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From the Diocesan Pastoral Council

16 August, 2024

Summary of Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC) Meeting held on Tuesday 4 June 2024    

On the evening of Tuesday 4 June 2024 at 5pm, the DPC held a meeting via ZOOM.  It is hoped that the following summary will communicate to the diocese some of the issues discussed at the meeting.

  • Representatives from the Parish Pastoral Councils (PPC) (Rockhampton, Emerald, Western, Bundaberg, Mackay, Gladstone) reported on activities occurring in their communities.
  • The Headings under which these Reports were made and discussed included the following:
    1. About the Parishes and Worshipping Communities in their respective areas.
    2. What is going well in their communities.
    3. What struggles are their communities experiencing.
    4. How was the Diocesan Pastoral Plan (DPP) received in their respective communities and how the communities are engaging with the DPP.
    5. What can the DPC do to help and support Parish Pastoral Councils.

The meeting then received further reports as follows:

  1. DPC Focus Areas Report – Work is being done to develop a planning document to assist Parishes to write their own Pastoral Plan
  2. Pastoral Care of Visa/Seasonal Workers Report – Br Ted Magee (action on this outreach project is ongoing)
  3. Pastoral Care of Mine Workers Report – Rob Alexander (action on this outreach project is ongoing)
  4. DPC Executive Officer Report – Joy Philippi – Work being done by Joy with the various Parish communities was shared in this Report. It was noted that Gladstone has a new PPC.

Positive feedback was received regarding the Summary of the March meeting of the DPC that was distributed to the various PPCs. There was discussion as to whether the Summary of the meeting today and the Summary of future meetings should also be placed in Parish newsletters for the information of parishioners.

A lengthy discussion then took place with respect to revising the DPC Statutes. Suggestions made by DPC members for amendments to these Statutes were noted.

If you would like further information about the work of the DPC, please feel free to speak with any of the DPC members who you may see at your Parish Masses. At the date of preparing this Summary, the DPC Members appointed by Bishop Michael are as follows:

Rob Alexander (Chair) Fr Truc Phan, Fr Ashwin Acharya, Fr Simeon Uchendu, Br Ted Magee, Nadene Pettett, Bernadine Frawley, Bernadette Ariens, Vicki Hegge, Loretta McKeering, April Roth, Joy Philippi (Executive Officer), Leesa Jeffcoat (ex-officio), Robert Sims (ex-officio) and Dean Smith (ex-officio).

The next meeting of the DPC will be held via ZOOM on Tuesday 20 August at 5pm.

Rob Alexander

Chair, Diocesan Pastoral Council