Feature
April 2014
With the focus on a Future Full of Hope, the Launch Out candidates and several mentors gathered for a workshop to help connect the pastoral projects required of the candidates, with Archbishop John’s expectations as outlined in the document ‘A Future Full of Hope’.
This workshop was a chance to gain a greater understanding of the task in which our parishes are engaged and of some key components of organisational change in a pastoral setting. Suzanne O’Rourke led the workshop.
One of the principal decisions in A Future Full of Hope is the archdiocese’s commitment to the formation of lay pastoral leaders. This year the archbishop asked the candidates to work with parishes as the archdiocese moves towards merging parishes.
The archbishop particularly noted that the Launch Out candidates are a huge resource for the archdiocese. They are already skilled and competent people and Launch Out provides an intentional formation programme to equip them to serve the church as lay pastoral leaders.
Another encouraging development has been the invitation from several parishes to have candidates engage as participants with their transition teams. Some parishes have booked candidates for 2015.
Lay pastoral leaders are unique to the Wellington Archdiocese and it is gratifying to see them, with their priest colleagues, leading with competence, humility, skill and faith. The enabling of lay leadership is one of the great gifts the archdiocese has developed. Lay leadership now has a proven record and as such is part of the charism of the archdiocese.
We can advance into the future full of hope.
A Pastoral Letter from the Catholic Bishops of Aotearoa New Zealand (extended version)
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