PPC Meeting 21st February 2024
The first meeting of the PPC for 2024 was held on Wednesday 21 February. The following matters were discussed:
· Parish finances were discussed including progress on building the Early Learning Centre
· Data was provided about enrolments in Catholic schools across the diocese. Numbers have consistently fallen i in our area and this trend may continue into the future.
· Continued discussion about the significant anniversaries: 25th anniversary of the church this year; the 40th anniversary of the parish in 2026. Importance of forming a planning committee and developing a number of events/activities.
· Exploration of applying for a grant for an Artist in Residence to create a significant piece of work for the parish’s 40th anniversary.
· Continued work on producing a Parish Information Brochure.
· Discussion about the role of the parish website and the need to use other forms of social media to reach out to people in the parish and those in the local community.
· Discussion about ways to support our priests as Father Martin has now left the parish.
· As an acknowledgement of Martin’s contribution to our parish, a thank you card will be placed in the Gathering Space for parishioners to sign. They may also donate towards a gift for him.
· A report from the primary school - many activities underway and in planning. A panel has been formed to begin the process of selecting a new principal.
· Report from the Liturgy Team about Lenten activities. There was discussion about services to be held across the three parishes during Lent and through the Easter period.
The next meeting is Wednesday 20 March, 7pm in St Thomas meeting room.
PPC Meeting 15th November 2023
2023 Achievements
It was agreed by all present to summarise St Thomas PPC planning completed or progressing thus far in 2023:
· Establishment of close liaison and communication with the parish primary school, resulting in a number of actions/activities such as:
Ø Rosaries provided for school students
Ø Sacramental cards for St Thomas students who received the sacraments of First Eucharist and Confirmation. Visit by parishioners to students to present Confirmation cards.
Ø Letters of farewell and congratulations given to graduating Garde 6 students
Ø School and parish teams working together, inviting students and the new Preps for 2024 , to the blessing of the cribs on the first Sunday of Advent and a barbecue after the Mass
· Holding the first Annual General Meeting for this PPC
· Regular communication with parishioners regarding PPC activities and initiatives
· Strong relationships built with parish groups and inter parish groups with regular consultation, planning, provision of support and sharing of information
· Support for shared liturgies, events etc between the three parishes
· Support for initiative of the Baptism Team to invite families who have had children baptized this year to renew baptismal vows on first weekend of Advent and to participate in the blessing of the cribs – work with Liturgy Team to plan and organize
· Initiation of Alpha Parenting Children course
· Special blessing and recognition at Mass and morning tea for all those who volunteer in any capacity in our parish
· Continued reach out to St John of God Accord regarding how we may offer support and community
· Early Learning Centre development - PPC kept informed of progress
· Involvement in formation of Partnered Parishes Pastoral Council – three PPC members participate in this council
· Initial work on production of a brochure - what groups and activities are available in the parish
· Decision to have remembrance plaques for priests who have served the parish placed in the church. Plaques for Frs Peter and Tao now in place
· Initial consideration of and planning for the 25th anniversary of St Thomas’ church – 2024 - and the 40th anniversary of the parish - 2026
· Involvement by more parishioners in ‘The Way of the Gospel’ – Proclaim
· Exploring further conversation on how to engage parishioners through “pre-evangelisation, kerygmatic, catechesis” activities/events
· Ongoing formation of ministry groups across 3 parishes initiated, commencing with Baptism groups in February 2024
· Church air-conditioners replaced
· Church projector screens replaced
· Ongoing Church/grounds maintenance
Brief discussion on items for consideration for 2024 such as developing a Strategic Plan; Time and Talent sheet for parishioners to consider; continuing work begun in 2023
PPC Meeting 18th October 2023
- PPC welcomed John Bohan who provided a financial report to 30th September 2023. The report indicated a deficit, even with income generated from the Early Learning Centre. John warned of an increase in future expenditure due to an anticipated increase in the cost of insurance, a consequence of Catholic Insurance ceasing to operate.
- Stay tuned to learn how the school and parish are planning celebrations to mark the Church’s 25th anniversary in 2024 and the establishment of the Parish’s 40th anniversary in 2026.
