Record number at Bishop’s Council of the Laity meeting

A record number of parish representatives attended the Bishop’s Council of the Laity Meeting on November 23 at Poringland, reports its Secretary, Maureen Costello.

After answering the matters raised by the parish representatives about Parish Pastoral Councils and Parish Finance Committees, Bishop Alan then provided important information for the representatives to take back to their parishes.

Bishop Alan covered a range of topics which included:

• an update about the clergy in the diocese
• the importance of the Year of the God Who Speaks
• Our new saint – John Henry Newman
• ICSA – Royal Commission: Inquiry into Sexual Abuse.

There was then a very interesting presentation from Jacinta Goode about Caritas East Anglia in which she highlighted the importance of the involvement of the laity. Jacinta explained about the Festival taking place in three different places in Diocese and the link with the Youth Service for the Big Sleep Out event later in the year. She also gave out some handouts providing more information about Caritas.

The next Meeting of the Council of the Laity is on Saturday May 16, at the Conference Centre, Poringland.

There is tea and coffee at 10.30am for the meeting at 11am. The meeting finishes at approximately 1.15pm followed by light refreshments.

For those parishes who have not been represented, a letter is going out to the parish priest asking him to pass on the information to the appropriate person to attend the meeting in May.

Agendas and reminders will go directly to those representatives who have previously attended. We are looking forward to seeing all parishes in the diocese represented.

Pictured above are Bishop Alan and laity representatives at the council.

Comments