Change layout

• March and August 2023: Workshop and update with Council of Priests.
• April 2023: Presentation to Young Clergy symposium.
• May - September 2023 Briefed individual clergy in 21 parishes.
• July - December 2023 Presented to 20 parishes. Presentations have lasted between one and a half to three hours and have been attended by between 10 to 40 parishioners in each parish conducted before or after mass on Saturday or Sunday or during the week during the day or in the evening. Parish vitality survey results are available through your parish office.

Several themes for action have emerged and are proposed in three waves as a multi-year journey of renewal for the Diocese.

• A soft implementation has been started with participation of clergy and lay people from the ground up, with the principle of collaboration, co-design and co-responsibility.
• To help drive the next phases or work, we are pleased to announce that Deacon Anthony Gooley based in the Ballina parish has joined the team as we move from review into the renewal journey. Anthony has taken on the new role of Pastoral Projects Leader and will work with project teams to implement several projects which have been identified in the review. Anthony has a depth of knowledge and wealth of experience in theology, pastoral support, and leadership development.
• There are four areas of focus in the self-examination and renewal journey.
• Parishes.
• Clergy.

• Selected Diocesan structures.
• Administration of temporal goods.

The soft implementation has targeted three of the four areas of focus of the renewal which are considered to be low-hanging fruit.

Diocese

• Development of a model for a Diocesan pastoral council for the Diocese
• Renewal of the Diocesan youth ministry function

Parish

• Exploring inter-parish collaboration via regional workshops.
• Preparation of lay-led liturgy material, protocols and processes for parishes.
• Centralised information database for parish pastoral support.

Clergy

• Design of protocols and processes for clergy induction into the Diocese
• Design of Clergy and parish profile templates for introduction of new Clergy into a parish

In addition, a co-ordination group has been set up to oversee the above initiatives reporting to the Bishop and the Council of Priests.

Renewal journey coordination group:

• Madeline Beveridge, Alstonville
• Fr Felix Ekeh, Wauchope
• Atat Li-Kim-Mui, Coordinator
• Paul O’Brien, Lismore
• Mary-Ann Thackray, Murwillumbah

Diocese Focus: Development of a model for a Diocesan pastoral council for the Diocese

• Steve Ellem, Casino – Coordinator
• Margaret Gill, Alstonville
• Deacon Anthony Gooley, Ballina, (providing expert support)
• Fr Paul McDonald, Kingscliff
• Anne O’Brien, Port Macquarie

Diocese Focus: Renewal of the Diocesan youth ministry function

• Gemma Ballantine, Mullumbimby – joint Coordinator
• Travis Lyon, Lismore – joint Coordinator
• Bianca McInnes, Tweed Heads
• Sr Di Moralde, Lismore
• Fr Anselm Okeke, Ballina

Parish Focus: Exploring inter-parish collaboration via regional workshops.

• Fr Roland Agrisola, Port Macquarie
• Trevor Cooper, Sawtell, Coordinator
• Fran Davis, Coffs Harbour
• Deacon Anthony Gooley, Ballina, (providing expert support)
• Geoff Melville, Macleay Valley
• Christine Wightley, Murwillumbah

Parish Focus: Preparation of lay-led liturgy resources, protocols and processes for parishes.

• Kurt Challinor, Alstonville
• Mahalia Day, Casino
• Deacon Anthony Gooley, Ballina, (providing expert support)
• Peter McConnell, Kingscliff
• Angela Orrego, Nambucca Valley

Parish Focus: Centralised information database for parish pastoral support

Currently under planning

Clergy Focus:

Design of protocols and processes for clergy induction into the Diocese

Design of Clergy and parish profile templates for introduction of new Clergy into a parish

• Matt Digges, Sawtell - Coordinator
• Cathy Donnelly, Lismore
• Fr Alex Munyao, Lismore
• Julie Nowland, Clergy Life & Ministry
• Lew Wallace, Chancery

If you would like to enquire about the work of these groups or provide input or feedback, please email renewal@lismore.catholic.org.au

Now that nearly all parishes have received their survey results and reports, it is encouraging to see parishes take action in response to the information in their report. A few examples are listed below:

• Murwillumbah Parish had a comment theme about mass times not being family friendly and have changed their mass times. The great news here is, that the parishioners who provided the feedback in the survey also spoke with Fr Peter Wood and the parish office. By the time the survey results had come out, the parish had already implemented the new mass times!
• Ballina Parish's survey, like a number of parishes in the Diocese, highlighted parishioner desire to have greater understanding of and opportunity for input into pastoral planning. After reflecting on the information and messages in the parish report, Fr Peter Padsungay, Fr Anselm Okeke and Ballina Parish leaders have committed the parish to having a Pastoral Council and have commenced the process of its formation.
• There are a number of parishes who are collaborating with each other or talking about collaborating with each other, especially in the area of parish administration support. The previously mentioned working group on inter-parish collaboration and proposed regional workshops in 2024 will expand on this theme further.