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 Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 5:05:44 PM
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Bishops listen to reasons for Mass exodus
Australia's Catholic Bishops have discussed a survey that reveals many Catholics have stopped attending Mass because they feel the Church is irrelevant to their lives.
News of discussion of the research project was included in the news briefing that followed the Bishops' plenary meeting in Sydney earlier this month. The briefing was released on Friday.
The research project on Catholics Who Have Stopped Attending Mass reached its conclusion with a final report to the Bishops, outlining four key recommendations for pastoral focus.
The Bishops commissioned the research in 2004 in an effort to explore some of the reasons why people who had been active in Church life are ceasing to attend Mass and engage in parish life.
The qualitative research project, undertaken by the ACBC Pastoral Projects Office, under the direction of Mr Bob Dixon, was based on interviews with 41 people who had stopped attending Mass.
Reasons given for people ceasing to attend Mass included a perceived irrelevance of the Church to modern life, the quality of homilies, inter-personal problems with a parish priest, problems with Church teachings or personal faith, and disillusionment in the wake of sexual scandals. There were also cultural and societal factors which meant that Mass was no longer a priority.
However, half the respondents said they still attend Mass occasionally and almost one third of participants said they might return to weekly Mass attendance in the future.
Following the tabling of the findings of the research in November 2006, the Pastoral Projects Office undertook wide consultation within the Church community on possible pastoral strategies to help people to re-engage with their Parish.
The four primary recommendations put forward in the report and accepted by the Bishops are:
* Building community � that resources for effective parish reviews be developed, distributed and engaged, such that local communities might better know and plan for their people.
* Personal identity � that forums at every level be established for the purpose of greater listening to people, and for pastoral discernment.
* Leadership � that on both diocesan and parish levels there be enhanced formation of lay and ordained people for collaborative leadership, for the sake of mission.
* Mission � that there be renewed effort for the proclamation of the Good News, and for the development of faith formation, particularly using the resources of contemporary technology and the resources being developed by the National Office for Evangelisation.
New Bishops attend meeting
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference held its Plenary Meeting at Mary Mackillop Place, North Sydney from 27 November to 30 November.
A number of appointments have taken effect since the May Plenary meeting. Bishops Peter Elliott and Timothy Costelloe sdb were ordained as Auxiliary Bishops of Melbourne and Bishop Terry Brady was ordained as Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney. Bishop Brady was seconded to the Bishops' Commission for Justice and Service until the next elections, due in May 2009.
Bishop Eugene Hurley, formerly Bishop of Port Pirie, attended the November Plenary Meeting as the newly consecrated Bishop of Darwin and Fr Paul Quirk attended the meeting in his role as Diocesan Administrator of Port Pirie.
Also attending, from Catholic Religious Australia were Fr Mark Raper sj, Sr Christine Burke ivbm and Fr Timothy Brennan msc.
The Bishops noted with pleasure the appointment of Bishop Christopher Prowse as a member of the Pontifical Council for Inter Religious Dialogue.
The Bishops also celebrated Mass for the Repose of the Soul of Archbishop Ambrose De Paoli, the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, who died in October.
Bishops receive WYD briefing and hail the power of the Cross and Icon in their dioceses
With Sydney's World Youth Day just seven months away, the WYD team, led by Bishop Anthony Fisher and Mr Danny Casey gave an extended briefing to the Bishops on the progress towards the big event.
The briefing focused on venues, logistics, pilgrim issues, catechesis and the role of the Bishops in the week-long event, among other things
During the discussion the Bishops also heard a moving testimony of the impact of the Journey of the Cross and Icon from Chantelle Ogilvie, who accompanied the Cross and Icon through the centre of Australia.
Chantelle spoke movingly of her time with the Cross and Icon at Woomera Detention Centre.
"For about 5 years I worked with asylum-seekers and refugees, and so I knew this place would be powerful � I was nervous about it. We climbed the hill and planted the cross, and we observed a minute silence. Then we planted a tree, a small one, I guess as a symbol of hope in a pretty harsh land," she told the Bishops.
