NEW FOREST RC CHURCHES
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NEW FOREST RC CHURCHES
New Forest's new url will be as follows:
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New
Forest Deanery Report on the 3rd January 2006 The New Forest Deanery Pastoral Council has been considering the Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Portsmouth and the ways in which we can facilitate its implementation in this area including the development of Larger Pastoral Areas (LPAs). This document has been developed to provide the Steering Group with audit information about the Deanery Parishes and, based upon that, to make a case for the New Forest Deanery becoming an LPA. In our discussions we have been mindful of certain principles which should underlie structural and manpower changes in the future:
Parish Audits In Go Out and Bear Fruit, (p10), we are advised that the new Larger Pastoral Areas will seek to take into account the following issues:
In order to
examine these latter four issues we first needed to have a strong sense of our
starting point. Directed by The Sign we Give to examine the deployment of
our resources, we have, in the New Forest Deanery, conducted an audit of each
parish. The following form was filled in by each Parish and the results
tabulated in the subsequent diagrams: Church
Here insert
name and full address of Church Car Parking (How many? Easy? Problematic)_ ____________________________ Personnel Priest__ ________________________ Deacon ________________________ Eucharistic Ministers_ (Officially: Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist) Qualified Catechists_ Catechists Readers__ _______________________ Children's Liturgy__ Estimated total number of Parish members approx Average Mass attendance over four weeks (A new count will be required for this survey) Approximate Age Grouping of Parishioners Under 16___ 17 - 30____ 31 - 45____ 46 - 59____ 60 - 70____ 70 - 75____ Over 75 Numbers of those who in the last year who. . . . . .were baptised____ . . .received First Holy Communion_____ . . .were confirmed _____ . . .were married______
Number
of parishioners The information received is collated in the following tables:
This chart shows the average mass attendance compared to the number of seats available at each of the parish churches in the deanery. The information was collected by carrying out a mass count on 4 consecutive Sundays in the Autumn of 2005. There are currently 2 masses in Lymington, New Milton and Fordingbridge to accommodate all those who wish to attend. An estimated 1084 people attend Sunday Mass in The New Forest Deanery churches. The minimum number of priests required to provide Sunday mass in all seven parishes is 3. And the minimum number of masses to provide for parishioners in their current locations is 9. If mass were to take place in only the largest church (New Milton) there would need to be 6 masses to accommodate all the current attenders.
This chart attempts to show the age distribution of parishioners. At our meeting to discuss the results, representatives of the Deanery Pastoral Council thought there are likely to be inaccuracies in the estimated numbers of children at Lymington (too few) and Brockenhurst (too many)
This chart shows the percentage of regular mass attenders involved in 2 ministries. The results show similar levels of participation in all parishes
The ‘sacramental workload’ in each parish depends mainly on the number of parishioners. Other factors include the number of elderly or housebound and the presence of a hospital or catholic school in the parish Parish Profiles There are seven parishes in The New Forest Deanery and the following profiles, written by parishioners, provide some insight into their characters, diversity and histories.
St
Francis of Assisi RC Church, We have roughly 100 regular attenders, and are in the care of a shared priest with the next Parish, that of New Milton. The arrangement has been going on since 1999 and the relations with Our Lady of Lourdes Church in New Milton are totally harmonious – except when we compete for the Quiz Trophy and Skittles! The reason for the harmony between the two parishes can be put firmly on the shoulders of our shared Priest, Father Gerrit Vervenne. We are very blessed in having acquired a pastor who really cares for his flocks. He lives in New Milton and can be contacted on 01425 614968. We also have the services of a Deacon, Rev. Mike Welch, who lives with his wife Hilary in Barton-on-Sea. The Churches in Milford are very accustomed to working with each other towards the establishment of the Kingdom on earth. The Week of Prayer for Church Unity, Women’s World Day of Prayer, various witness Services on the Green, the Newcomers’ Supper and many other joint ventures are happily supported by all the Churches in Milford. St. Francis has one major structural problem and that is damp control. The Maryland Room, where social functions take place, is fighting a continual battle with the damp which causes the plaster to flake and mould to grow. While running repairs are effected, other areas fall prey to either damp or mould so we are involved in a losing battle. Money needs to be spent in order to find a real and permanent solution, although this probably falls into the category of desirable rather than essential...
