PASTORAL ASSOCIATION
by Lee Beasley
Each year in February, a group of women and men are acknowledged for satisfying the requirements necessary to be accredited as a Pastoral Associate. These prerequisites, according to Lys Crowe (Minister to Pastoral Associates for the Archdiocese of Melbourne) are a sound personal development and awareness of natural gifts; appropriate professional formation; and a commitment to implement the life of the Church, for the good of its people.
This year the Archbishop of Melbourne, Dennis Hart, acknowledged eleven
Pastoral Associates receiving their accreditation. This celebration of
their ministry was shared with family, friends and parishioners at a Mass
in St Patrick’s Cathedral. Six other Pastoral Associates received
reaccreditation during the same celebration.
The reaccreditation occurs every five years and Lys sees it more as an
opportunity for affirmation. Lys defines the process as a discussion and
reflection of each individual’s direction while receiving valuable
feedback from peers and the facilitator, a member of the Accreditation
Committee. The affirmation is vital for Pastoral Associates who are constantly
challenged by the demands of the community and parish life. Each individual
who becomes a Pastoral Associate bears witness to the diversity of life
and faith.
According to the Accreditation Policy of the Archdiocese of Melbourne,
the appointment comes from the parish priest, ‘…to assist him
in leading the pastoral care of the parish community in accordance with
precepts, teachings and practices of the Catholic Church.’
Sr Dorothea White, Pastoral Associate for the three parishes of St Martin de Porres, Laverton; Queen of Peace, Altona Meadows and Lumen Christi, Point Cook follows her role model of Mary in the early Church. Sr Dorothea tries to be open to God and his will for her.
‘This is a challenging aspect; as rarely does one have all the qualifications
when one begins. Again it is necessary to be continually updating so as
to be able to meet the needs of people in the day to day situations of
life.’ Sr Dorothea has been involved in parishes as a Pastoral Associate
for 22 years, the first seven in Rockhampton, Queensland and the remaining
fifteen in
the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
‘These have been some of the most challenging and satisfying years of my life.’ Sr Dorothea adds.
| At present, over half of the 232 parishes in Melbourne have Pastoral Associates and a further six Pastoral Associates are studying for accreditation. The National conference of Pastoral Associates will gather in Adelaide this May. This gives the Pastoral Associates a chance to discuss their role in the faith community not only on a regional level but a national one as well. It is anticipated that the number in attendance could echo 160, the total at the last National conference held in Melbourne. Once again it is a time of affirmation and a time of discernment and sharing crucial to re-energising the spirit and again enter the community. |
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‘The conviction that community life based around the Gospels is the pivotal point for my journey…’ is why Maria Anderson became a Pastoral Associate for the parishes of Kyneton and Trentham. ‘I believe my role is different but equal to the Parish Priest, just as in a family we take different but equal roles’.
Maria adds ‘I am part of the fabric of the parishes and I believe my contribution is valued… Here we have people truly committed to living out parish life and it is my position to guide and educate them in faith, to work with them, to build parishes whose sense of wellbeing is lived out in liturgy, in prayer, in community action and in interaction with each other.’
This interaction is not only important between Pastoral Associate and parishioners but between Pastoral Associates themselves.
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‘We work towards empowering the laity with knowledge and skills needed to make each Parish a vibrant community.’ Says Marie van der Weert, Pastoral Associate for Sacred Heart Newport and St Margaret Mary’s, Spotswood. Marie shares the work with fellow Pastoral Associate, Carmel Crawford. Marie continues, ‘One of the things which our partnership does well is to model partnership itself, that is, to listen to each other, to collaborate with each other and to share in the joys and sorrows of our experiences.’ |
The collaboration isn’t limited to Pastoral Associates, Marie adds ‘the support and encouragement from our Parish Priest Fr Joe McMahon is tireless and is a large factor in what I see as continuing growth of the partnership’. Marie finds in working in a partnership she has a broader perspective on issues; something that helps her when listening to the valued stories of all the interesting people she meets.
For the Pastoral Associate team of St Andrews Werribee the metaphor of a wine trifle describes their recipe for working together—a spongy base of commitment, fruits of empathy and compassion, wines of creativity and passion, permeated in the custard of patience and gelled with conversation and ideas. Finally what holds the layers together is a bowl shaped out of life’s experiences.
| The team of six, Karen Michelon, Jenny Toohey, Sr Mary Barbuto, Rosemarie Cauchi, Martese Temming and Tracey Christodoulou cover the large parish’s extensive requirements. As a team they endeavour to meet the psychological, emotional, spiritual, physical and social needs of their diverse community. Since this is a team effort, they also rely on the support of numerous volunteers, school communities and the Parish Core Group. |
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With the dwindling numbers of Diocesan Priests servicing the parishes, the Pastoral Associate’s role will continue to be a necessary aspect of parish community life. Maria Anderson concludes, ‘…perhaps in being for parishioners what others were for me, I can nurture the seeds of faith in many who desire to grow in their understanding and love of God.’
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