Your voice matters.
Your experience matters.

What changes are needed?
What do you need?
What can you offer?

          Join us for this

           event, coming April 6th…

SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 2024

 

9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
St. Thomas à Becket Parish
4320 Ste. Anne St.
Pierrefonds, QC H9H 4Y7

 

 

Co-creating the
path forward for
one another, ourselves,
our Church:

 

Pope Francis launched a worldwide three-year process in 2021 dedicated to listening and dialogue, calling all faithful to take part in discerning the path forward for the Church. 

   This process is “intended to create space for diverse people to participate in the church, listen to one another’s needs, and then discern a way forward together with the bishops – but not the bishops alone.
   In business terms, it would be like a flattening of the organization with less hierarchy, more teamwork, and more consultation. In church terms, it is a call to synodality.

          – Stan Linhorst, Editor and “Conversations in Leadership” columnist

“Where do we go from here?”

Basilian Fr. Thomas Rosica, who spoke in Montreal Nov. 15 about next steps in this process, recalls Pope Francis’ opening words in 2014, when he convened his first synod dedicated to families:

   “You are here to speak with boldness, to speak with courage, to disagree with me. Nothing will be prevented from being discussed in this room.” 

 

 

 

 

         

 

What challenges
are parish communities facing?

Why do we sometimes feel stuck?

Many faith communities, however, are experiencing the changing face of community engagement, while some share a growing concern for the size and participation of their congregations, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, there has been an increase in the number of people seeking spiritual growth, depth, and connection with God, who sometimes turn to the Church for guidance, presence and support. 

   The times we are living in are “tumultuous” and “a change of epochs…The solid ground of the past is slipping away from us.”
   “The space has to be hospitable and open to marginalized voices, for people who feel their experience has not been heard and welcomed in the church. To make that a fact and not an intention is of critical importance.”

          – Jesuit Fr. David McCallum,
            Executive Director of the Discerning Leadership Program

 

Lend your voice.
Share your experience.


Where do we need to go?

What are your recommendations?

How do we grow together?

What do we need to do?

What do you need?

What can you offer?

Consider joining your local network of leaders, clergy, ministry and pastoral teams from parishes, missions, movements and community organizations across the diocese for a Saturday morning dedicated to helping create this space of consultation, team work and shared leadership, rooted in communion, participation and mission.

 

 

 

WHEN

  • Saturday, April 6, 2024
    9 a.m.-12 p.m. EDT

N.B. Refreshments provided.

 

WHO is this for?

Open to all.

For those seeking a space dedicated to:

– envisioning and learning to build new ways of “being” church

– listening, dialogue and consultation in addressing the difficulties, challenges and needs of those who minister and serve, including parish leadership teams, pastoral councils, clergy, ministry leaders, etc.

– all those involved in the synodal journey undertaken by our universal Church as well as those who are interested in understanding where we are in the journey and where we’re headed for the next stage in October 2024.

– creating opportunities to foster a pastoral conversion through this synodal process, as an individual and as community

REGISTER for free

Freewill online donations will be greatly appreciated.

 Register now.

Admission to this morning event is free and all are welcome
to take part in these Missionary Consultation Tables.
In order to participate, advanced registration is required.
Please complete the form below.
We look forward to welcoming you!

Important

  • Please note that all communication regarding your registration will be made via the email provided on the form.

    To ensure that you receive this information, please save parishvitality@diocesemontreal.org in your contacts as a recognized email address.

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    Please do not hesitate to email us if you still cannot find our correspondence in your inbox.

About Parish Vitality 2024:
A series on Transformation…

 

In November 2020, The Office for English Pastoral Services (OEPS) launched the first of a series of virtual Parish Vitality conferences, in response to the onset of a global pandemic and with a desire to continue the community journey of parish life development through our biennial Parish Vitality Conferences (PVC), the first of which was held in 2014: Doors Wide Open.

