalisation and amalgamation, but there is a fear that the same is not as far advanced in the city.
Fr Paul Kelly, Maryborough
Issue 1 - Easter 2005
Download PDF version (120Kb)
The Central Deanery at a glance
- 15 parishes
- 24 Churches
- 50 Sunday & Vigil Masses
- 36000 Catholics
- 11 priests in 2005
- 7 priests in 2011
[More]
The parishes of the Central Deanery
- Ashgrove
- Bardon
- Buranda
- Bowen Hills
- Cathedral
- Dorrington
- Dutton Park
- Herston
- Lutwyche
- New Farm
- Newmarket
- Red Hill
- Rosalie
- St John's Wood / The Gap
- South Brisbane
The Deanery Pastoral Plan
The Archdiocese plans to allocate 7 priests to the Deanery in 2011, down from 11
now. The deanery has to prepare a plan for this by October this year. The
Deanery Pastoral Planning forum, which has a representative from each parish, is
working on the plan now. There will be ongoing consultation with
parishioners as the plan is prepared.
[See Supporting Deaneries and Parishes Archbishop Bathersby, May 2004]
[See Guidelines for Deanery Planning (PDF 49Kb) The Commission for Evangelisation and Pastoral Planning]
Possible Strategies
The Deanery Pastoral Plan could include these strategies, and others
- Priests working across more than one parish
- Amalgamating parishes
- Closing parishes
- Assistance by retired priests
- Lay Parish Pastoral Directors
- Sunday Celebrations of the Word in the absence of a priest
- More lay pastoral staff
- Deacons
- Fewer Sunday Masses
- More responsibilities given to local lay leaders.
- Greater co-operation between parishes on pastoral and administrative matters
Some Background
Lay Parish Pastoral Directors
A Lay Parish Pastoral Director is entrusted with the leadership and care of a parish community, in partnership with a priest-supervisor, who oversees the work. Priests would still be needed to preside at Mass and administer sacraments – these may be retired priests or priests in other ministries.[See First Lay Parish Pastoral Director Catholic Leader, 19 December 2004]
Pastoral Associates
Pastoral Associates are lay people who assist a priest in the leadership and pastoral care of a parish, and are often given responsibility for co-ordinating a number of specific ministries.Liturgy in the absence of a priest
Authorised lay people can conduct weekday Liturgies of the Word and the Liturgy of the Hours (as already happens in many parishes); funerals (but not a requiem Mass); and a Sunday Celebration of the Word in the absence of a priest. This last option is not permitted when other masses are available nearby, except to avoid confusion when the unavailability of the priest is temporary. Lay people can also be authorised to preach in certain circumstances, but not during a Mass. The archbishop can authorise lay people to conduct baptisms if necessary. Deacons can officiate at weddings, baptisms and funerals, and preach at Mass.[See Guidelines for Lay Leaders of Liturgy Archdiocese of Brisbane]
[See Date with Destiny for First Permanent Deacon Catholic Leader 27 February 2005]
Support and training for lay volunteers
As time goes on, more and more of the responsibility in parishes will need to be taken up by lay people, both paid and unpaid. With these responsibilities comes the need for better training and support and greater accountability. Much of the formation and training for lay ministry is likely to take place at the deanery level.
[See Empowering Laity Catholic Leader 11 April 2004][See Ministry And Community Life Archdiocesan Agency]