"In my work with Parramatta YCS I knew students who were in Woomera for 4 years as children. Their names are Ali, Kaseem and Yusef. They are perhaps 14, 17 years old now. It was such a powerful experience, just to look at that place. For young people of my generation, that detention centre came to represent all that was wrong with Australia at the time. And so it was so powerful, to look at it head on, to not look away, but then to raise that cross and say �This is what we believe in. This is love and courage and freedom.'
"Later on I think it was Fr Chris who said that this is our demilitarised zone. He was referring to the time last year when young people carried the Cross into the space between north and South Korea, and prayed there for peace. For us, as Australians, Woomera was where the rubber hit the road of our Christian commitment. It was where we were most called to front up to the hard things of our world, and then to see in the cross a God that understands that suffering � and who dares us to hope, to dream and live differently.
"This Cross and this icon, wherever they are, hold together so much. In each of our own cities and towns there are Woomeras � there are places of pain � and there are also places of celebration and light. The Cross and the Icon mark the sacredness of these space and say �God is here.'
"That's such a powerful sign for young people, and draws something out of us � our hopes and histories. It touches the space within, gives us hope in solidarity, and moves us forward in love."
Following Chantelle's presentation, a number of Bishops shared their testimony to the power of the Cross and Icon in their dioceses, relating moving stories of its impact on prisoners, indigenous people and many people from both within and outside the Church community.
Bishops back way forward for National ICT committee
The Bishops gave their backing to a framework for taking forward the work of the National Church ICT Committee which aims to take a Whole-of-Church approach to using technology at the service of the mission of the Church.
The Chair of the National Church ICT Committee, Mr Greg Whitby addressed the Plenary Meeting to present the committee's report and seek the endorsement of the Bishops for their framework for the future.
Mr Whitby said that the report "Growing Church in the Knowledge Age � A Framework for the Future" was the result of three think tank workshops which the Committee hosted with more than 50 experts from each of the Church sectors and agencies.
The purpose of the meetings was to identify:
* The key challenges faced by the education, health, aged-care and welfare sectors, dioceses and other Church agencies;
* Current challenges to promoting the Church's mission;
* Knowledge management needs of the Church;
* Communication needs of the Church;
* Possible systems and technology required to meet these challenges.
The input from the think-tanks formed the basis of the report delivered to the Bishops which identifies three key ICT initiatives to assist in addressing the key challenges faced by the Church.
Proclaiming the Gospel initiative
1. To further engage people in the mission of the Church, build a whole of Church online community of faith with services tailored to the needs of each member and improved communication and collaboration tools.
2. To share exemplary practice and resources; developing common data and content management standards that can extend to all Church agency systems.
3. Develop common online systems for all agencies in a sector to use.
The Bishops voted in favour of a motion that the National Church Information and Communications Technology Committee continues to coordinate the development of the following recommended key initiatives over the next two years, reporting regularly to the Bishops Commission for Administration and Information.
Women's Forum Australia promoting life-affirming cultural change for women
Melinda Tankard-Reist, of Women's Forum Australia were invited to address the Bishops on the work the Forum is doing as an independent women's think tank tackling some of the key issues facing society today.
Ms Tankard-Reist said that WFA aims to give voice to a broad coalition of women who will effect life-affirming cultural change for women's well-being and freedom.
"WFA takes a very strong evidence-based approach to the work we do," she said.
The Forum's most recent initiative was the production of a magazine called �Faking It', which reflects the body of academic research on magazines, mass media, and the sexual objectification of women.
Designed to look like the many glossy magazines on the market, it urges young women to become more critical of the messages they receive in the mass media.
"What we are doing is bringing together al the existing literature on how the images portrayed in the popular media are harming women," Ms Tankard-Reist said.
"Essentially, what they are getting from the mainstream media is making them sick."
WFA aims to provide a voice for an alternative, life-affirming view of what it means to be a young woman in the world today.