- October, the month of the Rosary, was marked by the distribution of Papal blessed rosary beads given to the Year 2 students who are preparing to receive their First Reconciliation.
- Have your Christmas crib/nativity scene ready to bring for blessing at the Masses on 2nd & 3rd December.
- In order to alleviate the disappointment of those looking for a night Mass on the feast of the Assumption, there will be an evening Mass at St Thomas on 2nd November, the feast of All Souls.
- A suggestion for the school children to create ceramic depictions of the Stations of the Cross for permanent placement at the Church is being investigated, perhaps involving a grant for an “artist in residence” at the school in order to facilitate it.
- A Mary statue is being spruced up before taking residence in the Marian chapel.
- Mary Jahne has created a “Lament to hope” banner which will hang in the Church with a description beneath. A report was given on the recent Liturgy of Lament held at Sacred Heart. The organisers expressed disappointment at the poor representation of St Thomas’ parishioners; however the clash of commitments can never be taken into consideration to accommodate everyone.
- Some progress is taking place regarding connection with the St John Accord facility.
- Parish attempts to connect with the school include a letter of encouragement to year 6 students and the offer of a video presentation of Bishop Robert Barron’s “Eucharist” for parents prior to school pick-up.
- PPC Meeting 20th September 2023
The committee discussed an article ‘The kerygma enigma – creating an effective discipleship pathway in your parish’ which is taken from a larger discussion paper Growing Missionary Disciples in Your Parish.
The article outlines the three-phase discipleship pathway consists of pre-evangelisation, the kerygma, and catechesis. Pre-evangelisation focuses on building trust and relationships, emphasizing qualities like approachability and patience. The kerygma, at the heart of the gospel, proclaims faith in Jesus as the Christ and invites a personal relationship with Him. Catechesis provides in-depth instruction and teaching, covering various aspects of the faith. This structured approach aims to meet the diverse needs of individuals at different stages of their faith journey, guiding them towards a deeper connection with Jesus and active involvement in the faith community.
The PPC discussed what St. Thomas currently does in these three areas. The group listed events like Faith Education Nights, Christmas Carols, Alpha Parenting night, Committees like the PPC, Bible Studies group etc.
Michael Bates reported on a delegation of eight members from our three parishes, including two from St. Thomas, visited St. John of God Accord, where they were warmly received by Neal Murphy, the Mission Director. Neal provided insights into the organisation's operations, showcasing the clients' joy in various activities. They had a productive meeting with other Directors over lunch, discussing potential opportunities for further engagement, such as volunteering and school interactions. Michael will stay in touch with Neal to keep the parish informed.
The Early Learning Centre has starting paying rent to the parish as part of the future build of a Childcare centre on St. Thomas grounds.
Deputy Principal, Jo Nolan reported that the school had celebrated both Mary MacKillop's feast day and the feast of the Assumption as a whole school. Our 3/4 and 5/6 children are becoming more involved by reading the psalm and the acknowledgment of Country at the weekly mass they attend. 76 children made their Confirmation on Friday 25th of August. Cathy & Michael Bates were invited to school to present Confirmation cards to children confirmed. We have 3 children who have volunteered to be altar servers for one of the ceremonies with the Bishop.
The Liturgy of Lament is scheduled for Thursday, October 5th, at Sacred Heart Church.
The Combined Liturgy Team from St. Thomas and Sacred Heart has been active in planning events, including Father Steve's 40th Anniversary of Ordination celebration, the Liturgy of Lament, and a special blessing for Father's Day. Plans for blessing nativity sets at the start of Advent, potentially involving school families, are in progress. There's also consideration of a Mass for families of baptised children and organising Aboriginal Stations of the Cross for Good Friday 2024.
The Partnered Parishes Plenary Council Facilitators Group is examining Plenary Council decrees, focusing on "Reconciliation – Healing Wounds, Receiving Gifts," which invites engagement with Aboriginal cultures and spirituality. The group is committed to social justice and collaboration with the Combined Social Justice Group, addressing abuse issues through a proposed Cathedral precinct redesign.
