Vital organisations, including parishes, do not stay the same but adjust practices to respond and adapt to current and future needs. Subsequently, the initiatives identified in this research may no longer be practised in the example parishes listed below. Visiting their websites can be a source of ideas for other parishes who are looking to respond to new situations. Contact details are also on the websites to allow interested parishes to obtain further information about the mentioned practices, including why they are no longer used.

Mission and Outreach

A PARISH FOOD BANK
A food bank  is  a great way to help families in the parish who struggle through difficult times. Volunteers take turns to cook meals or donate food. Food collection drives are sometimes organised in the parish on certain occasions. Tinned food and other staples are stored in small parish pantry and cooked meals may be frozen for future use. These are then provided to people who are sick or have recently lost a family member or anyone who might be in need of such help. For an outreach activity that doesn’t require much organisation, a food bank tops the list! To know more about this activity and how it could help your parish please contact any of the following parishes:
Mount Isa Parish, Diocese of Townsville  – https://www.goodshepherdisa.com.au/
Cororooke Parish, Diocese of Ballarat – https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/parish/cororooke/

A ST VINCENT DE PAUL PARISH GROUP

The St Vincent de Paul Society is a pioneer in community outreach services. Many parishes have benefited from having a group set up to provide help to their community. ”Conferences” are set up in parishes and volunteers of the organisation live their faith by visiting people to provide friendship and support. Opportunities are provided to be involved in a range of community outreach and relief services. Volunteers help to deliver much needed services particularly to the poor and marginalised in the community.

To know more about how you could set up such a group in your parish to benefit your community please go to https://www.vinnies.org.au

OVERSEAS PARTNER PROGRAM
Does your parish have a surplus of resources? Are you blessed with generous donors? Perhaps you’d like to partner with an overseas parish in a developing country to help the build their community? Australian parishes who have partnering programs have found great benefit in forgoing links with overseas parishes and their communities with both sides gaining from the cultural exchange.

To know more about this activity and how it could help your parish please contact any of the following parishes: Sugarloaf Parish, Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle – https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/places/parishes/sugarloaf/  or Albany Creek Parish, Archdiocese of Brisbane –  https://www.allsaintsparish.com.au/