Parishioner Engagement Survey 2019

You are invited to complete a survey designed on behalf of the Kill, Ardclough and Johnstown Parish Pastoral Council to see how our Christian faith can lead to a more caring and inclusive Parish.
The information provided will be treated confidentially and is entirely anonymous.
This survey should take approximately 5 minutes to complete.
Please complete and return the survey by Sunday 19th May 2019.
Survey completed. Thank you for your time and effort in completing this survey.

Message read at Masses over the weekend of
​Saturday, 10th and Sunday 11th November 2018

Many of you will know me but for those of you who don’t my name is ……………..
Today I am representing the Parish Pastoral Council and am here to speak to you about what the Council is and
how it works.
The Parish Pastoral Council is made up of our Parish Priest and a team of parishioners whose task it is to look at the faith life of the parish, to see where it can be improved, to draw up a pastoral programme and to involve the whole parish in implementing it.
Pope Francis has said that if the parish and its parishioners can constantly adapt to the needs of its parishioners it continues to be “the Church living in the midst of our homes”. This means that the priest and the parish must be in touch with the homes and the lives of its people and must never lose touch with the people of the parish.
The Irish Bishops have said that the Church comes to life in parishes:

    – we welcome, support and care for one another
    – we live by the gospel
    – we celebrate the liturgy together
    – we work together for the good of the wider community, not just the parish.

Earlier this year, Fr Willie, with the support and guidance of Bishop Denis and Julie Kavanagh from the Faith Development Team in our Diocese, established a Parish Pastoral Council in our Parish. We meet approximately every 6 weeks. We are made up of parishioners who are prepared to give their time to help establish the Council and develop a pastoral programme.

There are 17 people on the Parish Pastoral Council, to date we have met 5 times. Fr Willie is our president, and we have elected a Chairperson and a secretary. A photograph of the members is on display in the porch of both Churches. We have also agreed our Mission Statement, which can be read on the photo in the porch. It states: Together with the priests and parishioners of Kill, Ardclough and Johnston the Parish Pastoral Council will make the Christian faith play a more active, vibrant and relevant role in the everyday lives of all our community, leading to a more caring and inclusive parish.
Our next step is to plan how we will engage you, our parishioners, in our work. We are seeking your opinions and ideas of how the Council can build up community life in our parish so that we can all make a difference to life in Kill, Ardclough and Johnstown. There is a Suggestion Box in the porch of each Church where you can place your suggestions. Alternatively you can make contact with any member of the Council through the Parish Office or in person. For example we are looking for suggestions of how we might engage better with the young people of the parish or how we could encourage more people to be involved in parish activities.
The Council will consider all your suggestions at our meetings and keep you informed of progress through the Parish Newsletter over the coming months. Copies of this letter are available in the porch for you to take home and will also be available on the parish website.
Many thanks.