PPC Meeting 21st June 2023
- Partnered parishes Pastoral Council meeting held on 3rd May, a second meeting on the 28th June at St Thomas. Martin chairperson for PPPC.
- Early Learning Centre, agreement with parties to proceed with project.
- Children's Masses, PowerPoint made for the children, readings from children's lectionary. (Teachers to read).
- Altar servers, interest for a couple of children. Martin to follow up.
- Plaques for priests will be brass, final draft sent to Sports awards, placement of plaques once they arrive.
- Baptisms, encourage godparents to attend preparation meeting.
- Communion cards given to children after their communion, will do the same for confirmation.
- Parenting course, 18 registered, 10 attended regularly.
- A combined Privacy policy is being established across our 3 Parishes.
- 25th Anniversary of our church in 2024/40 years of our Parish in 2026. How do we celebrate these occasions?
- Next meeting Wednesday 19th July.
PPC Meeting 19th April 2023
At this month’s PPC meeting we conducted our first Annual General Meeting. Reports were submitted by 10 parish groups along with the Parish Priest, Fr. Steve and Primary School Principal, David Delaney.
This was a great opportunity for the PPC to see the big picture overview of how the Parish is operating and functioning.
The PPC highlighted the following achievements for the past year
· Prayer for Peace liturgies - school and parish
· New ICT, AV screens and new amplifier in the church along with t TVs along with new heating/cooling
· Liturgies to bless the completed St Thomas the Apostle statue an and parish
· Improvements to the outside lighting in Aboriginal garden and the Thomas Village
· Tabernacle security issues addressed - key safe installed
· Tabernacle prominence addressed. Changes to the chair arrange the additional Sanctuary light
· Survey for school parents
· Meetings regarding Early Learning Centre construction
· Partnered Parishes Plenary Council Facilitators Group plaque an acknowledge 0the harm and suffering caused
· Building new connections with St John of God Accord disability services.
· Further planting in the rose garden and annuals planted in the garden be of the church
· Hosting of the Alpha Parenting Children Course
· Plaques in memory of Fr Peter Fulton and Fr Tao Pham
· Community - engagement of faith with the parish community and the c the parish / school
· Seeking engagement from school parents
· How can the parish be more involved in the school?
· School and parish activities
As a PPC, we are looking at how we can better work with and support the parish groups and parish community as this PPC continues to take shape. We have an eagerness to better engage with the school and we are looking for areas of focus that came from a data gathering exercise in late 2022 with school parents.
PPC Meeting 15th March 2023
? The PPC welcomed:
- John Bohan who provided Financial Reports and updates on the Early Learning Centre, indicating permit applications are currently being prepared for submission. ?
- Data from the 2022 school survey has been tabled and discussed, with the following initial directives emerging.
- Provide student-led Masses with creative resources to encourage participation. ?
- Present The Parenting Children Course (for parents/grandparents) between May and June. Further details to follow.
- PPC AGM has been set for Wednesday, 19th April at 7pm in the Parish meeting room.
- Split system air-conditioning has been installed in the Church.
- Plaques in memory of Fr Peter Fulton and Fr Tao Pham for their years of service to the St Thomas community are being designed.
- Arrangements will be made to accept donations towards the plaques.
- Discussion continues regarding key areas of focus for PPC in 2023.
PPC Meeting 15th February 2023
- The Parish Pastoral Council met on the 15th February and addressed the following matters.
- • The meeting began with a prayer and a moment of silence in remembrance of Father Tao. We also remembered the Ash Wednesday bushfires which occurred 40 years ago.
- • We welcomed the new school Deputy Principal Jo Nolen and had a very productive discussion about how the school and broader parish may work collaboratively together and strengthen our connections.
- • Possible areas to develop as we reach out to others: Prep Parents Connection nights; engagement with St John of God Accord
- • We acknowledged the impact of the loss of Father Tao on Father Steven and Father Martin, both personally and on their workload. We offered our support and any help we could give.
