In 2008 we embarked on a journey which I hope will strengthen the pastoral ministry of the Church in our diocese. You will recall that this began when I wrote a letter which has been described as the Easter Letter of 2008.  In it I dealt with facts and figures which called attention to the challenges facing us as a result of declining numbers of priests.  The difficulty that this poses in the near future, and much more seriously some years from now, is self-evident from the projections we can make about loss through death and through priests reaching the age of retirement. The vista which lies before us calls for persevering prayer for promotion of vocations in the Church and especially for vocations to the priesthood. 


If the scenario for the future of pastoral ministry in our diocese were to be evaluated solely in terms of the contribution of ordained priests, the future would not be bright. But that is not the whole story.  Towards the end of my Easter Letter I said the following: "I believe the time has come to build on what we have achieved so far, to take courageous steps towards co-responsibility and to step bravely into a new world so that together we can build the Kingdom of God".  I said this in the context of the many steps, each small but all important, towards creating a Church where the laity are able to play a more active role in its spiritual mission.


Stages in the journey to date.

The discussion which was initiated with the Easter Letter has been conducted in different ways and at different levels.  The proposal which I made advocating wider adoption of clustering of parishes, a key element of what is now on the table, was well aired at parish level.  Pastoral Councils used my document as a guide to discussion.
 
Stage 1.
In September last deanery meetings attended by priests and laity took the debate forward.  There was broad agreement on the fact that creating parish clusters was our only option in order to provide for pastoral care across the diocese.  This broad acceptance was qualified by the acknowledgment that preserving the identity of local communities, parishes and their subdivisions, needed to be upheld too.    Holding both of these values in balance will remain a real challenge for us all.

One very welcome viewpoint, well expressed by many lay people, indicated that they were willing to take on more responsibility, provided that training for various functions would be offered by the diocese.  The fact that much of that is already on offer by the Pastoral Ministry Team should prove to be encouraging for the lay people who have not yet availed of what is being provided.

Looking back on this experiment in dialogue between clergy and laity I believe that the meetings held in September may have pointed the way towards fruitful interchange of ideas in a Church which is becoming more democratic in structure. Laity should have been reassured by the following: some lay people who attended our September meetings were concerned about the possibility that particular clusters would be set up without their agreement.  They were given assurances that this would not happen.