Let’s Consider our Perspective, the Things we Can’t Change, and Pastoral Considerations 

Friends, as we approach some key moments in our consultation process, this newsletter piece is exclusively aimed at providing an overview of how a new Mass roster will be decided. I appreciate that some people have experienced anxiety, uncertainty, and suspense during this consultation process, but it has been important to try to consult broadly before making any changes to the schedule. Together with the Leadership Team, I hope to find a practical solution within the broader context of our faith journey together and the opportunities for renewal that we are hoping to explore.

Community of Communities 
Over the years, our parish has developed very strong independent community identities. This has been a blessing in a time when each community could have its own Sunday Mass. However, it becomes a challenge when priestly resources must be shared, and in a time when some of the communities are reliant on dwindling numbers of faithful volunteers. This model has served us well in the past, but it is time to embrace change with faith and goodwill, both of which are necessary to help us move forward. The drive toward unity between communities is one of the most important goals of this process and is fundamental to embracing the opportunity ahead of us.

What are our next steps? 
As we wrap up the final Conversations in the Spirit next weekend (30th Nov), and the few community-only meetings the following weekend (8th Dec), now is the time to share the criteria and pastoral considerations (hereafter simply criteria) against which the Mass roster decision will be made. I do so in the hope that when the decision is made public on the weekend of 14/15th December, you will appreciate the challenge of the decision, as well as the opportunities which are revealed. I also share the criteria in the hope that you might participate in a consultative way.

What do I mean by consultative participation?  
Every community who has completed both the first and second phases of our consultation process has extolled the warm, welcoming, and family-friendly nature of their community. In some cases, they have put the case as to why their Mass time should remain unchanged.

However, the focus on an individual community makes it difficult to take a balcony perspective. A balcony perspective takes into account all the fixed and moving parts of the board as a whole. While the consultation process continues to be incredibly valuable – since it will form a solid pastoral plan which each community can use to focus and grow – it has not yet yielded any proposals that would meet the needs of the whole parish.

“A balcony view helps us to consider alternative viewpoints and see the bigger picture,
taking an objective view of events so that effective action can be taken” 

Now is the time for effective action. 
As Parish Priest, I will have to take responsibility for the final decision on the new Mass schedule.  The consultation process is, however, essential in order to inform and guide me, and the Pastoral Leadership Team which advises me.

So, I now invite you to further collaborate with your community leader(s) to suggest a viable Mass roster that considers the criteria listed below and your understanding of the needs of the parish as a whole – not just each individual community.

I ask that you do not email your suggestion to the parish office directly but discuss it with your community leader(s) who may then submit one proposal to the parish office which considers the wisdom of many suggestions. I encourage you to take a bold and courageous approach which meets both the criteria and pastoral considerations below. I look forward to receiving your community’s proposal which will help me determine how best to meet the needs of all our communities while focusing on the strategies that will guide our way forward in faith.

Once again, thank you for participating in this important process. Amidst the challenges and opportunities ahead, I remain committed to a process of transparency as we take this journey together.

Peace and blessings, Fr Josh 

PS. Let us continue to move from an ecclesial model of dispensing sacraments, to engaging and being the Sacrament – which is what we are drawn into in the Mass.  Such worship is what changes the world.

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Criteria:

• Two Priests
• 6 Weekend Masses (One Mass at Notre Dame College)
• Mass count data:

> Past five years (as published 2 weeks ago)

> Last weekends Mass Count:

5pm OLR – 180
6.30am OLR – 106
9.30am OLR – 215

8am Kawana – 71

5pm Beerwah – 49
7am Landsborough – 48
9am Maleny – 81

8am Unity – 110
5pm Unity – 247 (There were 12 teenagers initiated at this Mass)

We will continue to measure Mass-related data because we cannot manage what we cannot measure

• Proximity of neighboring worshipping communities
• Board consultation process including parishioners, other parishes who have gone through a similar process, Episcopal Council (Archdiocese leadership including the Archbishop)
• Jesus’ commandment to participate in our Mission to make new followers of Jesus (Mt 28:19)

Pastoral Considerations:  

• Acknowledgement of past, present and future community needs
  > Communities have named their warm, welcoming nature
  > Communities have named their aging population
  > Communities have named their desire for more people to be involved in ministry and service
  > Communities have named their desire for more families and younger people
• Priest’s and Volunteer’s sustainability, health, wellbeing, and workload
• Priest travel time for all pastoral ministries; since priestly time is our most scarce resource, thoughtful and
  effective allocation of this resource is therefore paramount.
• Priest’s availability before and after Masses
• Pre-Mass welcome and post-Mass hospitality every weekend
• Need to bring communities together to renew and thrive