- • Fr Steve provided a further update on the development of an Umbrella Pastoral Council for the three parishes. First meeting: 3rd May
- • The Liturgy Teams of the three parishes will work this year to develop a Liturgy of Lament/Atonement in response to the hurt and damage caused by sexual abuse in the Church
- . • There was also discussion on how we may better inform parishioners about, advertise and promote parish events. • In the next meeting members will consider key areas to focus on for the year ahead
.PPC Meeting 19th October 2022
Since the establishment of the PPC’s in March we thought we would let you know of what we have achieved in such a short period of time. ?
- 2 Prayer for peace liturgies - school and parish. ?
- 2 AV Screens and new amplifier replaced in the church. ?
- Painting behind TV’s. ?
- 2 Liturgies to bless the completed St Thomas statue and plaque - school and parish. ?
- Outside lighting in aboriginal garden/pathway to St Thomas Village fixed. ?
- Tabernacle security issues addressed - key safe installed.
- Tabernacle prominence addressed/ Area open up by chairs being moved/awaiting extra "sanctuary" light.
- Survey for school parents. ?
- Meetings regarding the proposed Early Learning Centre construction. ?
- Partnered Parishes Plenary Council Facilitators Group.
- Plaque on rock is located under Magnolia tree in front of Church. Blessing to be organized for weekend Mass. ? Further planting in our Rose garden and annuals planted in the garden bed at the side of the church.
PPC meeting 21st September 2022
With the new audio visual screens installed, there are now two further tasks to addressed.
- The white walls behind the screens need to be painted with a colour matching the paintwork in the area beneath the screens. To achieve these ends we are eager to find a painter within the parish. ?
- There needs some adjustment to the lights to overcome reflection on the screens. To achieve this we would need someone with access to a scissor lift or similar device. If you have any suggestions for either or both of these issues please contact Lisa in the office. ?
- The St Thomas the Apostle statue, marble base and plaque has been completed, and marked with 2 ceremonies, one for the School 15th Sept., and one after Mass 25th Sept. The plaque Scripture “My Lord and my God” was identified as an aspiration during the “Concepts for Religious Art” program 20 years ago (copies available in the foyer). ?
- The poor response to the recent Thanksgiving Campaign has emphasised the reliance on income from the proposed Early Learning Centre, a meeting for which was held 18th Aug. Expect to see plans of the Centre displayed in the foyer of the Church soon. ?
- A survey is being prepared to gather data from School parents. ?
- Discussion took place regarding the placement of a “sorry” plaque. At the conclusion of the meeting the members explored possible locations, from the roundabout to the presbytery, with the emphasis that it is not to be in the School area. ?
- Regarding tabernacle placement, it is proposed that the responses emailed to Fr Martin will be available on the St Thomas website prior to Wednesday 5th Oct meeting. ?
- Security of the Blessed Sacrament has been enhanced with the tabernacle key now held in a key safe, the combination of which has been given to those taking Holy Communion to the sick.
PPC Meeting 20th April 2022
The Parish Pastoral Council consists of the Parish Priest Father Steven, ex-officio members and a group of parishioners put forward by the parish community. In our first meeting in March, the following office bearers were chosen: ? Tim Holland, Chairperson. ? Cathy O’Brien, Deputy Chairperson. ? Lisa Leahy, Secretary. ? Emilia Sacchetta, Deputy Secretary. The other parishioner members are: Michael Bates, Sandra Bishop, Chris Leahy, Michael O’Keeffe. ?
- Documents regarding mission, role, functions and guidelines of the PPC were accepted.
- Issues of how we communicate across the parish, including with the school and parish groups, were raised. ?
- We also discussed the Archdiocese project of forming missions throughout the diocese; ?
- Organising a gathering of Prep parents early each school year. ?
- Code of Conduct declaration for volunteers. ?
- Initiating a prayer service for peace in the world, one with the school children and one for parishioners in the evening. The following matters were discussed at the April meeting. ? The peace services at the school and for parishioners in general were reviewed. It was agreed that they were very meaningful, reflective and engaging. Small numbers at the night service. ?
- There was discussion about how to improve and broaden our communication, with the school and regarding everything we do. We believe it is important to have strong connections and communication with our school and we are exploring ways to strengthen these and to do more together. ?
