Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ

The mapping of the newly formed pastoral areas of the diocese has arisen out of a tremendous amount of participation, discussion, considering, questioning, listening, challenging compromising and deliberating.  It has  truly been a diocesan exercise that included the engagement of people young and old, priests, religious and bishops.  I am personally delighted that, as a diocese, we spent the time and energy grappling with questions about the make up of the pastoral areas.

Some say it would have been easier for me to have appointed a small committee to draw up the map.  My response is that it would have been a lot less valuable.  What we have achieved by holding a meeting in each parish before Christmas and a meeting in each parish during Lent as well as meetings of priests, religious and school students has been priceless.  We have:

•    created a map based generally on the wisdom of the people of our diocese;
•    raised awareness in all parishes  of the creation of the pastoral areas;
•    experienced the generosity of people in every parish in their engagement in the meetings;
•    witnessed the dignity and respectfulness of parishioners in expressing their views, their hopes, doubts, frustrations, dissent and assent;
•    had an opportunity to hear people’s real concerns and anxieties.

I whole-heartedly thank everyone for your contribution to the conversation that has led to the drawing up of this map of the pastoral areas of the diocese.
It is important for all of us acknowledge and recognise that while some parishes will be very happy with the final outcome and others somewhat satisfied, still some other parishes will be disappointed.  To those of you who did not get what you most wanted I wish to assure you that we have listened to you.  However, in the wider interests of the whole diocese we  have had to make arrangements different to what you proposed.  Expressions of disappointment are as valid as expressions of satisfaction.  Importantly it reminds us that as parishes in the diocese we belong to one community. We are responsible to each other.  At the root of disappointment is a valid concern.  Sometimes, for example, there is a concern of being swallowed up in a larger reality.  Our task is one of strengthening each of the parishes in our diocese and we do that by affirming each other and supporting each other.

Having participated in the creation of the new pastoral areas, sharing your views and ideas, hopes and fears, joys and disappointments I invites all of us to move forward together to embody the Spirit of Jesus in our time and place.  The question that now presents itself to us in our pastoral areas and in our diocese is: what can we create together that we cannot create alone? 

Key to exploring this question is the formation of people for pastoral leadership at the pastoral area level and the creation and formation of pastoral area councils.   This will now be our focus over the next year before addressing resource questions.

May the saints of our diocese encourage us along the way.

Yours in Christ.