The Diocese offers a one-year course of formation for Pastoral Assistants.
AIM OF THE COURSE
• To offer formation to the laity which will enable them to contribute more effectively to the life of the faith community where priests and people wish to work in a more collaborative way – shared responsibility.
• To enable priests to respond to the demands of today by forming pastoral teams as more of the laity acquire the necessary formation for pastoral ministry.
• To offer the Diocese an opportunity of responding to the rapid changes taking place in the Church today e.g. linking/clustering of parishes and with fewer priests.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE:
The long-term outcome will mean that each parish has a pool of people who are strong in faith, confident, informed and equipped to work as a team for the good of the community.
CHOOSING CANDIDATES
GUIDELINES FOR THE PROCESS OF DISCERNMENT
1. Why do you wish to have a Pastoral Assistant?
Have you discussed this with the Pastoral Parish Council?
2. How will you involve the parish community in the process of discernment?
3. How do you perceive the role of the PA in relation to other ministries in the parish?
4. How well do you know the person you are selecting for this role?
• His/her personal history; strengths and weaknesses?
• Is the person well known to the parish community?
• What is his/her understanding of the role?
5. How might the parish respond to having a Pastoral Assistant?
6. How might they respond to this particular person?
7. Is he/she likely to see being a PA as an opportunity to serve Christ and the Church or would he/she be looking for a certain status above fellow parishioners?
8. Is he/she open to new ideas/challenges?
9. How available is he/she for this ministry?
• Is he/she retired, semi-retired, working full-time, has a young family. (Consideration of age is important.)
• It is important to determine the person’s intention to commit themselves to this role in the parish for at least three years.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE COURSE
• A basic theological foundation in: Church, Sacraments. (Documents of Vatican Two etc)
• Scripture: Introduction to the Old and New Testament
• Spiritual Formation: Growth in Prayer, Journalling, Prayer of the Church, Retreat.
• Growth in self-awareness: (Myers-Briggs – Personality Indicator).
• Pastoral Formation: The Theology of Ministry, Collaborative Ministry.
• Skills: Listening/Communication Skills, Facilitation Skills, Skills for dealing with Conflict/Assertiveness, Confidentiality/Respecting boundaries.
• Liturgical Formation: to include presiding at Liturgies.
• Bereavement: How to be present to the dying and how to support the bereaved.
• Catechesis: RCIA as the model for all catechesis.
Resources.
• Awareness of what is available to parishes by means of the following Diocesan Commissions, e.g. Liturgy, Music, Justice & Social Responsibility (CJRS), Youth (BCYS), BDPC (Diocesan Pastoral Council), Chancery &Tribunal, Diocesan RCIA Network
THE COURSE INVOLVES PARTICIPATION BY MEANS OF A
VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES
• Input from competent theology and scripture teachers
• Input from competent counsellors and spiritual directors
• Input from priests, deacons and other pastoral workers
• Use of audio visual material.
• Role-Play.
• Reflection and sharing in small groups.
• Relevant reading linked to topics.
• Journaling exercise done consistently.
• A short reflection paper.
• A residential retreat – over a weekend.
• Personal interview.
The Course Duration is One Year - September-July and is offered as follows:
Participants usually meet on a fortnightly basis for a two-hour session.
Sometimes sessions can be weekly depending on holidays.
In addition to this, one non-residential weekend as well as a residential weekend is required. There are five study days which take place on a Saturday. For some of the study days participants join the CCRS course. (Catholic Certificate for Religious Studies, offered to teachers and catechists)
Course Director: Sister Nuala Gannon, IBVM MA (Tel: 01277 265219/265255)