Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth
The Diocese of Portsmouth covers Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Isles and parts of Berkshire, Dorset and Oxfordshire
Living Our Faith
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Supporting our Clergy & Vocations
Supporting Our Clergy - Priests serve the people above themselves, so it is vital, appropriate and necessary that we participate in their welfare and continued training. Living Our Faith will enable us to care for and serve the clergy during their working lives ministering in parishes, schools, hospitals and prisons throughout our Diocese by providing:
- Funding for on-going training of individual priests. This could include practical and technical skills, participation in conferences and even advanced degrees for some clergy where a higher level of education and training would be benefi cial
- Resources for all-clergy retreats, with guest lecturers and experienced facilitators. Involvement in these seminars lead to genuine renewal and have a positive impact on parish life and vocations
- Resources for all-clergy retreats, with guest lecturers and experienced facilitators. Involvement in these seminars lead to genuine renewal and hav
- e a positive impact on parish life and vocations
- Access to spiritual advisors and mentors, ensuring a stronger support network and modern resource. Religious orders provide this sort of support for their priests with great effect
Promoting vocations - There are nine men at present from the Diocese in various stages of study in the seminary, representing a total commitment to their training and formation of £1.25 million over their six years. While new seminarians are a wonderful blessing, the ability to pay for their education is a major challenge. The success of Living Our Faith will enable investments in promoting vocations to the priesthood, with positive action taken now offering the very real possibility that our Diocese could stay ahead of the clergy shortage crisis that exists in many other dioceses. It will ensure:
- Support for the design and production of top quality resources for promoting vocations to the priesthood and permanent diaconate, including videos, podcasts, adverts, posters and on-line tools
- Seminars and retreats for young men who feel they may have a calling to the priesthood
Although these require significant investment, the rewards are great as new priests and deacons are central to the life of the Church.