CURRENT NEWS
The Stream Three Team has met and consulted widely with many groups and councils in the Diocese, from the consultative bodies of clergy which advise the Bishop, down to the former Deanery Pastoral Councils at local level. The current stages of the Walking Humbly process involve Local Steering Groups speaking to parish groups and, where possible, entire congregations, as well as those other large Catholic communities - our schools. However, up to now there has been no formal involvement with the many non-parish groups and organisations that contribute so much to Catholic life ; groups such as the SVP, Knights of St Columba, UCM, CWL, Catenians, CAFOD groups and many others.
Now, these groups have received an invitation from the Bishop to attend at one of two meetings; the remaining one is at St Gregory's School in Northampton on Saturday 13th March. It will be between 10am and 1pm (no lunch, sorry !) and will provide an excellent and rare opportunity for the "Catholic voluntary sector" bodies to network together, as well as hearing about the Walking Humbly process and exploring what they can bring to it - and receive from it.
If your group has not received its invitation (some were posted, some e-mailed) , please contact Brin and we will tell you who it was sent to: we know some of the addresses were from last year's Directory.
Saturday 27th February - Eighteen members of Catholic voluntary organisations including Knights, SVP, Catenians and Good Counsel Network met at St Bernards School, High Wycombe, with members of the Stream Three team. They learned a lot about the Walking Humbly process and about each other, and affirmed the need for fuller communication between their groups and parishes/schools. It was felt that as they operated outside parish boundaries, and sometimes across different Pastoral Areas, they had much to contribute through an awareness of the"bigger picture"
WHAT'S GONE BEFORE
With effect from May 2009 Bishop Peter appointed new Deans to lead the thirteen Pastoral Areas which have replaced the former eight Deaneries.
The names of the Deans and the provisional names of the Areas have been published on this site for some while, and are in the July Vine that is available here (see Archives on the right)
From the box below, you can download a PDF document which gives a diagrammatic Map of the new Pastoral Areas. (The reasons behind this change were explained at length to all priests, deacons, Religious, Deanery Pastoral Councils and Diocesan agencies during the consultation process that lasted from November to March.) 18th Feb 2010 - We are having technical trouble with the visibility of single downloads like the one below. Please go to the main Downloads library here and type "Pastoral" in the search box at the right. The Map and list should then come up quickly.
On the back of the Map is a list of the Areas, (the names given to them are purely provisional at the moment) with the names of constituent parishes and churches in each, and the names of the Area Deans.
The Deans and Pastoral Area Links are also listed here.
The Church Finder facility on this site has been updated to reflect the new Areas.
What's happening now - and in the next few months ?
• The Deans met with the priests of the new Areas and recommended to the Bishop a name of a suitable person to serve as “Pastoral Area Link”. This person might be a deacon, Religious or a layperson. They would need to have the time, abilities and personal qualities to ensure implementation in each locality of the Review and GroundPlan stages (see below). They were appointed by Bishop Peter and local activity is now well under under way.
• The deans and “PALs”, in discussion with the local priests and others, decided upon the membership of a Local Steering Group. The Stream Three Team issued guidance on the desired composition and qualities of such groups. These bodies are in place and well launched on their work by now, though all Areas at working at different paces and some are further along than others - which is fine.
• Two Briefing Days for Deans and PALs took place in September, and a further one on 23rd January. Parish priests will by now have heard from their local PAL with a request to provide (through whatever group is appropriate) the basically factual information for the first stage of the Review, and to convene a slightly larger group for the conversations around the second stage of the Review process. This will be further explained by the local Dean and PAL. The Review checklist is availlable to download, with the other Stream Three documents, from here.
• The Framework for Development (timetable) has again undergone modification in the light of experience and listening. It is now expected that the next steps should happen as follows:
1. Review Phase – from October to end February at latest.
2. Groundplan phase – from completion of Review phase, until Pentecost 2010
3. By Pentecost 2010 – Groundplans presented to Bishop Peter for approval.
4. Late July 2010 – Approval, and implementation begins
Saturday 28th November - Seventy Deans, PALs and Local Steering Groups members gathered today at Thornton College to view the "Advent DVD" which features a number of people from all parts of the Diocese, and all areas of Catholic life, talking about how the Marks (or signs) of a Thriving Catholic Community are expressed in their communities.
Deacon Philip and Avril Baigent explained the purpose of the proposed sessions which churches, schools, youth groups and religious houses are now asked to use for reflection.
Each PAL (or a rep from their Area) was given a box of large envelopes containing a copy of the DVD and all the resources, to take away and distribute in their Area.
Downloadable versions of the paper material to be used in sessions on the "Advent DVD" are now available from the main Downloads page. Search "Stream 3 Current" in the drop-down box.
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Please direct all urgent queries to Deacon Philip Pugh
With regard to the final names of the new Areas, the Bishop has indicated that he would like them to be generally known by geographical names along the lines of the ones provisionally allotted: but he is open to suggestions from Area Deans,after discussion with local clergy, for any modifications, and one Area has already suggested an alternative. Separately, a process to lead to proposals for new Patron Saints is under consideration. We will publish further information as it becomes available.