VIEW FROM THE PEWS
Parishes on the Web
We live in a complex and fast-paced society. More than ever, individuals and families are relying on the convenience of the internet and on-line communication to help manage their time.
Over the last few months, seven parishes in the Sutherland Shire have been involved in bringing our parish news and information to the people of our parishes, and beyond, by means of a website! Old news, you might think! Not so.
Our websites are quite unusual in that they not only offer us a means to circulate information via our websites, but we are also able to direct email newsletters and our weekly parish bulletins to those wishing to receive parish information in this way.
Then, in addition to our own local news, our sites provide regularly updated news on the broader Catholic perspective—regionally, nationally and internationally—and provide enriching spiritual reflections. In this way, we are able to increase not only the accessibility of our parishes to the wider community, but the accessibility of the wider Catholic Church and other Catholic institutions.
Our growing subscriber list to the direct email gives testimony of its valuable service. It includes busy families who might not otherwise stay informed about parish news and activities; those who have moved, perhaps retired, who feel a strong connection to the parish and wish to continue that connection; people beyond the parish who wish to know what is happening locally; newcomers to the area; the housebound and/or elderly; people travelling and holidaying; those who wish to take advantage of the many links available from our sites; local churches of other denominations; and other local organisations.
Some comments from parishioners
I have been receiving the St Pat’s Sutherland e-newsletter for about
a month, and greatly look forward to the arrival of each weekly issue.
In particular the e-newsletter conveys a sense of welcome to those of
us who are new to the shire and who cannot always get to Mass. I also
very much appreciate the notice of upcoming community events and links
to analysis of current events by the wider Catholic press. The weekly
reflection is always relevant and of great help in turning my mind to
things higher than the usual dross found in my email in-box. Thank you
for providing a relevant, informative and welcoming communication (Helen).
Good to see the parish on line … first impressions are very good
… happy to keep loggin’ in (PL).
I would love to receive the weekly bulletin by email … My children in Years 9 & 12 at the moment … I think it’s a great new system of communicating (Fiona).
It raises a very vivid picture in one’s mind of the quite unique ‘view from the pews’ of our modern society when the Church practically and actively reaches out and into the very homes, studies and lounge-rooms of the people. And, from those places, the people have a practical way of interacting with their Church. It is, importantly, a communication tool, not just an information tool.
For the hands-on experience why not log on to www.stpats.sutherland.catholicau.com
Fr John Sullivan
Parish Priest, St Patrick’s Sutherland
(St Pat’s website is made available through Spiritlive, an initiative of Church Resources. See www.spiritlive.info)
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