Pastoral Area Working Group

The Parish of
Sacred Heart & Saint Alban
Warrington

Archdiocese of Liverpool

Leaving Safe Harbours

A Bishops conference in 1995 ratified an earlier initiative to look at ways in which the church can develop to meet its future theological needs and to embrace a collaborative ministry. Collaborative ministry is a term used to describe particular relationships, ways of working and patterns of ministry which bring together laypeople, religious, bishops and priests. Following a number of conferences and meetings a programme has evolved to enable due consideration of all pastoral needs in a systematic and coordinated series of initiatives.

This programme is called Leaving Safe Harbours.

In 2006 the Liverpool archdiocese was divided by the Bishop into 24 pastoral areas with the challenge for each to consider what transition is best for their area. The programme was required to be executed in a three stage process:-Pastoral area in Preparation, Pastoral area in Transition, Pastoral area in Development.

Within each area there will be collaboration between three teams The pastoral area Clergy, the pastoral area Ministry and the pastoral area Working group (PAWG).The Warrington pastoral area following due consideration decided to focus on the key requirements of Communication / Administration, Evangelisation, Pastoral Care and Resources / Finance.

All pastoral areas need to grow collaborative structures which will enable them to see through the changes that are taking place in their areas. Each group is to develop the feeling that their pastoral area is a union in which they will share sacramental celebrations. A number of structural and organisational issues will need to be addressed based on realistic assessments not least financial viability. A Development plan which will bring together all considerations and recommendations relating to the pastoral needs is to be generated by each area for submission to the Archbishop for assessment and approval.

The role of PAWG

The PAWG is a group gathered together to both contribute to the ongoing process of reflection in charting a way forward and see through the changes involved in becoming a Pastoral area.

Each parish had two representatives selected as members of the PAWG. Their role is to participate in this process to ensure full communication and understanding within their parish congregation. Within the PAWG, sub groups have been formed who within a given time frame promote for discussion a proposal for how a particular area of pastoral activity should be organised

It has to be recognised that change is inevitable and continuous; consequently the church cannot be stationery and must adapt to reflect not just the requirements of today but also anticipate those of the future.

For example the average mass attendance within the archdiocese from the 1960’s to 2009 has plunged dramatically, yet the number of declared Catholics remains generally the same. Equally the number of active Priests in the archdiocese is reducing with more than 30% now aged between 65 and 75. The problems are self evident thus we need to imagine and prepare accordingly what the church will require in the next 5,10 and 15 years. The initiative Leaving Safe Harbours is the vehicle for that preparation.

The PAWG will issue every two months a summary of its progress.