The above five statements encompass the most frequent responses to positive aspects of the parish as viewed by parishioners. The most significant response related to the strong inclusive community of Holy Trinity. Here the view was that the church, school and centre work expertly together to provide for the balanced spiritual, educational and social needs of the parish. The excellent facilities provide a solid foundation for the individual groups within the parish to function. Many of these parish groups (children’s liturgy, Eucharistic minister’s, youth group, CWL etc) were highlighted as examples of the thriving community. These hardworking, autonomous and proactive groups were well guided by the clergy and provided a safe environment for parishioners to do their work.
Some specific responses related to how we successfully interact with other faiths and support those in need such as the sick, elderly, poor etc. New parishioners and visitors are made to feel welcome, and the clergy/parish are “not scary in any way”
Top 5 comments:
Comments related to changes within the parish; more choir volunteers, more regular open confession, more instrumental music, suggestions relating to the Mass.
Comments also related to changes by individuals; more regular confession, mass attendance including weekday, more prayer,
Specific suggestions included:
· May procession
· Occasional sung Mass
· Visiting preachers from other denominations
· Further faith study programmes, deeper than café
· Involve young people in music
· Have a Mission, (10)
· Afternoon Prayer group
· Briars style masses for young people
· Joint Polish/ English mass dual language celebration
· Occasional masses in Villages
· Themed masses; e.g. Youth Mass occasionally
· more transport to Mass
· Another Café Programme
These covered the need for better communication within the parish, with those seeking to join the catholic faith and with other denominations and faiths.
Comments regarding communication within the parish included better communications between parish groups,
Specific suggestions included:
· Published list of contacts for parish groups,
· More inter-group activities e.g. Youth and leisure group
· Mission to extend to non-Catholics
· Inform non-Catholics about the faith.
· Mixed denomination services and social events
· Inter parish visits
· Visiting speakers at mass and discussion groups.
· Information about people ill in hospital
Comments related to meet many aspects of need within the parish and wider community. This includes the elderly, housebound, financially poor, drug dependant, and lonely as well as help for overseas charities.
Specific suggestions included:
· Adopt a granny/granddad within parish
· More home visits
Comments to improve the welcome given to new comers to the parish, especially to those who have come from abroad, single parents and single people.
Specific suggestions included:
· Greeters on the door at Mass
· Welcome to Polish Community
· Buddy scheme for new Parishioners
This included the need to provide support to support family life, to involve young people (especially post confirmation) in ongoing life of the church.
Specific suggestions included:
· Involve young people more in parish groups
· Respite volunteers to help families out
· Clothes/toy swap
· More school events in parish - like recent choir evening
· A catholic secondary school in Newark
· Strengthen links with All Saints School
· Family social events e.g. picnics, hog roast etc
Other specific comments were wide ranging and included several practical suggestions:
· Use the garden more
· Gardening
· Better PA system
The replies to this question can more or less be broken down into the following:
Mission (to incorporate reaching out to non-practicing Catholics) - 25
Youth activities (incorporating requests for Music Group) - 23
Prayer - 17 and Study - 9
Ecumenical activities - 16
Social awareness (own church and locality) - 14
3rd World Project - 10
Welcoming newcomers - 11 Communication - 3
Examples are as follows:
Mission - "A Mission would be great - to try and bring parishioners who have no contact anymore back to us."
"Maybe have another Mission Week! - It worked very well last time and pulled many people together, working together always helps."
"If a Mission takes two years to plan - it's time to start now!"
Youth Activities - "More participation of younger people at all Masses - a folk group once a month around the altar"
" Our young teenagers are desperately at risk in our society. With most at school in Mansfield there seems to be a big gap between church and school. Can we not offer our young people a place in our parish, socially as well as religiously? We lose too many in the teen years."
"Give young people a real voice in the community otherwise we may lose them. Youth club every fortnight is not enough."
Prayer & Study - "Develop parish prayer life, e.g. regular prayer groups (houses or church) - Bible study Group - Increase activi9ty for the younger element - not necessarily the teens."
"Have some more times of quiet meditation as Father D did for us at a 10.00 Mass one Sunday with the Holy Communion children. So many people felt it was a wonderful experience."
"To meet together more often and talk to each other and pray together."
"Development of faith for adults, i.e. wkly programme at Lent and Advent to include guest speakers from a range of outside organisations, i.e. local and national charities."
Ecumenical activities - "Build bridges with other churches."
"More inter-faith social gatherings (BBQs, garden parties, etc.)"
"We could try to involve other Christian churches in the area - forge a better understanding. Have social gatherings."
Social Awareness - "More meetings for single people, divorced and living alone to talk, share activities, problems,etc."
"To have more nights in the Centre for people on their own and families."
"Become more involved in issues of justice, community, poverty and the environment on a public and practical basis."
3rd World Project - "Help for third world countries, in prayer and regular collections. Adopt a child by donation in Africa."
"To help those less fortunate. To adopt a village in a third world country so hands on help. Maybe sponsor individuals to help in village itself."
Welcoming newcomers - communication - "integrate with all newcomers to the parish, particularly the Continentals, Poles, etc. with a language difficulty."
"Support group or Welcoming group to introduce themselves to new people to the area and make them aware of all that Holy Trinity has to offer."
"What about Polish Mass/Polish confession."
I hope the above is what you are looking for and is helpful - a lot of the slips contained the word "talk" and I think that there is much loneliness out there with a more mobile society, scattering of extended families, children from parents and the fact that neighbourhoods are no longer neighbourly.