This is a consultation process from Malcolm Bishop of Nottingham on the future shape of the diocese. It is a good opportunity to think deeply about structures and processes, authority and responsibilities in the church. Perhaps we can move on from sheep metaphors to more adult models of understanding our relations with each other?
Before we rush to the structures it is important to consider basic values.
How is the local church reflecting the catholicity, diversity if you will, of the area in which it sits? Ethnicity? Gender? Sexualities? How do the outcasts, the lepers, feel about our church? Are they welcome? Are we reaching out to the poor, the sick, the pissed off with us? If not why not? What is the point of change if we just become another version of what we are now? How do we welcome back those who have left because they felt unwanted? We have a massive job with those who walked away. Messages from those who have left to become members of other faith groups report that a major reason was the unfriendliness of Catholic churches. If you think our or your church isntt like that fine. Have you tried asking for people's opinions. Especially black people's experiences.
A number of questions or possibilities come to mind.
What is the optimum size for a parish? Do we need buildings owned or leased by ecclesial units?
Should we move to a parish model where there is an elected committee that run the practical side of things, especially money, plant, employment issues leaving the priest for sacramental work, teaching, counselling and the spiritual development of the parish?
This requires a major shift in lay and clergy mind sets (and Canon Law), training and good will.
Liturgy matters:
I prefer one mass per Sunday, and an end to two evening masses at weekends (both Saturday and Sunday), for most parishes. Surely we can devise a liturgy where all can feel welcomed. Do we really have to provide masses for half empty churches? Once Sunday morning is over surely our priests deserve some time off. Sunday second vespers is a fine parish service but does not need a priest. Is it possible to have early morning celebrations of mass during the week sometimes rather than at 10am?
More training for church musicians to animate Sunday masses and Triduum liturgies.
A total rethink of school policy Is needed with much thought being given to shifting resources to adult Christian education and training. Catholic schools are not necessarily the best way of educating Catholic children. I would like to see the evidence that they 'work'.
Greater use of Internet for adult Catholic education. See www.ktotv.com for French examples available 24/7, much use of liturgy from Notre Dame de Paris and Community of Jerusalem. A UK version of it could make more of the liturgy from Westminster Cathedral, Blackfriars Oxford, the great Benedictine monastic schools and links from the liturgies in Rome.
Need for lay ministers for baptisms funerals and marriages. If no mass is required then no priest required. Laity need training for these roles but well tried models are available in Methodist local preachers and Anglican lay readers. The wheel is already invented. If we are going to have first class expensive musical liturgies at e.g. Westminster why are they not streamed to the TV and internet? In terms of spreading the good news we have much to learn. We also need to balance this 'high' liturgy with liturgy that is much more popular (if hated by the musical snobs amongst us) and represents streams such as the Charismatics. We remember from where the word 'liturgy' comes.
There is a need to think plan and act now.
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