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Pastoral Council Minutes
Minutes of the Cathedral Pastoral Council Meeting, Wednesday 14th June 2017
Attendance:
Dermot Layden Margaret Prior Fina Golden
Patricia McCaffrey Fr. Declan Boyce Grainne Kelly
Anthony Ruddy Ursula Dunphy Bill Fox
Vita Forde – Monaghan
Apologies:
Canon Thomas Hever Crispin Andaya Colette Divers
Evening Prayer of the Church was led by Fina Golden.
Minutes of the May PPC were read and adapted on the proposal of Margaret Prior and seconded by Anthony Ruddy.
Report from Cluster Meeting
At the previous Cluster meeting, two members of the PPC attended and reported back at the June Pastoral Council Meeting. It was reported:
- There are representatives from ten different Parishes in the Cluster at the meeting.
- The meeting commences with an opening prayer.
- The main theme of the meeting is the Role of the PPC and the different events that are happening in the Cluster.
- The Cluster gather together and discuss back at PPC meetings and a plan is then put in place regarding certain events.
- The meetings are democratic and opinions are asked and listened to at the meetings.
- It was the opinion that much work is needed to be done, as all is not well with our faith.
- The Cluster informs what one experience’s at PPC meetings.
As for the report from the meeting and upcoming events:
- Garland Sunday is happening on Sunday 30th There will be a walk from St. Anne’s Church to the Holy Well for the Dawn Mass at 6am. There will also be events at the Holy Well on Saturday 29th July.
- Corpus Christi will happen on June 18th around 7pm. It will take the usual route and arrive at the Abbey for Benediction.
- Cemetery Sunday will take place on Sunday 10th September in Sligo Cemetery.
Sunday Eucharistic Celebrations
Thanks was expressed to members of the PPC AS THE Welcoming Committee at the start of weekend masses in the Cathedral. There has been positive feedback from Parishioners.
A gift will be given to all Fathers on Father’s Day 18th June and members of the PPC will distribute this gift after the Sunday Masses.
There will be training for Liturgy of the Word in September.
The Relics of Mother Teresa will arrive in the Cathedral on Tuesday 2oth June. The Cathedral will have the Relics until 4pm on Thursday 22nd June. There will be veneration of the relics at certain times of the day and Mass will be celebrated in the evening.
“making faith practice exciting and liberating”
Year of Family – Parishes and Dioceses are doing their own events. Programme is worthwhile doing. Why Parents want all Sacraments, yet they don’t want faith in their lives. The programme will engage with people what’s their focus and why there is no interest in faith.
All students have been confirmed in the Parish. Thanks was expressed to their teachers, Fr. Declan, Canon Tom, Bishop Jones and Bishop Doran.
Youth Ministry
JP11 Awards – there are twenty plus students that have completed the Awards, with a ceremony in September/October.
Child Protection
All guidelines and procedures are adhered to and up to date.
A.O.B.
The Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lough Derg is
Fr. Michael Drum will be over Adult Faith Development and is becoming the new Parish Priest in Rosses Point.
The next PPC meeting will be on September 13th at 8pm.
_______________________ ________________________
Chairperson Secretary
_______________________ _________________________
Proposed Seconded
Date___________________
Minutes of the Cathedral Pastoral Council Meeting, Wednesday 10th May 2017
Attendance:
Ursula Dunphy Francis Cadden Dermot Layden
Anthony Ruddy Patricia Mulligan Margaret Prior
Grainne Kelly Barry MacMahon Fr. Declan Boyce
Fina Golden Canon Thomas Hever Fr. Julian Lupot
Colette Divers Bill Fox Rod Scott
Vita Forde –Monaghan
Apologies:
Sr. Emma Sr. Elvira Patricia McCaffrey
Donal Lyons Pauline Cushman
Evening Prayer of the Church was led by Bill Fox.
Minutes of the April PPC meeting were read and adapted on the proposal of Francis Cadden and seconded by Patricia Mulligan.
Report from Cluster and Cluster Questionnaire
Colette Furlong will work with the Parents of third and fourth class students in the Primary Schools with the “Grow in Love” programme. It will open an avenue to engage Parents to develop their own faith and their families faith. It is a difficult issue but hopefully families will become engaged in their faith especially when exercises from the “Grow in love” programme will be carried out at home involving all the family. We will role out this programme with First Year students and their families, to try and keep faith involved in their family life.
A Questionnaire regarding the Cluster was put to members of the PPC. There were certain questions such as:
- Is the PPC adequately represented on the Cluster?
- Highlights/ Success of working together as a Cluster
- Do you know the Clusters function/ know how Cluster works?
Overall the response from the PPC was positive. Some members weren’t quite clear on the role and function of the Cluster and this was explained as best possible. Parishioners have different introduction to the Cluster on their life circumstances.
Lent/Easter Celebrations
A sincere thanks to everyone that was involved in the Easter Celebrations. Good crowds were attended Parishioners over the Easter celebrations. The Easter Masses did us all proud, and the co-operation, joy and willingness of Parishioners to be involved. We celebrated Easter well and it was great to share that celebration nationwide and European wide. Kairos were very pleased as well. We did what we always do for Easter celebrations and it was great to be able to share it with numerous people. There was a very positive feedback in having the Altar of Repose in the Blessed Sacrament and we hope to have it there from now on.
Enhancing the experience of our Sunday Celebrations
There will be training for Ministers of the Word in September. There is a Welcoming Committee at the Weekend Masses which consists of members of the PPC. There has been a positive response and it is good to be there to welcome Parishioners to the Cathedral.