"We're doing this with a modern, multi-media style approach and I think we've struck a chord," she said.
The Bishops voted to endorse these pastoral strategies and to address the broader issue of Catholics who have stopped attending Mass in a pastoral letter.
ACBC President and General-Secretary to begin annual visit to the Holy See
The ACBC President, Archbishop Philip Wilson and the General-Secretary, Fr Brian Lucas will visit the Holy See next year.
The Bishops voted that such a visit should take place annually, except in years when an Ad Limina visit of all the Bishops is to take place.
During the visits, the President and the General-Secretary will visit various Dicasteries and Vatican officials as deemed appropriate.
Caritas Australia gives snapshot reports to Bishops
Caritas Australia Chief Executive Officer, Mr Jack de Groot led a delegation which addressed the Bishops and outlined the growth, the focus and the plans for the future for their aid agency.
Caritas Australia is the agency of the ACBC which works with communities around the world and also within indigenous Australia to deliver aid, dignity and justice to those in need.
Mr de Groot said Caritas Australia has grown over the last 10 years, with its programs now worth $26.8 million, up from $6.6 million in 1997.
Funding now focuses on development outcomes, and the principle of working with local partners on the ground in various communities means that Caritas staff are now an active presence in helping to build local organisations.
He said Caritas Australia has also developed a greater capacity for humanitarian and rehabilitation response over the last decade.
The priority programs for Caritas Australia are the Pacific, Indigenous Australia, SE Asia (especially Indonesia and Philippines) and Humanitarian Response
In looking to the future, Mr de Groot called for a Whole-of-Church response to the challenges of Development in our region and warned that climate change and other factors would likely lead to an increased number and severity of disasters.
Bishops continue pastoral discussion on Handing on the Faith to the Young
The challenges of handing on the faith to the young formed a key focus for pastoral discussion at the Bishops' Plenary Meeting.
It was the second major pastoral discussion among the Bishops on this topic after they identified it last year as a top priority for their ongoing attention.
The Chairman of the Bishops' Commission for Catholic Education, Bishop Gerard Holohan led the discussion which focused on methods of catechesis in the different settings of the home, the parish and the school.
The Bishops will take their discussions and deliberations on the broader issue forward at the May 2008 Plenary Meeting.
Bishops vote to approve �Grey Book' of new Missal
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference voted to approve the completed draft of the new translation of the Roman Missal.
The translation, completed by the International Commission for English in the Liturgy, has been sent to all English-speaking Bishops Conferences for similar approval.
It is now anticipated that the completed Missal, with Australian adaptations, could be sent to Rome for recognition by the Holy See in 2009.
Australia is also part of an international committee of member conferences of ICEL which is preparing a comprehensive catechetical resource to assist in the implementation of the new translation of the Missal.
The international resource will be tailored to the needs of the Church in Australia and made available to all sectors of the Church.
It is expected to be launched at the beginning of 2009 which would then provide for a one-year period of formation prior to the introduction of the Missal sometime in 2010.
Days of prayer for good seasons
The Catholic Church in Australia is to have a new feature in its liturgical calendar, with the proposed addition of two days of prayer and fasting for good seasons.
The move comes in response to a submission from the Knights of the Southern Cross to the Bishops' Commission for Liturgy that there be regular prayer for good seasons.
The ACBC accepted the proposal and passed a motion recommending the introduction of two Rogation Days of prayer and fasting, on or about June 21 and September 21 each year � they being the solstices � and that these days be included in the Ordo.
These two special days in the liturgical calendar would encourage parishes to pray for the intention of those who are dependent on the land and good seasons.
The Bishops' Commission for Liturgy will prepare appropriate resources to assist in the observation
Grace Mizzi
www.mmponline.org
Send Oh Lord Holy Apostles into your church
“Christ has no body but yours, no hands but
yours, no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s
compassion must look upon the world.
Yours are the feet with which He is to go about
doing good.
Yours are the hands with which He is to bless us
now.”