As parishes navigate the different challenges affecting their communities, i.e. aging buildings, smaller congregations, overworked clergy, the OEPS’ latest series on Parish Vitality focuses on Transformation, through our Vision (PVC Nov. 2020), our Leadership (PVC Jan.2021), our Communities (PVC Oct. 2021), our Catechesis (Nov. 2021), and our Liturgy ( PVC June 2023).

*The Parish Vitality Conference series and related events have been organized in collaboration with partnered diocesan offices,
The English Speaking Catholic Council, and with the generous support of the Pillars Trust Fund.

 

 

Parish Vitality:
A Timeline …

 

Here is an overview of Parish Vitality Conferences (and related events) over the years, including their dedicated themes and featured keynote speakers:

2014: DOORS WIDE OPEN
As part of the OEPS’ response to help develop areas of parish life following pastoral visits made by Bishop Thomas Dowd (former Episcopal Vicar to the English-speaking Faithful from 2012-2018).

Keynote: The Rebuilt team, co-founders and authors
Fr. Michael White and Tom Corcoran on “Making Church Matter”; from the Archdiocese of Baltimore, MD, USA.

___________________________________________________________________

2016: UNLEASHING OUR GIFTS

As part of an introduction to Sherry Weddell’s Forming Intentional Disciples and the Catherine of Siena Institute’s Called and Gifted program on charisms.

Keynote: From the Catherine of Siena Institute,
Deacon Keith Strohm, former Director of Evangelization of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Illinois. 

___________________________________________________________________

2018: LEADING THE WAY TOGETHER

As part of the introduction to the Divine Renovation (DR) program, focusing on leadership and parish renewal based on building missionary communities.

Keynote: From Divine Renovation, founder and author
Fr. James Mallon, former Episcopal Vicar for Parish Renewal of the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Also featured: a guest panel of members from the Senior Leadership Team of St. Ignatius of Loyola, a parish piloting the DR program in Montreal.

___________________________________________________________________

2019: EMERGENTSTRENGTHS, a PVC follow-up

An introduction to the Living Your Strengths (LYS) Program:

The first of a series of launches offered at both the diocesan and parish levels. Diocesan launches were held June 10 and Sept. 7. Several Montreal parishes signed up for the LYS Program as formation for their parish teams, including leadership, various ministries, and youth/young adult groups.

Facilitators: From EmergentStrengths, co-founders Barry Koen-Butt and Elizabeth Yorski Butt, Montreal natives residing in Markham, Ontario.

___________________________________________________________________

2020-2023: TRANSFORMATION SERIES 

NOV. 2020: OUTWARD-BOUND: CALLED BY MY NAME,
SENT IN HIS NAME
with keynote Archbishop Paul-André Durocher of Gatineau, Quebec.

JAN. 2021: TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP: LEADERSHIP WHERE IT MATTERS MOST with keynote Brett Powell, Archbishop’s Delegate for Development and Ministries in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia.

OCT. 2021: TRANSFORMING LIVES, TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES with guest panel featuring Alessandra Santopadre (Le Pont), Brent Walker (Communitas) and Judy Wong (Catholic Action Montreal).

NOV. 2021: TRANSFORMING CATECHESIS, in collaboration with the Office for Faith Education, with keynote Dr. Anne Walsh, Director of Partnership in Mission for the Redemptorists of Canada.

JUNE 2023: TRANSFORMED INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST, in collaboration with the Office for Faith Education, with presenters Lucie McEilligott, Coordinator of Catechetical Services and Fr. Raymond Lafontaine, E.V. for the English-speaking Faithful.

_______________________________________________________________________

 

Parish Vitality 2024:
A series on Transformation

A Prayer to the Creator from Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis

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If you have any questions or comments related to this event, please write to us at:

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About Us

Coordinating office for pastoral affairs regarding the English-speaking Catholics of the Archdiocese of Montreal.

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2000 Sherbrooke St. West
Montreal, QC H3H 1G4
oeps@diocesemontreal.org
514-925-4300 ext. 219

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