Diocesan Pastoral Assembly
Bishop Crispian shared his thoughts on the development of diocesan pastoral strategy, saying that it is the 'people' who fundamentally will be involved in the process and that everyone who wishes to contribute will have the opportunity. The pastoral assembly at Reading University between 21and 23 July 2005 will not decide policy; it will celebrate the consensus which will have emerged from the consultative process. The source of the principles underpinning the strategic planning are to be found in the Bishop's document 'Growing Together in Christ' (text available online - see below for the link), launched today. Paul Townsend, heading the Working Group charged with looking after all the consultative arrangements plus Assembly preparations, felt a major challenge was mobilizing the views of diocese people - he saw the key agents in this being the Clergy, the Department for Schools and the DPC. Over 20,000 copies of the Bishop's document had been produced and procedures were being set in train to ensure their distribution to all parishes, and relevant groups, across the diocese. More details, plus dates, will be widely promulgated, but essentially the document, and accompanying formation materials, will be distributed in the first week of September this year. The members of the WG are: Nicky Stevens, Paul Inwood, Angela Wills, Fran Ross, Sheila Hughes and Veronica Paget.

Racial Justice
Council Members listened enthusiastically to a presentation by Frances Moll, Tom Gregory, Veronica Bayley and Moma Banya who gave a personal account of the Catholic Racial Justice Congress (CARJ) held in Roehampton in September last year. They each came back with vivid memories of the event, and distributed to Members a copy of the Racial Justice Charter 2003 which is intended as a working document and a point of reference. The delegates also brought back practical proposals for parishes that sought to bring home the message that in a Catholic community it is important to build stronger ties with people from diverse backgrounds and to actively include them at all levels in church activities. The theme is 'Be Inclusive'; the proposals included - encourage more people to share in the ministries, make personal invitations to take part, and welcome new parishioners, particularly ethnic minorities.

Members' Concerns
Nina drew Members' attention to a course on 'Pastoral Theology and Catechesis' that was currently being run at the Discovery Centre, Portsmouth, the aim of which is to make people more theologically literate. More students are required to make the course sustainable - a new course starts in January 2005.