ST. MARY’S, HEXHAM. PARISH PROFILE JULY 2007
Where we were.
30 years ago the parish was rather stagnant. There was very little Lay involvement in the Parish functioning, with the exception of Readers at Mass. The Priest was the person in charge, and the laity did as they were instructed.
Where we are now.
There has been a big transformation. Starting in the early 1980’s there were a number of well attended parish Renewal weekends at which the lay involvement in the parish was actively encouraged. This resulted in people volunteering their gifts and skills for the benefit of the whole parish. There are now a number, approx 40, of active Ministries of the laity in the Parish, ranging from Altar servers, cleaners, flower arrangers etc., through to Children’s liturgy, Catechists, Ministers of the Eucharist etc., to Lay Leaders of the Word and the Eucharist. Every two years the people are invited to review their gifts they bring to the Community, and to use these gifts for the benefit of all by becoming involved in any one, or more, of the Ministries. This is found to be a very helpful way in involving newly arrived parishioners into the life of the local Church. There are also a number of voluntary societies at work in the parish, who are involved through charitable activities and visitations both in people’s homes and in hospitals. Some of the Societies come together in a spirit of prayer and fraternal friendship which is open to all. All the Ministries and Societies are split into groups, of similar gifts, and each group has a leader who is represented on the Parish Council, which meets every two months, and acts as a Consultative and Accountable body for the Ministries they represent. The youth are encouraged to take an active part in the Ministries, which they do, as they are the Church of the future. There is also a very well attended Children’s Liturgy at the Sunday morning Mass, which gives them the beginnings of a foresight in the Faith in which they are been brought up.
The Future.
The new extension work, at present under construction, will be an immense asset to the Parish in the future. We will be able to plan for greater involvement by the Laity for more activities involving Catechetics, Lay training, more involvement with youth and young adults, the commencement of social activities in the parish and so bind together everyone in a stronger parish family unit. We need the involvement of all to strengthen the Parish for that time in the future when we may be asked to look after the Parish ourselves in the absence of Priests.