Towards a Vision (3)

St. Simon Stock – South Ashford – Summary of Meeting

Together in Hope - Thursday 29th March 2007

1. What are the resources (strengths and gifts) in our parish?
   Parish Priest.
   Congregation as a whole and their individual talents.
   Welcoming other ethnic groups.
   Parish Groups e.g. youth, choir, bible study, altar servers, cleaners etc.
   Catechesis.
   School.
   Hall.
   
2. How would we respond to a situation in which our parish, or a neighbouring parish, had no resident priest? What forms of collaboration and coordination would develop?
   Communion services.
   The Blessed Sacrament exposed.
   Prayers.
   Liturgy of the Word.
   Formation of Parish and Finance Committee to act as a focal point for the deanery, and to assist in determining the needs of the parish.
   Coordination of catechesis.
   
3. Are there any special areas of pastoral provision in this deanery that need to be taken into account for the future? (e.g. Hospitals? Schools? Prisons? Future housing developments?)
   Major and ongoing housing development in the Ashford area.
   New and growing centres of population in Ashford area may require a review of the appropriateness of the existing Ashford parish church locations and parish boundaries.
   Catholic secondary school for Ashford.
   Growth in population and its effect on hospitals and prisons in the deanery.
   Lay group set up to foster links between the parish and the parish school.
   
4. Are there any particular changes in pastoral provision that we can recommend to our deanery?
   Sharing of resources and organisations with other parishes.
   The office of Deacon to be promoted to encourage parishioners to come forward to offer their services.
   More priests from overseas.
   The dean to be more visible and to visit the parish.
   
5. Area for further development
   To clarify the role the laity has in a parish with no resident priest.
   To communicate the existing role of the dean and the deanery.