- Father Steven reported on a meeting with the neighbouring parishes of Eltham and Montmorency regarding possible mergers in the future. Ongoing discussions to continue. ?
- Further discussion about planning an evening with the parents of Prep children next year. ?
- Offering an Alpha parenting course is also being explored. ?
- We talked about the feast of St Thomas in July and the completion of the statue of St Thomas near the church. ? We have also initiated an inventory of works that are needed around the parish, such as lighting. ?
- An updated list of parish groups is also being compiled.
PPC Meeting – 18th May, 2022
John Bohan attended the meeting to present the finances of the parish. This gave the group some context of where the parish is at financially and will assist in shape the groups direction going forward. The group continue to discuss ideas about how we can grow the parish. Ideas included looking at the viability of offering the Alpha parenting course, making mass more welcoming and gathering data for future projects. The Council will continue working towards their goals of building a strong relationship with the school community, work with other Parish Councils to share ideas and build on existing programs at St. Thomas parish.
PPC Meeting 16th June 2022
The PPC was pleased to welcome Tess Dwyer, Vice-Principal of St Thomas school who will be joining PPC meetings on a regular basis as a means of strengthening connections between the school and parish communities.
- Discussion regarding the ongoing formation of the PPC and maximum productivity of meeting time included the possibility of: ?
- members emailing progress reports prior to meetings in relation to respective projects and goals ?
- the use of a PPC Action Sheet summarising status of such projects and goals ?
- working with other Parish Councils to share ideas and build on existing programs at St Thomas’. ?
- Feedback was given regarding status of current plans to enhance parish and school community life. This included ongoing developments in initiatives such as a Early Learning Centre, new church AV equipment, further securing of outdoor lights, possibility of introducing alternative Mass forms and tabernacle placement, completion of St Thomas statue and Partnered Parishes Plenary Council proposal for both a statue in the grounds of St Patrick’s Cathedral and plaque at St Thomas.
- In an endeavour to gather data to assist in future planning, a survey inviting school parents’ participation is in the process of being finalised.
PPC Meeting 17th August 2022
- The following matters were discussed at this meeting: ?
- Audio Visual system in the church – the current screens will be replaced by two large televisions and the system upgraded. We await a start date for installation. ?
- The Council expressed deep appreciation of the work of Tony Rendina who installed the marble casing for the St Thomas statue’s plinth. A plaque has been ordered to complete the work. ?
- Plans to establish an early learning centre on parish land are progressing. Members of the Council attended a recent meeting with representatives of the Archdiocese, the parish priests, Parish Finance Committee, the developer, parishioners, the school, and St Thomas Village. Information was presented on the contract including lease arrangements, a possible design for the centre and how the rights and interests of all stakeholders would be taken into account as planning proceeds. Various questions were raised and detailed answers provided. Further information will be provided to the parish in coming weeks. ?
- Liturgy matters included holding some candlelight Masses next year and playing quiet music for a short time before Mass begins each time as a way of transitioning from our everyday lives to the sacred space of the Eucharistic celebration. ?
- A questionnaire is being developed to gather information from our school families about their involvement with the parish, their needs and how we may work together. ?
- Parish finances were discussed. The recent thanksgiving campaign has not increased our finances significantly. The Finance Committee will present an update to the Council in the next quarter. ?
- The Partnered Parishes Plenary Council Facilitators Group continues to finalise plans for a plaque in each parish which recognises and expresses sorrow for the hurt caused by the abuse of children and others by members of the Church. ?
- Some members of the PPC attended a meeting on parish renewal. The Council will consider issues raised. ? Discussion regarding the possible addition of another tabernacle.
- A committee was formed recently to look at the placement of the tabernacle and recommended moving it from its current position. Various thoughts and opinions were presented at the Council meeting including taking our time to reflect and gather further input before making any changes about such an important matter. To provide a visual depiction for parishioners of having a tabernacle in a different place, as a temporary measure the Adoration Chapel will be screened and a tabernacle placed in the Seasonal Chapel. This will remain until the first week in October. Parishioners may submit their feedback to Father Martin by 2 October. A meeting to consider the feedback will occur on 5 October. An explanation of this process to be placed in the parish newsletter.