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.
Communication
BROCHURE DISTRIBUTION
Hand delivering brochures to all the parishioners in a parish helps people keep in touch with the parish community. Especially during festive times like Christmas and Easter, it is a wonderful way to remind them of the many programmes and activities held in the parish and encourages them to actively participate in them. To know more about this activity and how it could help your parish please contact Kings Park parish in Melbourne – https://www.resurrectionkingspark.org/
PARISH BUSINESS DIRECTORY
A parish business directory is great way to promote small businesses within the parish community. It helps encourage the skills and talents of individuals and builds relationships among different groups in the community. To know more about setting up a business directory and how it could help your parish please contact Kings Park parish in Melbourne – https://www.resurrectionkingspark.org/
WEBSITES
A great way to communicate with your parish community is through a well-developed parish website. Having a wide variety of spiritual and informative resources available online means that parishioners can access them in their own time and at their own pace. Additionally, online resources are more likely to be appealing to young people due to their quick and easy access and the familiar mode of communication. Here are a few examples of some great websites from our participating parishes:
Kings Park Parish: https://www.resurrectionkingspark.org/
Harris Park Parish: https://www.olol.org.au/
Narrabundah Parish: http://cg.org.au/narrabundah/Home.aspx
Shepparton Parish: https://www.sheppartoncatholic.org.au/
STEWARDSHIP HANDBOOK
Parishioners often need to access information about different groups in a parish. Newcomers may want to join a parish group and don’t know who to ask and where to start. Sometimes people get tired of being in one ministry and want to try something new. A Stewardship Handbook is a great way to organise such information and keep it ready on hand in the parish office. It contains descriptions of parish groups and ministries and lists contact details and other important information. Click Stewardship-Book-parish-Groups to see a sample Handbook produced by Albany Creek Parish in Brisbane. To know more about how you can produce a similar book for your parish, please contact Albany Creek Parish – www.allsaintsparish.com.au
[One of the best things about the parish is] communication. People are kept informed about what’s happening. This leads to more ownership and increases their sense of belonging even after the parish has been amalgamated. Although there were challenges but now people feel comfortable going to different Mass centres.
Communication needs to be opened up a little more between every facet, every level of ministry. People don’t talk to one another. We need to bring a more personal touch back into our communication, not just text messages, emailing and Facebook.
