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Three more parishes of the diocese have recently nominated groups of parishioners to join with their priests in forming pastoral leadership groups for their parishes. The growth of these groups in the diocese follows the pastoral plan for the diocese which was endorsed in 2005.  Blackrock parish, Cork, has nominated a parish assembly with 30 members to serve the parish which has St. Michael's Church as its parish church. The church building is also undergoing extensive refurbishment at this time. The Parish Assembly participates in a programme of formation and planning over three evenings and a Saturday during which time they begin to form working relationships with one another and explore the role of a parish assembly. At their planning day, they will form working groups to address the topics which they wish to prioritise for their parish during their three year term. The Sacred Heart Parish, Western Road, Cork, has also recently nominated a parish assembly and it too is undergoing its formation programme. The parish is served by the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and the parish serves a congregation from the immediate area and from further away. This is the parish's first parish assembly. Tracton Abbey parish has nominated its first parish pastoral council. The parish includes Minane Bridge and Nohoval and is located between Carrigaline and the coast. The pastoral council follows a formation programme similar to parish assemblies - though a pastoral council usually has fewer members and engages with other parishioners in the delivery of its programmes in the parish. The nomination process, the formation programme and the on-going development of the pastoral leadership groups in the parishes of the diocese are coordinated by personnel of the Pastoral Development Office. |
