Pastoral Councils are here to guide our community’s pastoral activities, carefully considering and setting forth practical conclusions. As Pope Francis beautifully puts it, they “should not be ecclesiastical organisations but rather the missionary aspiration of reaching everyone.”
Pastoral Activities Include:
The Universal Synod is highlighting and teaching Us:
Discernment, Discernment, Discernment – We are asked where is the Holy Spirit in our Community? How do we listen and allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, individually and as groups?
Pope Francis emphasises the importance of Pastoral Councils: “How needed Pastoral Councils are! A bishop cannot guide a diocese without Pastoral Councils. A parish priest cannot guide the parish without the Parish Council. This is fundamental.”
The Synod calls for increased participation of laymen and laywomen in Church discernment processes and all phases of decision-making. It goes as far to say Pastoral Councils should be mandatory, effective, accountable, and evaluative.
Many parishes and Partnerships have excellent pastoral councils and Bishop Stephen urges them to continue. However there is an opportunity here for us to reimagine how we do Pastoral Councils – There are various models:
Our communities cannot be inward-looking, concerned only with our own activities and organisational needs. Instead, we are called to be outward-facing, devoted to mission in every aspect of life—within our families, our workplaces, and society as a whole. Our purpose is not just to sustain the Church but to bring Christ to the world.
I dream of a missionary option, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation.
Read the Diocesan Vision here.
View the 5 sessions for parishes to discern here.
For more information please email our team at: adminfaith.mission@diocesehn.org.uk.
Diocesan Lay Pastoral Council:
On Saturday 8 February 2025 at the request of Bishop Stephen the Lay Pastoral Forum met at the Diocesan Offices. Bishop Stephen reiterated his vision and the mission for our Diocese, he provided the details of the new deanery structures and the new Deans. The forum becomes the Diocesan Lay Pastoral Council and will provide advice to the Bishop.
Its current members are the Partnership Chairs and representatives from the Youth Council and the Anti Racism Working Group. The Chair of the Lay Pastoral Council, Nigel Lightfoot, stressed the need for Partnerships to work with the clergy and for the Council to be the eyes and ears of the laity to provide advice to the Bishop. The council must also work alongside the new Deans. The Lay Pastoral Council rejoiced in having a clear pathway to work together in the Diocese to provide the best advice to Bishop Stephen.
Actions following the meeting:
Two working groups were established to develop further:
Terms of reference for these two working groups have been established. Reports of progress will be posted on the website in due course.
The Diocesan Youth Council:
Announcing the Relaunch of the Diocesan Youth Council, read more here.
