PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL

“The mission of the Church, the work of God, is not just the responsibility of the teaching Church, it is the call and the responsibility of all the baptised.” So said Archbishop Farrell in the document launching the Diocesan Pastoral Council. The Archbishop continued: “One of the ways to ensure that the faithful are able to be heard and can participate in the life of the church, is through a…Pastoral Council.”

A Pastoral Council is not merely to assist the priests and Pastoral Workers in their work, but rather, to work alongside, collaborating as co-responsible equals, offering their time, talent and treasure for the good of our parishes. “Such a body allows the People of God to play a part in the pastoral development of the [parishes].”

The formation of a Pastoral Council is rooted in the call that is issued to all of us at Baptism, the call to discipleship. It is rooted in the recognition that we are all gifted and graced by GOD in and through the Holy Spirit: “A Council recognises…that the Holy Spirit is active in the People of God, and will enable the Church to be more participatory and missionary”

The Pastoral Council is not an administrative or a management body. It is not a committee. It is, rather, a prayerful, discerning group of parishioners, representative of the partnership of parishes of Moone, Narraghmore & Athy. Seeking, in prayer, to discern how our parishes can interact with and respond to the context in which we, as faith communities, persist within the broader context of society. “It will belong to this council to investigate, to consider and to formulate practical conclusions about those things which pertain to pastoral works.” (Christus Dominus, 30)

After a long period of discernment, prayer and discussion a combined Pastoral Council has been formed that will serve the people of the parishes of Narraghmore, Moone & Athy for a fixed 3-year term. This new council will be commissioned at the 12noon Mass in St Michael’s Church, Athy next Sunday, September 21st. Please join us at that Mass to show your support to those parishioners who have responded in this way to the call of their Baptism. The members of the council are: Audrey Cardiff, Fergal Dunne, Marcella Moore, Chris Rowan, Bernadette Prendergast, James Reeves, Frances Soney-Ituen, Joan O’Connor, Anne Crowe. Ex-officio members: Fr Francis McCarthy, Fr Liam Rigney, Natasha Geoghegan and Conor McCann.

Please keep the council in your prayers.