Celebrating National Volunteer Week

Next week (18–24 May) we celebrate National Volunteer Week. OLR simply could not function without volunteers and I want to personally thank the many people who generously give their time, talent, and service to the life of our parish community.

Many people walk into the church each weekend to find the doors are already open, a friendly face greets them and hands them a newsletter and helps them take their seat for Mass. Yet behind all of this are countless volunteers quietly serving behind the scenes.

Long before mass commences many people have already opened the church, prepared the altar, counted the hosts for consecration, compiled the newsletter, cleaned the church, turned on the lights, rehearsed the music, and prepared hospitality afterwards. This is not to mention the many ministries that continue throughout the week: Pastoral Care Call Centre, St Vincent de Paul, Alpha, Gardening Teams, Youth Ministry, Children’s Liturgy, Hospitality Teams, Intercessory Prayer Support, Church Transport and many others.

Next week after every mass, there will be an opportunity to sign up for various ministries within the parish. Please prayerfully consider where God may be calling you to serve.

May God bless all our volunteers abundantly for the love and care they so generously share with the Parish. We are building the Kingdom of God and continuing his mission here and now!

What is the Upcoming Open House Event All About?

In three weeks, our parish will be hosting a Divine Renovation Open House for clergy and parish leaders from around the region.

Divine Renovation is a Catholic ministry that helps parishes move from maintenance to mission by creating environments where people can encounter Jesus, grow as disciples, and become active participants in the life and mission of the Church. For several years now, Our Lady of the Rosary Parish has been guided by many of the principles of Divine Renovation.

One of the key ideas behind Divine Renovation is recognising that the days of the priest trying to do everything alone are long gone. The mission of the Church is strongest when the whole parish family is equipped and empowered to use their God-given gifts in service of the Gospel.

Rather than parish ministry depending almost entirely on the priest, Divine Renovation focuses on raising up leaders, forming disciples, and equipping the laity to actively participate in the life and mission of the Church. It is about building healthy parish cultures where people move from simply attending Mass to becoming missionary disciples who help others encounter Christ.

But what does it actually mean for a parish to move from “maintenance” to “mission”? A parish in maintenance mode can gradually become focused mainly on keeping things running: maintaining buildings, preserving schedules and traditions, and caring only for those who already attend. While these things are important, the danger is that the parish can slowly become inward-looking, stagnant and eventually die.

A missionary parish reflects on how they might help more people encounter Jesus. Mission mode focuses on evangelisation, welcoming newcomers, forming disciples, reaching those who feel disconnected, empowering lay leadership, and creating pathways for people to grow in faith and become active participants in the Church’s mission. The Open House will provide an opportunity for visitors to learn more about evangelisation, leadership, and openness to the Holy Spirit through keynote presentations, workshops, prayer experiences, and conversations with parish leaders and ministry teams. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet parish leaders and volunteers, hear stories from different ministries, and see some of the ways OLR is seeking to foster evangelisation, hospitality, leadership, and missionary discipleship in today’s world. This event is not so much about drawing attention to ourselves and our achievement, rather it is about inviting others into the same journey which we are on.

If you are interested (or even just a touch curious) in helping our parish’s continual transformation from maintenance to mission, then this event is for you! You can register HERE. Hope to see many of you there!

God bless, Fr Gerard