Our Lady of Lourdes RC Church, Mount Avenue, New Milton In 2002 the parish celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the opening and blessing of the church of Our Lady of Lourdes at New Milton. In 1927 there were perhaps only about 50 Catholics in the area (though the Church was packed to overflowing for the opening Mass!) while in 2005 we have a Mass attendance of around 330 people. Although there had been a decline in Mass attendance numbers in the period between the mid 1980’s to mid 1990’s that decline has been turned into a slight increase in recent years. We share our Parish Priest with the neighbouring parish of St Francis of Assisi, Milford on Sea, and this profile needs to be read in conjunction with the profile for that church. The Parish has an active Parish Pastoral Council and has recently achieved a Fairtrade Church status. We also arrange a number of social events in the course of the year.
Salisbury Road, Fordingbridge, SP6 1EG More than one hundred and fifty people regularly attend Sunday Masses at Fordingbridge. The congregation comprises all age groups including many young families and is often boosted by visitors to the area. Since April 2004, Canon Alan Griffiths has been Parish Priest of both Ringwood and Fordingbridge, necessitating change to the timing of Sunday Masses and a reduction in the availability of weekday Masses. We share several activities with Ringwood Parish; they are invited to Parish lunches, Cafod events, outings and the Summer Benediction and Cream Teas. Plans are in hand for joint preparation for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion. Canon Alan is soon due to move to the Fordingbridge Presbytery when essential works have been completed. Uniquely situated on the boundaries of three counties, Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire and three dioceses, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Clifton, Fordingbridge is relatively isolated, with Ringwood, from the other New Forest Deanery parishes. Positive desire to keep our faith alive means than many people are already travelling further to attend Mass at Fordingbridge especially as the Parish extends over many square miles and includes nineteen villages in the Fordingbridge area.
Sacred Heart and St Therese of Lisieux The Close, RingwoodWe have been sharing Canon Alan Griffiths with Fordingbridge for the past 18 months or so. He is expecting to move his residence from here to there within the next month. Our church has a capacity of about 110 and our Sunday Mass attendance has gone down from 140 to 90 since losing our second Mass. This number is probably below the critical mass needed to sustain and grow a healthy parish. Our church leaks badly. Water comes in through the brick walls, particularly on the South and West sides. Investigation has shown that the single skin bricks are porous and remain sodden for half the year. There is no immediate danger of the church collapsing, but without considerable remedial work the building will not last. We have a reasonably sized plot with the church and presbytery. We have no church hall or meeting room, other than those in the house. Nearly half of the congregation are involved in the general housekeeping of the parish, but apart from taking communion to the sick, very little outreach work is done. We are having a parish party soon, the first major social event for a couple of years. Our congregation is elderly, many more retired people than youngsters, many more funerals than baptisms and marriages. The few children we have go to school in Bournemouth, and Bournemouth churches are nearer in time than any New Forest churches with the possible exception of Fordingbridge, about the same as Iford and Boscombe . A number of Catholics in our geographical area go to Mass in West Moors (Plymouth Diocese). We are concerned that if we should lose our Sunday Mass our congregation will disperse to some 4 or 5 different parishes and the Catholic community, such as it is, will disintegrate.