Youth Report
All JP11 Awards are on-going in the different Schools within the Parish. The team will be finishing for the Summer.
Child Protection
Mary Nicholson is the new Child Protection Officer for the Diocese. All volunteers have been revetted and there has been a good response.
Dermot Layden
Dermot Layden will hold a Cathechetical Programme Instruction on Faith in the Autumn. It will be Adult based. There will be five different topics in the programme which will include
- Evidence that there is a God
- Understanding faith and the four pillars of that faith
- Mass and the Eucharistic Miracles
- Introduction to understanding, meaning to Scripture
- Introduction of YOUCAT.
It will be held on Tuesdays in October 4th, 10th, 17th and 24th between 7.30pm and 9pm. Dermot will also publish a booklet on the Programme there after.
A.O.B.
- There is a meeting of the Sligo Deanery of PPC’s on May 22nd between 8 and 9.15pm in Summerhill College.
- There is a prayer initiative happening for Vocations on the 13h of every month.
- The Knights of Columbanus have produced prayer book for First Holy Communion.
- Cemetary Sunday will take place on September 10th.
- Corpus Christi is on Sunday June 18th. Sunday evening Mass will be celebrated at 6.30pm. The procession will take the usual route around the town.
The next PPC meeting will take place on June 14th at 8pm.
________________________ __________________________
Chairperson Secretary
________________________ __________________________
Proposed Seconded
Date ——————————
Minutes of the Cathedral Pastoral Council Meeting, Wednesday 5th April 2017
Attendance:
Bill Fox Maire Finan Colette Divers
Fina Golden Canon Thomas Hever Margaret Prior
Dermot Layden Donal Lyons Grainne Kelly
Pauline Cushman Sr. Emma Sr. Elvira
Patricia McCaffrey Barry MacMahon Patricia Mulligan
Crispin Andaya Francis Cadden Fr. Declan Boyce
Donal Lyons Vita Forde – Monaghan
Apologies:
Evening Prayer of the Church was led by Sr. Emma.
Minutes of the March PPC meeting were read and adapted on the proposal of Bill Fox and seconded by Colette Divers
Report from Cluster
- Colette Furlong has drawn up a poster of prayers and ideas to assist families and Children of First Holy Communion to grow in their Faith on the way to First Holy Communion.
- Niall is developing a Prayer for the Children of Tuam.
- For the week of volunteering it was suggested that we could have a stand/board erected in the Gilloolly Hall. Parishoners could put posties on the board in what they would be interested in volunteering for. There could be a Mass to celebrate all volunteers who are on the board. It would be a visual. Everyone could see how much volunteering is going on in the Parish.
- The Cluster will provide a Prayer card for “Gathering of Families” in 2018.
Easter/Lent
- Thanks was expressed to all who co-ordinated the Lenten reflections in the Cathedral. It was suggested that Parishoners could be involved more and perhaps to have an emphasis on more music, as Parishoners found the silence too long. Overall there was a positive feedback as it was a believing Community leading a Parish in Prayer and Parishoners were willing to get involved.
- Parishoners will gather outside for the start of Palm Sunday weather permitting. There will be a new Children’s Choir launched at the 10.30am Mass on Palm Sunday.
- After the Chrism Mass there will be Tea and Food in the Gilloolly Hall afterwards.
- On Good Friday a section of the car park will be sectioned off. After Morning Prayer the car park will be closed and re-open for Parishoners attending the Lord’s Passion.
- Altar of Repose this year will be held in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
- There will be televised Masses for the Easter Vigil and Easter morning Mass. All Parishoners and families are encouraged to attend these Masses.
Discussion on Kerry Document
- The Constitution is a present reality of the Parish.
- Physical conditions – there are some issues in the Cathedral with Sound, in particular the microphones. It was suggested that there could be Training for Ministers of the Word which could possibly take place in September. This would be an action plan from the document that we could implement.
- Toilets – there is an issue with having just one toilet.
- Car Park, Heating, Seating are all fine.
- Sense of Welcome – there is a great sense of welcome when you enter the Cathedral before the 12noon and Sunday Evening Masses.It was suggested to set up a rota for a Welcoming Committee between now and end of June that could welcome Parishoners in the Cathedral for the Saturday Vigil and early Sunday Morning Masses. Members of the PPC have volunteered to be on this committee.
Youth Report
It was the tenth Anniversary of the JP11 Awards and Mass was Celebrated by Bishop Donal McKeon. The JP11 Awards are on-going in the Schools.
Dermot Layden
Dermot Layden would like to set up a programme for Children and their parents after the Sacraments are received. It would be to build up their faith and to keep them interested on a faith based level in their local Church and Community. It could start at a local level and build it up afterwards. The real target of this programme is the Parents of these Children. Perhaps to bring the Parents of First Holy Communion and Confirmation together and to give these Parents a course on faith. It was suggested that it could be tied in with Elaine Mahon and Barbara Cahill that give talks to the parents of Sacramental Children. It was also suggested that this Programme could be aimed at Parents of Children from Junior Infants to sixth Class. There would be about four lectures. A lot of research and thought would go into these programmes and it could be combined with another programme on Cathechetical instruction on an Adult perspective.
A.O.B.
Sympathy was expressed to the family of Betty Comisky who was our Sacristan for over thirty years in the Cathedral. She was such an integral part of the Cathedral and it was so important in her own life. She was sorely missed by Priests and Parishoners alike.
The next PPC meeting will be Wednesday 10th May at 8pm.
__________________ _______________________
Chairperson Secretary
_________________ _______________________
Proposed Seconded
Date______________