TOWN HALL GATHERINGS – JOIN US!
Thank you so much to those who joined us on Zoom for our first Town Hall Gathering on May 25th it was a good evening of conversation and excellent questions.
Please join us in-person for our second Town Hall at St. Patrick Lucan on June 8th at 7 pm. We would love for you to join us!
Building Family Together
Lucan Northwest London Catholic Family of Parishes
St. Patrick Lucan | Holy Family London
You can send us an email at stp.hfp@dol.ca if you have any questions.
Click here to read the summaries from our Transition Team Meetings
Meeting #1 January
Getting to know each other. First Meeting of the Transition Team and its members.
Meeting #2 February 15, 2022 Highlights from Discussion
Mission and Purpose: As expressed by Bishop Fabbro to be mission-focused and a parish that makes disciples of Jesus. Challenges us to go back to foundations of Christian Community to reach out to others , spread the Gospel. To be animated and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Discussed challenges and opportunities for our family. We have a opportunity to rebuild community as we come out of COVID and as we move to becoming a Family. We have an opportunity to refocus our mission and piliteurpose. Communication is critical.
Prioritizing Responsibilities: Selection of the Family name is a priority according to the Diocesan guidelines must be done before activation in July.
Action from Meeting: Parishioners were invited to submit ideas for names to the parish office based off the Diocesan guidelines.
Meeting #3 March 8, 2022 Highlights from Discussion
Team Members were asked to reflect on the Mission Oriented Parish document from the Diocese. Father Bob offered some background and context for our Family of Parishes. We have an opportunity to focus on mission and purpose as we transition to a Family of Parishes.
Action from Meeting:
Family of Parishes name:- three options were selected from the submissions from the community members. Three options were then sent out to the communities for feedback. Final decision will be discerned once the feedback has been received.
Communication Plan: Creation of a family of parishes webpage to serve as a hub for all the information and creation of a phase one communication plan for activation.
Creation of Intercessory Prayer for Our Family
Meeting #4 April 5, 2022 Highlights from Discussion
More discussion on our shared vision of being a mission-oriented parish community.
Decision on Family of Parishes Name: Discernment on names and feedback from submissions. Information to be sent to the Bishop. Wait for Approval.
Communication plan: Webpage created. Communication strategies approved. To be outlined to community shortly.
Action from meeting: looking at parish ministries and committees, Look at dates for Town Hall gatherings for an online and in-person options.
THE NEXT STEP ON OUR MISSIONARY JOURNEY
We are on our way to becoming a Family of parishes this coming July. The Diocesan process of reorganizing the Diocese into Families is in the final stretch. Our Family activation is part of the last leg of this Diocesan journey that began back in June 2015.
This webpage will be the place to come for all the latest information as we move toward activation this summer. We will include updates in the bulletin that will always link back to this page.
Why has the Diocese of London created the Family of Parishes??
Our local and First-World Churches are facing significant challenges, including the shortage of priests to lead and care for our parish communities. We are a mission-oriented Church, that forms disciples of Jesus. This mission hasn’t changed but how we approach that mission must shift in response to our circumstances
From the beginning, Christ knew the mission he gave his disciples would be difficult and that they would face many challenges, so he sent them to preach the Gospel two-by-two.
“cf. Mark 6 6-7 and Luke 10:1”
Like us, the early disciples knew what was asked of them but not necessarily how to accomplish it or what the end result will be. Just like the disciples, we have been asked to unite and go on mission together, enhancing each other’s strengths and working collaboratively to Proclaim the Gospel around us.
What is a Family of Parishes?
The Families of Parishes are groups of parishes, working together and sharing resources to form disciples and reach out to all. This new model will encourage the priests, deacons, lay staff, and all the parishioners associated with each parish to more effectively respond to Jesus’ call to use their baptismal gifts and talents with the whole Family of Parishes community.
What is a Transition Team?
The transition team includes representation from each parish including staff and parishioners. Their mandate is to lead and guide us through the transition to becoming a family of parishes. The Diocese has produced guidelines and benchmarks for the transition team to use to assist them in their work.
Their main objectives include:
- Seeking feedback, questions, concerns, and ideas from parishioners.
- Produce recommendations that will be given to parish leadership for approval.
- Some recommendations include the formation of a joint Pastoral Council, Finance Council, cost-sharing mechanism, Mass schedules, Family of Parishes name, staffing recommendations – this list will grow or change as necessary.
Members of our Transition Team
Sharon Abel, Bridget Corneil, Teresa Easter, Melissa Francis, Erwin Fung, Andrew Jardine, Fr. Bob Remark, and Fr. Steve Wlusek
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Will we lose our identity as a Parish? No. Every parish is unique and distinct. Becoming a family allows us to share and work together for our future. Each parish maintains their name and the unique qualities for their community.
Will our Mass times change? Mass times MAY change but only after careful consideration and discussions.
Will we share resources and costs? The benefit of being a family allows for sharing our resources and staff with cost -sharing mechanisms in place.
How many priests will our Family have? We will have one Pastor Fr. Bob Remark and Fr. Steve Wlusek, and Fr. Jude Ogbenna CSSp as associates.
Will we have staff work for both parishes? The benefit of being a family allows for sharing of resources and staff with a cost-sharing mechanism for the common costs in place.
How long will this process take? There are some things that we need ready for July 2022, but other things can wait and the transition will take time.
How will we as parishioners be consulted? We will using various ways of communicating to our parish communities and will be seeking input throughout this process.
How will the Family of Parishes help with the shortages of priests? The FOP empowers the lay staff and parish ministry volunteers to take on an even greater leadership role for ministries, programs and outreach
How will this affect my life as a parishioner? You will become part of a larger faith family, working together, sharing resources and empowering each other in our call to discipleship. You will be still a part of your own parish community with the flexibility to attend either parish. Worshiping alongside and together with other members of our new Family.
Does this mean my parish may close, merge, or cluster? Or that a worship site may close? A Family of Parishes is not the same as a cluster or merged parish. Rather, it is a group of individual parishes led by an intentionally-formed team to address and focus on mission.
How will parish finances be handled within a Family of Parishes? We will have common ministries and outreach that will necessitate the sharing of resources. The Pastor and Business Manager have the responsibility to ensure that all parishes in each Family share in these resources and costs on an equitable basis. A Family finance council will be established with representatives from both parish communities.
Choosing a Name for our Family of Parishes
One of the first tasks that we need to fulfill is deciding on a name for our Family. This name is not replacing the individual names of the parishes but will be the ” umbrella” name under which our family will be referenced throughout the diocese. The guidelines from the Diocese highlighted that the name needed to be geographical, not faith-based and it needed to be inclusive of both parish geographical boundaries. Thank you so much for sending in your submissions and thoughts on our potential names for our Family of Parishes community. All the information has gone to our Transition Team for their analysis and discernment. Please keep them in your prayers as they discern the new name for our communities.
If you have any questions for the Transition Team please reach out to us we would love to answer any questions you may have – take care and God bless!