Our Lady of the Assumption and St Edward Lyndhurst Lyndhurst parish has the smallest church in the Deanery with seating for approximately 80 people. The church was built in 1896 when Canon James Daly, the first resident parish priest was appointed. Prior to that there was a mass centre in the village and the Rev. Patrick O’Connell came once a month by pony and trap from Lymington to celebrate Mass. Earlier this year (2005), Canon Dermot MacDermot-Roe retired and in the absence of a replacement, pastoral care reverted to the incumbent of Lymington Parish, Father Jamie McGrath (who is also responsible for Brockenhurst Parish). We are fortunate he is able, through modern transportation. to celebrate Sunday mass with us on a weekly basis. The Diocesan Pastoral Plan provides opportunities for the parish which is trying to find its way forward with fewer Sunday masses; reduced mass attendance (though our numbers swell in the Summer months due to tourism) and without a resident priest. We are fortunate in having a Deacon in the parish, a well established Parish Pastoral Council and parishioners who are usually supportive of pastoral and social activities. Financially, the parish is secure for the time being; the church has been well maintained and no major expenses are anticipated. Relations with other denominations are good and joint social and pastoral events occur several times a year. Our Lady of Mercy & St Joseph, Lymington.
Regular Mass attendance is 250. The Priest is shared with Brockenhurst and Lyndhurst. The relationships between the Parishes are new, but developing, resources are beginning to be shared. The parish has the only Catholic primary school in the New Forest. This has recently moved to new buildings on another site. Consequently, many children attend mass at 11am and there is a thriving Children’s Liturgy group. Nearly 30 different ministries are functioning in the Parish, from Readers and Eucharistic Ministers to Flower arrangers and cleaners. These are managed by the active PPC. A liturgy group and an SVP are being developed. There is an active, but elderly CWL.
St Anne’s Brockenhurst
St Anne’s is a very warm and welcoming Parish, very accustomed to visitors and weddings. As part of the Combined Parishes of New Forest (East), we have Mass twice a week in addition to Sunday celebrated by Fr Jamie McGrath, and the other days are prayed by a regular group of people who come for a Service of the Word and Communion. There is increasing participation in organising the Parish, often led by Deacon Hilary Parsons who is essential and greatly loved. The Parish has an organist and a thriving choir who sing every week, and there are services and a Day of Recollection organised by the lay members of the Liturgy Group. Our Children’s Liturgy has an increasing number of participants, and we have more families coming to Mass since it was started last year. Our Presbytery is empty, and it gives us the use of the parish rooms for coffee after Mass and meetings, with the flat upstairs available to members of the clergy who might be staying. We have recently had extensive work done to the fabric of the Church to maintain its solidity and appearance, but parking remains a problem. The Pastoral Parish Council and the Fabric and Finance Committee are energetic, and are beginning to combine with the other two parishes in planning events and sharing resources. We have a Care Group who discreetly provide support where necessary, and an active Social Committee. Money-raising events will be one of our challenges in 2006
ConclusionsWe have engaged with the project of constructing this report, and in doing so have undergone a process of discernment and reflection. Certain things have become clearer to us as a result of collecting the information and contemplating it. Initially we wanted to propose that the existing Deanery should become the Larger Pastoral Area. It has become clear that Ringwood and Fordingbridge are a more complicated issue, and much as we may have emotional ties, their inclusion in the LPA is probably an issue for the Diocese to consider. However, the five other Parishes do have a comparable profile and a sense of ‘corporate identity’. We have realised that there is a loss of attendance numbers when Mass-times are rationalised, and there can be a loss of community when people begin to choose to attend Masses in adjoining areas when the schedule suits them. Our hope would be that we can create a New Forest Catholic community, regardless of the distances involved between Churches. We are clear that there is a gradual increase in lay responsibility as clergy time becomes more scarce and precious, and some of the laity are embracing the challenge energetically. The New Forest Deanery Pastoral Council are therefore proposing that the five parishes of Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Lymington, Milford-on-Sea and New Milton become the new Larger Pastoral Area, and we look forward to hearing the thoughts of the Steering Committee on this matter.
Compiled by Mary Dunn after the Meeting of the NF Deanery Pastoral Council held at the Church of the Sacred Heart and St. Therese of Lisieux in Ringwood on 1st December 2005 Brockenhurst Representative on the New Forest Deanery Pastoral Council.
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