Report on the meeting of the Diocesan Pastoral Council
held at Park Place on 13 and 14 2005

Fair Trade Diocese
At the January meeting, the DPC consented to becoming a Fair Trade Diocese. However, certain goals need to be met before this can be achieved. These include encouraging Deaneries and Parishes to support the use and sale of Fair Trade products and to serve Fair Trade tea and coffee at meetings and events. As a first step in the process, it is necessary to know how much Fair Trade activity already exists in the Diocese, and in this connection, CAFOD's John Foley, who is leading a small Diocesan Fair Trade Working Party, is writing to all parishes to obtain this information. The questionnaire responses are required back by 6th June. In parallel with this, Anne Dodd, who has taken on the role of Justice and Peace co-ordinator for the Diocese, is building up a databank of Justice and Peace/ CAFOD activity in parishes.

Catholic Racial Justice (CARJ)
Canon John O'Shea (Southampton) gave a presentation on the need to be more inclusive to foreign nationals who take up residence in our community. Southampton, being a seaport, has witnessed a substantial increase in the number of people from different countries bringing with them a diversity of cultural backgrounds, and he spoke of how the Southampton City Centre Parish of St Joseph and St Edmund had responded to the challenge of being more inclusive, in welcoming them and making them feel they are not just visitors. The Catholic faith promotes equality and respect for others, and incorporating contributions from different sections of our community can only enrich our lives if we ensure that encouragement is given to all to come forward and take their place in our universal Catholic community. Among the many awareness innovations which have been introduced are celebrating Mass in the native foreign tongue, praying the 'Our Father' in different languages and various parish socials. It is perceived that these good practices will have increasing relevance to other parts of the Diocese in view of the general expansion of cultural diversity and is seen as a crucial element of the Diocesan Plan.

Ministerial Enrichment
Mgr Ron Hishon (Bournemouth) spoke about the opportunities offered in a growing multi-cultural Catholic community of drawing on the Catholic faith and culture of those who come and live in our country from overseas. He saw this as a practical demonstration of being inclusive. He proposed priests drawn from overseas would be a blessing for our local church and would help alleviate the problem of declining religious vocations. He envisaged stronger links being forged with overseas Dioceses to promote greater co-operation and visits of priests to work in our Diocese - culminating in candidates being ordained for the Portsmouth Diocese. In the ensuing discussion however, DPC Members were inclined more towards changing structures and practices to accommodate any shortage of priests, but this remains a matter which will be looked at again within the pastoral strategy.

The Diocesan Plan
Fr Paul Townsend (Chair of the Pastoral Assembly Working Group), Angela Wills, Nicky Stevens, Paul Inwood and Mgr John Nelson each gave presentations relating to different facets of developing the Pastoral Plan. The excellent feedback from the formation sessions across the Diocese had been collated and analysed and from this, and from associated work by the Working Group, a draft plan had emerged. Much of the detail has yet to be finalized, as it is a necessarily moveable feast, and therefore at this point it would be inappropriate to release any detail for wider dissemination. Much has been achieved, but much remains to be done. It is intended that by the end of the month a draft version will be made available to DPC Members. The document will be launched at the Pastoral Assembly between 21st and 23rd July, with additional launches at selected venues across the Diocese in September and October.

Next DPC Meeting
21st and 22nd October 2005

Joe Golden,
DPC Minutes Secretary
19th May 2005