BRISBANE archdiocese has appointed its first lay pastoral director to lead a parish.
Archbishop John Bathersby announced on the weekend of December 11-12 that Ursuline Sister Kari Hatherell would be the lay pastoral director of Holland Park Mt Gravatt Parish on Brisbane’s southside from early next year.
Sr Hatherell has been appointed following the resignation of parish priest Fr John Nee due to ill health.
She will be responsible for pastoral leadership and will be supported by a sacramental pastor and a supervising priest.
A sacramental pastor, appointed by the archbishop, will provide for the parish’s sacramental needs, celebrating the Sunday liturgies, baptisms and weddings.
The supervising priest, working in consultation with the lay parish pastoral director, will represent the parish in all juridic and legal matters.
Archbishop Bathersby, in his announcement to Holland Park Mt Gravatt parishioners, said: ‘In this time of such a severe shortage of priests to serve as pastors in our parish communities, I have decided to introduce this new position [lay parish pastoral director] within the Archdiocese of Brisbane.
The archbishop said Sunnybank/Acacia Ridge parish priest, Fr Ray Kearney, who is Brisbane South dean, would be the supervising pastor.
Sr Hatherell, working collaboratively with the parish leadership groups, will be responsible for the administrative, financial, worship, pastoral and educative processes in the parish community.
Sr Hatherell has had 12 years’ experience in pastoral leadership – seven years in Caloundra Parish and five in St Stephen’s Cathedral Parish.
She comes to the role ‘energised’ for the challenge following her recent return from a renewal year spent mainly with her order in Rome.
Fr Nee said he was pleased about the appointment.
‘Under the circumstances, it is a great opportunity for the parish,’ he said.
‘My future here is a bit uncertain for health reasons and this puts somebody in to do some forward pastoral planning for the future,’ he said.
