Report on the meeting of the Diocesan Pastoral Council
held at Park Place on 28 and 29 January 2005

Pastoral Council Review
Peter Ryder (Berkshire, South) gave an update on the work of the DPC Working Group which was looking at ways of improving the effectiveness of the DPC. The WG had formulated proposals on 'Structure and Organisation of DPC Meetings', 'Agenda Management', 'Induction Processes for New Members' and 'Communications', and these, with a couple of minor exceptions, had been endorsed by the DPC. Peter's presentation focused on the central issue as to whether the Diocesan, Deanery and Parish Pastoral Councils should be purely advisory bodies or whether they should have specified executive responsibilities. After much discussion, it was agreed that rather than try to reach a final position now, it would be better if the process for determining the role of the DPC should continue in parallel with the Diocesan Assembly formation sessions. The WG will take account of the DPC's views on this matter and will resubmit its findings and conclusions through the DPC Steering Group for the Pastoral Assembly WG to incorporate it in their work. In the meantime, those matters which relate solely to improving the machinery of the DPC will be implemented.

The Diocesan Strategic Plan
DPC Members were provided with a folder of documents relating to the Diocesan Plan and the Pastoral Assembly preparations. The main document is the 'purple' resource booklet 'Growing Together in Christ; developing a pastoral strategy for Portsmouth Diocese in the 21st Century'. This workbook will be the basis of the formation sessions which are planned for February and which will assess the strategic implications of the principles of 'Communion' and 'Mission'. The February formation sessions essentially represent a continuation of the Autumn 2004 sessions which had been explored by over 10,000 people across the Diocese. During the Meeting, DPC Members worked through the booklet in groups examining the opportunities and challenges facing a fictitious but typical Deanery - the purpose being to get people thinking and talking about the things which really matter which will inform our future planning. This part of the exercise leads the participant into the next stage, when the thinking on the imaginary Deanery is applied to one's own Deanery. (A summary of what DPC Members thoughts on what they wanted to be fed into the development of the pastoral strategy is appended to the Minutes of the meeting). Two other documents in the folder merit mention:

(a) a Timeline showing the different phases and events up to Autumn 2006, and

(b) a supplementary sheet containing the key question: 'what do you want to grow and develop in your Parish and Deanery?' This is aimed at those people who are unable to attend the planned February sessions but whose views would nonetheless be welcomed. DPC Members were urged to give this sheet a wide circulation in their Deaneries.

Fair Trade
At the last DPC meeting in October last year, Sue Cooper from CAFOD gave a presentation to the DPC on the benefits Fair Trade conferred on developing countries. She asked if Portsmouth Diocese was committed to becoming a Fair Trade Diocese. This was the question Members undertook to take back to their Deaneries and gauge the degree of support. John Foley from Fair Trade attended this meeting to learn the outcome. He gave a brief presentation on how Fair Trade is fully compatible with Catholic social teaching and provides a spiritual and practical mechanism for helping developing countries. The DPC's decision was that Portsmouth would commit itself to becoming a Fair Trade Diocese and to this end, the Chair (Nina Lake) undertook to take the matter back to the DPC Steering Group so that it could be fed in to, and become part of, the wider Pastoral Planning Strategy - and also be linked with Justice and Peace issues.

New Agenda Items
Nina Lake (the Chair) said she would welcome receiving any proposed DPC proposed Agenda items from Deaneries and Parishes.

Next DPC Meeting
13th and 14th May 2005

Joe Golden,
DPC Minutes Secretary
8th February 2005