MEMO
TO: All Pastors,
Parishes, and Parish Pastoral Planning Contacts
FROM: Office of
Pastoral Life & New Evangelization
DATE: January 27,
2016
RE: 2016 Lenten Series
Hello friends,
Many have been
inquiring about the 2016 Lenten Video Series and we are happy to provide you
with some details. We are putting the final touches the videos and the
resources and will have all material available shortly. Below is an article
that will be featured in the upcoming February edition of Discipleship and
it further details the content and format of this year’s Series. Should you
have any questions or need more information please contact your region’s
PL&NE representative noted in the table following the article.
Lenten Series 2016 – Taking the Next
Step
“This three part series is designed to help you imagine what
a dynamic community of missionary disciples looks like in concrete terms.”
Archbishop Mancini
Our second Lenten Series, being held in the context of the
Year of Mercy, is designed to activate our spiritual imaginations. Through
prayer, conversation, and reflection, the series will help us to imagine what a
community of believers, focused on the mission of Christ, looks and acts like in
our time and place. Each of the three sessions explores fundamental aspects of
Mission, Community, and Formation with the goal of helping each one of us
articulate the necessary actions required to be modern day followers of Jesus
Christ.
At the heart of the Archbishop’s 2014 Pastoral Letter is a
question: Lord, Where Are You Going? Over the past year we have looked at
our parish communities in terms of mission, community, and formation in order to
discern where we are - but to get where we are going requires
taking the next step. The next step is to look beyond where we are now and
envision what actions must be undertaken to get to where the Lord is calling us
to go.
This phase of our process of transformation asks each parish,
or group of parishes, to create a pastoral plan. Pastoral planning isn’t about
trying to keep doing the same things we’ve always done in the way we’ve always
done them. That’s no longer possible. Our world has changed dramatically, and
the pace of change continues to quicken. Therefore, through the course of this
series we must identify the actions required to face the challenge of proposing
Jesus Christ in today’s circumstances.
Identifying these actions requires a process of discernment
and spiritual conversation. This year’s Lenten series is intended to let you do
most of the talking! Each session features a short introduction from Archbishop
Mancini, followed by three 10 minute segments focused on a particular aspect of
the topic. A time of prayer and group discussion follows each segment. From
there each participant completes a short survey aimed at capturing where the
parish is excelling and may need improvement. This information will be used by
your parish pastoral planning team to help create the action plan for your
community. All sessions conclude with a short reflection from Archbishop Mancini
focused on the Gospel readings for the 2nd, 3rd and
4th Sundays of Lent.
In session one, John Stevens – Manager, Pastoral Life &
New Evangelization – identifies our mission using Biblical examples, the wisdom
of Pope Francis’ exhortation The Joy of the Gospel, and the contents of
Archbishop Mancini’s 2014 Pastoral Letter. Each short segment focuses on an
aspect of our mission; Sharing Christ with Others, Ministry to Those in Need,
and Reliance on the Holy Spirit and ends with questions to consider in our
personal and parish life.
In session two, Fr. Rob Arsenault, C.C. – Chaplain at
Dalhousie & St. Mary’s University – brings our focus on the crucial aspect
of community. Speaking from his experience as a pastor, working with young
adults, and as a member of a religious community Fr. Rob challenges our
assumptions about our sacramental life, our relationships with one another and
the world, and our systems and structures. Each segment seeks to answer the
question, “if someone who knew nothing about Christ came to our church, what
would they see?”
In the third, and final, session, Chris O’Hara – Staff Member
at the St. Therese School of Faith and Mission – reflects on our need for
Formation. Combining his experience working in youth leadership with the
writings of Saint John Paul II Chris offers us a look at formation, in terms of
the maturation of our Christian life. As someone working regularly in the
formation of youth and young adults Chris brings a fresh perspective to our
understandings of faith formation. Each segment looks to explore how growing in
discipleship, leadership, and service are essential to accomplishing our
missionary mandate.
Sessions can be completed in a variety of ways. Small groups
meeting in homes offer an excellent opportunity for in depth discussion. The
format also lends itself to a weekly series, parish missions, day long retreats
and other creative uses. Additionally, the diocese is exploring other means of
participation using web based opportunities. Hopefully, parishes will offer a
variety of ways for people to participate.
Last year an average of 1,000 people participated in the
three sessions of the Lenten Series, often despite terrible weather conditions!
Given the important nature of the material being discussed we hope you will add
your input to this process. If you have ideas, hopes, passions, and aspirations
for our church the 2016 Lenten Series offers a forum to share them with others
in a context of faith and prayer.
REGION
|
NAME
|
CONTACT
|
Les paroisses
acadiennes dans les regions d’ Argyle et Clare
|
Wanda Comeau
|
PH: (902) 769-3844
|
Annapolis
Valley-Yarmouth-South Shore
|
Sr. Bernadette Cool,
foh
|
|
Dartmouth/Eastern Shore
|
Lydia
Hood
|
PH: (902) 429-9800 ext
311
|
Halifax/Central
|
Aurea Sadi
|
PH: (902) 429-9800 ext
310
|
North/Central
|
John Stevens
|
PH: (902) 429-9800 ext
331
|
Aurea
Sadi
Office of Pastoral Life &
New Evangelization
Archdiocese of
Halifax-Yarmouth
Ph: (902) 429-9800 ext.
310
Cell: (902)
802-5486
Fax: (902)
423-5201
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