North Country Deanery Pastoral Council

Minutes of meeting held in Murgon 16^th May, 2009

Present:  Moira Thompson, Cavell Black, David Hogan, Elaine Madill, Patricia Deeley, Tom Bushell, Fr Joseph , Margaret Hobbs, Marcia Hunt, Fr  Pat Dowd, Fr John Hong, Fr Pat Cassidy, Fr Dan, Julie Lynch

Apologies:  James Curtain, Miriam Thompson, Berry Doak, Fr Paul Kelly, Fr John Khoai and Gayndah members, Helen Bonnano

Minutes:  Read and accepted

Business arising:  A deanery retreat was suggested at the last meeting – this will be discussed in a later agenda item……

Youth update:   Julie updated everyone on the Deanery Youth Day planning – two meetings have been held, and minutes and a flyer sent to all DPC reps and Parish Priests a month ago.  There will be a brochure, posters, and a letter sent to all Catholic High Schools and parishes in the deanery in June.  Fr John Hong said he would be away at that time, so any correspondence concerning this is to be sent to the Kingaroy parish office. 

The youth contacts on our list at present:

Gympie – Sordelisa Claudio, Joanne Rogers, Elizabeth Last(Campus Minister) 

Maryborough – Bradley Banney (APRE), Melissa Wareing(Campus Minister, recently added)

 Nanango – Miriam and Moira Thompson, Elizabeth Arthy

 Gayndah – Kim Koster, Gay Gordon, Andrea Baker (APRE, primary) 

Childers – Carla Durnan (APRE, primary)

Murgon – Chris & Gillian Voigt

Kingaroy – Neil Hutton (Campus Minister)

Hervey Bay – Carmel Donnelly (Campus Minister)

A few  of these rarely respond to emails about Deanery Youth, and Julie acknowledged that those in schools receive hundreds of emails and this made email contact not always very effective.

Neil Hutton , while Campus Minister at Kingaroy , is actually a member of Murgon parish;  IT was suggested that Julie  get Neil's home email/ address, and liaise with him that way.   Gillian and Chris Voigt are at present the only youth contacts in Murgon parish, although they are presently very busy with a new baby.   Julie to check with Jim Cross, the PPC chair at Kingaroy about possible youth contacts for Kingaroy parish

Formation topics – for the last few DPC meetings, we have spent one hour on the meeting, and the second hour with an invited guest speaker………(such as Gwen from Family and Life, Peter Arndt from Social Justice, Fr Pat on Ignatian Spirituality).  Members were invited to offer suggestions for future meetings. 
*Moira said she has done a hospital chaplaincy course, in Toowoomba, and would be happy to give input on this ministry; or on the Hill Song conference she attended recently

*Fran Hutton could be invited to come along and talk, especially when the meeting is next in Murgon – on her Santiago  De Çompostela walk

*State School RE – Brisbane Youth and Children's ministry has resource people;  David has much experience….

*SVDP (David could talk on this; he is currently president in Hervey Bay, and has been involved for many years, here and in Sydney..)

*Centacare and Social issues…………  Could invite  someone from Centacare (Kingaroy and/or Hervey Bay)

*It was suggested that whoever hosts the DPC meeting, could organize the formation session, and there are many local people (including those already mentioned) who could contribute.  Those parishes who do not host DPC, of course, can contribute as well

*IT could be a few different speakers, with 15./20 minutes each .

Tom suggested that we put into the agenda, a chance  for members to share about their own involvement in their communities. HE offered to do this himself next time.

Expenditure statements

Each parish was given its own expenditure statement ,prepared by Mary Kirkpatrick  .  The deanery level spending was also looked at.

Murgon reminded us that they had decided not to use their whole $4 000 for Youth projects.  Julie to make sure Mary is aware of this..

Fr John Hong asked if there  was flexibility between Kingaroy and Nanango budgets i.e. if one goes  over the amount, can be balanced by one spending less…..It was felt that it was reasonable to have a certain amount of flexibility.

Workshops at Deanery Level

As discussed at last meeting, the deanery level budget allocates $940 for deanery workshops. We talked about what was most needed/desired …….

Suggestions:
*Pat Deeley spoke about the Hervey Bay's scripture group was thinking of bringing someone up to talk about Acts…..A priest at Caboolture was suggested to Pat;  this is to be followed up. This could perhaps be offered to whole deanery.

*Elizabeth Harrington could be asked up once again – for something liturgical

*Most discussion was around the idea of a Prayerful  Day……maybe a taste of different spiritualities (Including Fr Pat Cassidy on Ignatian spirituality, as suggested in previous minutes.)  Elaine said that Fran Hutton home property was ideal for a prayerful retreat, with Fran leading meditation.  WE could plan for a Deanery Retreat – a full day, rather than a weekend.  (Next year, we could plan ahead for a Monday of a long weekend – would be better for the priests) It would be good to share the time together, with a meal, etc..  The funding could go towards motel, as well as fuel costs, for the travelers….

*Fr John Hong suggested workshops on the new missal in late 2010

 

Our  Deanery Pastoral Council Guidelines. (Review)

We read through the DPC guidelines, with some  small changes being made. 

Membership was discussed and it was pointed out that a couple of people were there, not to represent a parish –Pat Deeley is the member of the Secretariat for Pastoral Councils for the East of our deanery, as is Margaret Shepherdson for the West.  James Curtain is on DPC as member of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council (Previously this was Tom Bushell , and prior to that, it was Julie Lynch)

Term of office was discussed.  IT is important that others be given the chance to take on the role (appointed by the Parish Pastoral Council ), after the first 3 year term………though it was acknowledged that not many were prepared , or able to give up this  amount of time on a Saturday.  The sentence in the TERM of OFFICE section will now have the last few words deleted ("for one more term", allowing the same person to stay in the role for as many terms as necessary – as long  someone else is given the chance at end of each term, to take on the role.

The DPC now meets 4 times each year .

The sentence "in  between  meetings, the eastern and western sides of the deanery are encouraged to meet" was deleted.  The priests gather once every two months…..

The date for next review to be added to the bottom .

There was discussion on the day for meeting, and it was felt that Saturday mornings, though inconvenient for some of the priests, and others, was really the only time for working people.

Julie to make these changes and send the guidelines out with the minutes.

A list of all Deanery Pastoral Councillors was distributed …., and a few changes made.  WE need to check with Maryborough, Childers and Gayndah, to confirm  their current DPC rep's name.  IT was suggested that a list be distributed , with the parish or organization being represented, being stated next to each name. Julie to do this.

AS it is a few years since Pastoral Councils have been informed of the DPC role, Julie will send this information (The guidelines and the list of reps) to all PPC chairs.  Julie said she does communicate with PPC  chairs from time to time, in particular about  use of the funds.  She is able to get a list of PPC chairs from Cecilia Anning..

Julie should do the minutes fairly promptly, so members can then use them to report to their respective parish/committees.

Dean's Comments

*Fr Pat shared Sr Rose's Thank You card with the group.  Rose thanked the deanery for their gift (a $100 book voucher) and expressed how much she had enjoyed being part of our deanery for many years.

 

*Fr Pat talked about the "Pray 2010"which was being launched in the Archdiocese.  The Archdiocese wants us to explore areas of spirituality over the next year.  This is the Arch's area of giftedness/expertise.

The meeting closed at 12.10pm, and we shared a delicious lunch of chicken and chips , kindly organized by Fr Dan.

 

Next   meeting:  22^nd August, Maryborough.

 

 
Julie
 
 

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