Vision and Mission Statement for the Catholic Church in Tasmania

By Archbishop Adrian L. Doyle AM

It was a great pleasure for me to receive, in the last days before Christmas, the final versions of the Vision and Mission Statements which has been prepared by a Working Party, chaired by the Vicar General, Fr Mark Freeman. It was the final expression of what was discussed and considered during the Diocesan Assembly, which took place on 15/16 November 2008. I am very grateful to the members of the Working Party for the time and effort they expended during last year to achieve this very important outcome, the Vision and Mission Statements for the Archdiocese of Hobart.

I have come to the conclusion that every 10 years or so, we have to sit down again and take a look at the situation of the moment. In my opening address at the Assembly, I made reference to the changes that had taken place in the Tasmanian context of the Church, the changes which have occurred in people’s lives, and the changes which have occurred in the Church itself during the first decade of the third millennium. When we stop and think about those last ten years, those changes have been considerable.

One of the basic approaches which I have always encouraged is to make the collaborative approach a very high priority. I am very pleased that the different agencies within the Catholic Church are working more collaboratively. An instance of this is the initiative which is just beginning for Centacare to provide after-school care to school communities. These signs are very encouraging.

The Vision and Mission Statements which is now in our possession should form the basis for the approach of each and every organisation within the Archdiocese. It can be a point of reflection and evaluation to ensure that we are all giving the same priority to the same things. It should be the opening statement for the constitution of a Parish Pastoral Council, or of a school board, and all the other groups that are formed to further the overall mission of the Church in Tasmania.

My commitment this year is to take up the recommendations that accompany the document. I have long wished to have the benefit of a forum which represents the various facets of the life of the Church in Tasmania, a Diocesan Pastoral Council. The other commitment is in the form of a Spirituality Institute which could oversee and co-ordinate the very significant initiatives which have been taken here in the Archdiocese around the theme of a deeper spiritual experience for more people, especially adults.

During this time we spend together, we will have an opportunity to explore in greater depth the thoughts which are expressed in the Vision and Mission Statements.

I am grateful to the members of the Working Party who have given so much time to the preparation of the two statements. Now they are finalising their work by providing guidance to all who are attending these regional gatherings, representing parishes, schools, agencies and particular initiatives within the Archdiocese.
I look forward to participating in this discussion and to take the Vision/Mission Statements a step further, so that they can become embedded in the life, spirituality and culture of the Archdiocese. When the time comes for the transition to a new Archbishop, I think that it is important to have a number of directions firmly in place.
We have seen this in recent times with the Charter for Catholic Schools, which has ensured continuity with the transition from one Director to another person appointed to the position.

As I mentioned a few moments ago, a very strong recommendation which I received from the Working Party was to form a Pastoral Council for the Archdiocese. In the times of Archbishop Young, such a Council existed, and I believe it met on about four occasions a year. As his time was coming to an end, things seemed to be changing, and interestingly enough, there was a plan to review the situation with a meeting on 19 March 1988, three days after his death. That meeting never took place, and nothing has really happened since.

On three occasions, I have met with the Chairpersons of the Parish Councils throughout the Archdiocese. They were never very long meetings, but I believe they were beneficial, and I would like the DPC to be formed in some way along the same lines. To take this further, I have set aside Saturday 7 August to make a start on this new project.

It would again be my intention to invite the Chairpersons of the Parish Councils, a representative from the Council of Priests, and heads of agencies. It might be good for an executive of the DPC to be formed, to take care of business in the months between meetings. I would not envisage it meeting more than twice a year.
Again I am grateful to Fr Mark Freeman, who chaired the Working Party, to all the members attending today, and to all of you who have taken the time to be here for this important discussion.

I am sure the time expended will be very beneficial, and it will be an important step to take us further down the road of furthering the mission and presence of the Church in Tasmania.

ADRIAN L. DOYLE AM
Archbishop of Hobart

2010

We are loved, we care called, and we are inspired

by Fr Mark Freeman VG

For just over 12 months a small Working Party reflected together on the ideas, initiatives and priorities that came forward at the Diocesan Assembly held at St Patrick’s College, Launceston on the weekend of 15/16 November 2008. Early in the Working Party’s time together it became clear that if the energy of the Assembly was to be carried forward in an ongoing way into the life of the Church in Tasmania, there needed to be articulated both a Vision and a Mission Statement.

A Vision is meant to be aspirational. It identifies what we are striving to become. Its purpose is to inspire and to call us to something more while building on the firm foundation of our tradition and history. A Mission Statement expresses what we need to do in order to attain to that to which we aspire. It identifies the purpose for which we exist.

The Vision for the Catholic Church in Tasmania and the Mission Statement of the Catholic Church in Tasmania are expressions of our deep faith in the Lord. They are both very simple and uncomplicated documents that are to be seen as starting points rather than expressions of the whole picture.

The Vision is based on the Trinity and is influenced by the mystery, communion and mission dynamic presented by Bishop David Walker at the Assembly in 2008. During the life of the Working Party a number of people and parishes commented on a draft Vision. While the final Vision changed very little from earlier drafts, many of the comments and suggestions made by people around the Archdiocese have been taken up in the Mission Statement.

The Mission Statement contains many verbs. These ‘doing’ words express the call for us to be active and always seeking something more in our response to God. This Mission Statement, far from being prescriptive, is invitational in character. Each parish, each group, each agency within the family of the Church in Tasmania will find more and more to add to these lists as they go about their work for the Lord.
The Vision and the Mission are designed to be filters through which we can test all our programmes and projects. When we take an initiative as parish, as group, as agency we need to reflect on how this is an expression of both the Vision for and Mission of the Catholic Church in Tasmania.

The pilgrimage of the Christian is a journey of constant conversion and renewed commitment. So, too, the Vision and Mission are offered to all to enable and bring about a deepening of life in Christ.

FR MARK FREEMAN VG
Vicar General

2010