St. Theresa of Avila
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 16 2007 : 11:11:58 PM
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Hi Grace,
"Reasons given for people ceasing to attend Mass included a perceived irrelevance of the Church to modern life,"
Normally those are Catholics who see absolutely no connection between their daily lives and what the Church teaches and ask us to practice.
"the quality of homilies,"
Gee, I don't blame them but don't think it is reason enough to leave the Church or not attend Mass.
"inter-personal problems with a parish priest,'
There are plenty of parishes to go to, so just go to another parish and continue to go to Mass.
"problems with Church teachings or personal faith,"
Study the Catechism and don't let pride tell you you know better than the Church. Allow the Church to guide you through life.
"and disillusionment in the wake of sexual scandals."
It is very disappointing and morally devastating but when all is said and done, the Church remains the Church Christ founded, and no sexual scandal can change that spiritual reality.
"There were also cultural and societal factors which meant that Mass was no longer a priority."
When Mass is no longer a priority, then God is no longer a priority, and who needs to change, the Church or the person who has become a pagan?
Antonio A. Obregón |
Edited by - Antonio A on Dec 16 2007 11:16:11 PM |
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DeniseLawson
Moderator
USA
808 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2007 : 01:21:18 AM
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quote:
When Mass is no longer a priority, then God is no longer a priority, and who needs to change, the Church or the person who has become a pagan?
Judging by the way mass is sometimes celebrated, I'd argue both. OK - I know that's not quite the answer you were expecting, but think about it - how far off course am I really in saying that? Granted, it is individuals within the Church whose sloppiness can make a mass irrelevant - the presider, the average schmuck in the pews, a combination of the two - but it is also precisely those individuals who are the Church. And technically, until we are all perfected by God, we all need to change.
Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours. |
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 17 2007 : 10:51:40 PM
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Hi Denise L,
"Judging by the way mass is sometimes celebrated, I'd argue both. OK - I know that's not quite the answer you were expecting, but think about it - how far off course am I really in saying that? Granted, it is individuals within the Church whose sloppiness can make a mass irrelevant - the presider, the average schmuck in the pews, a combination of the two - but it is also precisely those individuals who are the Church. And technically, until we are all perfected by God, we all need to change."
I guess I've forgotten how bad it was because, for more than a year now, my new parish celebrates Mass with such reverence and respect, I no longer "suffer" during Mass.
Antonio A. Obregón |
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DeniseLawson
Moderator
USA
808 Posts |
Posted - Dec 18 2007 : 12:27:33 AM
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I didn't. Then I moved back to rural WV where the only parish in the diocese within an hour's drive of where I live has a giggling organist. Fortunately, we are right on the border, and across the river is the Steubenville Diocese. I go to a church over there, and it is much more tolerable - at least the abuses aren't so blatant.
Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours. |
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Antonio A
Maryhead
825 Posts |
Posted - Dec 18 2007 : 01:04:10 AM
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DeniseLawson,
"I didn't. Then I moved back to rural WV where the only parish in the diocese within an hour's drive of where I live has a giggling organist. Fortunately, we are right on the border, and across the river is the Steubenville Diocese. I go to a church over there, and it is much more tolerable - at least the abuses aren't so blatant."
Well, my original parish is so blatant in liturgical abuses, my younger daughter goes with me to Mass to my second parish or my home now. If she misses that Mass because of work, she simply won't go with my wife to our original parish because she can't stand the way the liturgy is done there. I don't like it when she misses Mass but the woman is 30 years old, so all I can do is to remind her that we, Catholics, must go to Mass at least every Sunday, poor liturgy or not.
Antonio A. Obregón |
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DeniseLawson
Moderator
USA
808 Posts |
Posted - Dec 19 2007 : 08:57:50 AM
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Very true, and I was fortunate the other parish was so close. Otherwise, I was looking at nearly an hours drive one way on Sundays, as the closest sizeable towns are Huntington and Charleston.
Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours. |
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