What do they do?
The reduction in vocations to the priesthood and an ageing clerical population is having a dramatic effect on the level of services being provided by the clergy and the situation is will deteriorate further. Accordingly, services and activities that do not require a priest will increasingly have to be provided by lay people.
In this regard Balally Parish is fortunate in the high level of commitment of so many of the congregation to the practice of servant leadership. In excess of thirty groups of volunteers, mostly lay-led, are actively involved in attending to the needs of the parish and of the wider community in the areas of liturgy, spirituality, communications, finance and social awareness. These elements comprise the five pillars of the parish which serve to support our faith community in its prayerful actions. Each pillar is comprised of a number of parish groups, details of which are provided below. For its part the Parish Pastoral Council exercises a coordinating role.
From time to time ad hoc groups are formed to meet specific needs, such as the process of visitation to welcome new arrivals to the parish. This was begun in 2007 and continued in 2008. While some members of parish groups have been involved for many years, there is always a special welcome for new members.
Parish Pastoral Council - The purpose of the Parish Pastoral Council is to discern the pastoral needs of the parish and to initiate a response to these needs, to co-ordinate and support other parish groups and to be the "eyes and ears" of the parish. It can also be viewed as a parish "think tank", discerning the "signs of the times" and taking responsibility for the future well-being of the parish
In this regard Balally Parish is fortunate in the high level of commitment of so many of the congregation to the practice of servant leadership. In excess of thirty groups of volunteers, mostly lay-led, are actively involved in attending to the needs of the parish and of the wider community in the areas of liturgy, spirituality, communications, finance and social awareness. These elements comprise the five pillars of the parish which serve to support our faith community in its prayerful actions. Each pillar is comprised of a number of parish groups, details of which are provided below. For its part the Parish Pastoral Council exercises a coordinating role.
From time to time ad hoc groups are formed to meet specific needs, such as the process of visitation to welcome new arrivals to the parish. This was begun in 2007 and continued in 2008. While some members of parish groups have been involved for many years, there is always a special welcome for new members.
Parish Pastoral Council - The purpose of the Parish Pastoral Council is to discern the pastoral needs of the parish and to initiate a response to these needs, to co-ordinate and support other parish groups and to be the "eyes and ears" of the parish. It can also be viewed as a parish "think tank", discerning the "signs of the times" and taking responsibility for the future well-being of the parish