ALBANY Creek parish is breaking new ground as it adapts to life without its long-time pastor.
Fr Ron Mollison was All Saints’ parish priest for 35 years until a stroke forced him to retire early last year.
Losing their beloved parish priest was a huge blow to the community.
Sharon Brewer, who is formation co-ordinator for the Australian Catholic Bishops’ National Centre for Evangelisation and Catholic Enquiry Centre, has written about the community’s response in the national centre’s publication The Bridge.
She said it was fortunate that before Fr Mollison became ill he had documented the parish’s vision and “ways of doing things”.
New parish priest Carmelites of Mary Immaculate Father Josekutty Vadakkel was grateful for that when he moved into the parish because he knew he had “big shoes to fill”.
Ms Brewer, in The Bridge, wrote that Fr Josekutty “had found this documentation very helpful in getting a picture of parish life”.
In the wake of Fr Mollison’s retirement, the parish took the opportunity to decide how best to move forward.
“Firstly, and quite significantly, was the decommissioning of the parish pastoral council (PPC),” Ms Brewer wrote.
“After a period of discernment, it was agreed that a new model of parish leadership should be tried.
“The Mission Core Team, which comprises seven parishioners and Fr Josekutty, replaced the PPC.”
Parishioner Nev Shoesmith remembered that Fr Mollison had always encouraged “dreaming and scheming”, and he said he had liked that.
Mr Shoesmith said, with the new model, he felt a fresh enthusiasm and a “growing realisation of the responsibility we have been given” and the need to get things done.
“Secondly, (there was) the focus on ‘mission’,” Ms Brewer wrote.
She said each parishioner she interviewed spoke passionately about what the word “mission” meant for them.
One of them, Trish Turner, said “for a while we were sleeping, passive, doing the right thing, going to church, doing our bit and then going home”.
“And now it is about a drive, a vision, a need to be active and to reach out and bring people in,” she said.
“So rather than being a closed parish it’s about getting out into the community.”
Fr Josekutty said he placed great importance on preparing effective homilies and having dedicated time for visitation.
He said the shared approach to ministry allowed him the time to focus on his missionary roles.
“Once the MCT members looked at the various ways they could be missionary, they realised it was a massive task and that they needed to initially focus on just a few things,” Ms Brewer wrote.
“Sacramental life, including the RCIA (Rite of Initiation for Adults) process, was that starting place.
“Over the past eight months they have moved to a sacramental preparation model that invites children and their families to engage in parish life by attending Mass regularly, which will then be followed by a time of formation for the sacrament.
“When it is evident that the signs of discipleship are there, the sacrament is conferred.
“This same model is proposed for RCIA candidates and families of children to be baptised.
“This new approach has been met with some resistance. However, the parish is now seeing fruits of this approach, as a small but growing number of young families are regularly attending Mass and engaging in the community.
“To encourage the continued involvement of these families, the parish is passionate and committed to family-friendly liturgies.”
Ms Brewer said “the transition of a new priest into the community seems to have gone well for this parish”.
“Maybe it’s because the priest and the parishioners share a vision about a Christ-centred, missionary parish,” she said.
“Maybe it’s because they came from a good base to start with.
“Maybe it’s because they have placed their trust in the Holy Spirit.”
Long-time parishioner Anne Frawley-Mangan’s advice to parishioners and priests experiencing a clergy move was to “have a sense of humour, embrace shared leadership, encourage open communication, and be prepared to give and take”.
