Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

Supporting Each Other

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Supporting Each Other

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Why this is important

It is by our love for one another that we are recognised as the disciples of Jesus. Jesus treated everyone he met as a gift from his Father, and had a particular care and compassion for those who were in any kind of need. He listened to people and welcomed those who were excluded. We are called to do the same.

At every stage of life, each of us needs both to give and receive different kinds of support. When this happens, the presence and action of the Holy Spirit is made visible in our communities.

As Christians, we have a responsibility to value difference, recognising the God-given dignity of each person, regardless of their circumstances.

Each of us has a vocation within the community of the baptised – all our different vocations are vital to the life and mission of the Church.

What will happen

	A new Diocesan Vocation Team has been formed which will work to develop resources and initiatives to encourage everyone to recognise their distinct vocation: personal, professional, pastoral.
	The Diocesan Vocation Team will work through parishes to promote a culture of prayer in which all vocations may be identified and nurtured.
	The Diocesan Director of Vocations has a particular responsibility to promote and encourage vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life.
	The Episcopal Vicar for the Clergy will provide ongoing support for clergy through supervision and appraisal, and at times of transition.
	A group will be formed by the Department for Pastoral Formation by July 2006 to coordinate existing work in the area of marriage preparation and ongoing support for married couples and families, and to continue to develop this.
	Parishes are asked to publicise and promote resources for those experiencing any kind of difficulty and seek to develop support networks across groups of parishes.
	The Diocesan Adviser for Youth Ministry will continue to work with those involved in parish youth ministry to develop an approach for involving young people in parish ministry and to share good practice, and will liaise with the Department for Schools and with school chaplains.
	The Diocesan Adviser for Disability Issues will develop a Disability Forum to ensure that people with disabilities are actively included in Church life and ministry.
	The Department for Finance and Property will ensure that Diocesan property complies with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.
	The work of the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal will be communicated more clearly in order to enable those who have experienced the breakdown of marriage to seek help through this channel if they wish to do so.