SYNOD RESPONSES Feb 2022 Bohermeen, Cortown, Boyerstown | Bohermeen Parish | Boyerstown | Cortown

SYNOD RESPONSES TIDY SUMMARY Feb 2022 Bohermeen, Cortown, Boyerstown

DRAFT # signifies these responses came up on a repeated basis

Question 1: When you think of your experience of Church, what brings joy? JOY

Mass and the Eucharist including

A good sermon #
Music #
Distribution of Communion to housebound
Mass on TV for sick and housebound #

Sacraments

Baptisms, Confirmation, Marriage … key life events #
Reconciliation … unique to the Catholic church …. meeting, forgiveness, relief.
Joy at funeral when you wake an old friend #

Catholic celebrations and rituals

Christmas and Easter: crib, music, lights…… #
Blessing of the graves #
Retreat, Mission, Novena
Special times in the liturgical year – doing something special for Lent
Saints’ days – their inspiration
Benediction
Adoration
Pilgrimage
The traditions we loved, some of the old Latin hymns, they are the roots of our faith
Familiarity, habit #

Christian / Catholic community

People, community, meeting others #
Opportunity to help/participate #
The Church as people, loving God and neighbour #

Christian / Catholic learning

Scripture #
Alpha #

Personal relationship with God … Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit

Being touched by the Lord
After life
Sense of healing
God is someone to turn to, who will hear and will answer #
Light in darkness no matter how small
Gift of prophecy
Able to offer up sufferings easier, because of the Cross

Relationship with priest

Joy of listening to someone close to God
The comfort a priest may offer in times of trouble and grief #

Church buildings

Church is familiar, constant and universal – drop in anywhere in world #
Sense of God’s presence, peace, time out, time for reflection #

Question 2: When you think of your experience of Church, what brings sadness/anxiety ?

SADNESS / ANXIETY

Personal decline in faith and belief

Decline in religious education in schools #
How to encourage religious practice among young people #
Empty seats, the decline in numbers attending Mass and church events #
Many people no longer know how to behave in church; loss of sense of respect and reverence
Need for further education / training for lay people, general lack of religious education among adults, too #
Obstacles, such as sporting events which coincide with mass and other church events … get higher priority #
Loss of basics like the Rosary
How do we pass on the Faith to the next generation? #
For the middle-aged – indifference – don’t feel faith is important
How do we pass on the Faith to the next generation? #
Schools not into religion #
Drop out of second level students #
People not attending / seeing importance of months minds.
Fear of going to Hell

Church organisation, structures, communications

The sexual abuse scandals #
Cover up and poor handling of abuse scandals #
Chilling effect of abuse on youth attendance – so not experiencing church community #
Older non-attenders may have reasons for hostility to Church
Scandals used as an excuse #
Clericalism / conservatism #
Church has lagged behind the culture in promotion of gender, and all other forms, of equality #
Inequality in distribution of wealth
Church very controlling – schools / ethos – indoctrination #
Absence of women in clergy #
Anxiety re future leadership #
Sins of one affect many #
Organisation, structure and communications outdated and not fit for purpose #

Society

Drive towards secularism #
Media and cultural hostility: “liberal agenda”: where do we find the courage to speak up for our beliefs? #
Lack of values / moral code #
Breakdown in trust / communication – no answerability #

Priesthood

Lack of vocations: the role of priest today is not attractive #
Shortage of priests #
Lack of availability of priests ( to help people ) #
“The harvest is great” – where will people turn for guidance, will enough rise to this challenge ? #

Covid impact ( some permanent, some short term )

Trigger for loss of some mass attenders for ever – some through lack of faith, some through health concerns #
Effect of Covid: no altar servers, no offertory procession, ongoing need for caution…
The restrictions imposed by Covid saddened many – the masks, the roped-off seats…
Anxiety re shaking of hands #

Question 3: When you think of your experience of Church, what brings hope? HOPE

Mass and Eucharist

Lay led liturgy of the Word #
Lay led Eucharistic services with pre consecrated communion hosts #
Modern music #

Personal faith

People sharing their faith #
Those who really care – the core group of worshippers/attenders
People who attend Church now are those who really want to be there
The enthusiasm of some young people, such as the Net teams #
More influential lay people bringing people to faith
Sharing faith in parish in groups #
Our day-to-day experience of Church needs to be “outside” the institution
That we, in our parish, are “doing our bit” #

Priests, clergy, lay people

A route back for priests who have left ministry, might be found, to use their education / formation, at least at level of deacon #
Married priests an extra resource #
More participation by lay people #
Permanent deacons #
Women priests #
Greater involvement of women, harnessing their skills, leadership, empathy #

The Holy Spirit, Pope Francis and change

The work and example of Pope Francis #
The synod process, the hope that bishops, priests and people will buy in to it, and that it will be successful #
That the shortage of priests and the reduction in traditional service provision may create in people a need, a hunger and a desire to participate
Pope Francis’ efforts to make Vatican institutions more transparent #
That Pope Francis started this process #
That we are building a renewed Church which will be for all, and which will be strong and alive #

Modern communications

The use of technology in keeping people connected and the desire people showed to stay in touch with the Mass during Covid restrictions #
That R.T.E broadcast Mass daily during lockdown
That ( smaller / remote ) churches can be kept open by using technology #

Christian / Catholic devotion

The inspiration of pilgrimage sites such as Knock and the participation of young people in those settings #
Our Lady
Back to parish missions #

Question 4: How can we, as Catholics, create a real sense of welcome, belonging and inclusion in our parish community?

Mass and Eucharist

Current with priest

Hospitality after Mass #
Well heated churches
Special provision for small children at family Masses #
Return of Altar Servers will give children, and families, a bit more sense of inclusion
Keep the Covid-time welcome at the door #
Invitation to participate in reading, choirs, singing, altar societies, hospitality etc. #
Parish welcoming committees USA style
Bus service to collect people to come to Mass

Future without priest

Lay led Eucharistic services #
Keep smaller churches open as a place of worship and less frequent celebrations #

Parish Community services

Possible (carefully prepared) lay visitation of the sick / housebound
Funeral committee to assist with preparations for funerals, if required #
Prayer meetings / healing

Parish organisation and communications

Registration as members of parish
Broadly based parish council #
Finance committee #
Group to support parish work – some paid / some voluntary #
Be open to all
More open communication about what groups are set up / working in our parish
Invitation to be involved in parish activities, or to express opinions, using modern methods of communication such as Google Forms #
Use modern methods of communication to reach out to all, including other local organisations, such as sports clubs
Build togetherness – meetings, services, etc. should be whole parish events, not splintered into three
Build on and follow up on these meetings – for example, have a quarterly parish forum where parishioners are invited to attend and discuss the direction of parish development