ASSEMBLY 2025 – Transformed with Hope
Our mission is to be a Eucharistic community, where we experience the love of God, wholeheartedly love our God, and live out that love by serving one another and the world.
Holy Spirit Parish is holding our Parish Assembly on Saturday 29 March. It follows the Australian Plenary Council in 2021-22, the world Synod on Synodality in Rome in 2023-24 and our own Archdiocesan Assembly in October last year.
ASSEMBLY PRAYER
Creator God, King of the universe.
We hear your call to gather in your name
so we may listen and respond as your adopted children.
Through sharing, discerning the movements of the Holy Spirit for our parish.
As we gather in unison for our Parish Assembly
open our ears that we hear YOUR WORD
so our parish may continue to be a light for all to see.
Open our hearts and help us to listen to each other with humility and empathy.
As we make our way THROUGH these days, guide and shape us
so that our minds and hearts reflect your will.
Help us to continue to build a Parish that is vibrant,
evangelising and missionary.
Amen
Why is there so much talking going on in the church?
The Pope explained it well when he advised us that rather than being in an era of change, we are at a change of Era, requiring transformation with new and renewed attitudes, ideas and actions. This goes for us too, even at the parish level, as we grapple with a secularised world; a world of great challenge and chaos.
We will be continuously updating you each week on our Assembly, discussing why we are having it, who should attend, what we will talk about and what will happen after it.
We start this week by encouraging you to read a recent article in the Catholic Voice which tells you of the connection between our parish and the Archdiocesan
Assembly.
You will find it at: Current Edition – Catholic Voice Look for page 5. Or just grab a hard copy of the newspaper as there are plenty in the foyer.
PARISH ASSEMBLY INFORMATION FLYER
Download a copy of the information flyer that details everything you need to know about the Parish Assembly.
ASSEMBLY PROGRAM
| 9.30am | Registration opens |
| 10.00am | Welcome to participants |
| 10.30am | Session One: Deepening our Faith and Mission |
| 10.45am | Morning Tea |
| 11.00am | Question 1 Group discussion: What must we do to become a parish which knows the love of God and loves Him with all our hearts, minds and strength? |
| 12.30pm | Lunch |
| 1.15pm | Session Two: Strengthening our community through Welcome, Inclusion and Outreach |
| Question 2 Group discussion: What must we do to become a parish which lives out our love of God by loving and caring for one another and God’s world? | |
| 2.45pm | Afternoon Tea |
| 3.00pm | Session Three: Open Discussion on the next steps and how we will organise and implement our plans. |
| 4.30pm | Closing Prayers |
| 5.00pm | Celebration of Mass in the Church |
HOLY SPIRIT PARISH SURVEY SUMMARY
The survey we ran in October last year (2024) was very helpful for shining a light on who we are as a parish. It sent out two key messages: firstly, that we are people of deep faith and we want to know God more and experience our faith in a variety of ways.
Secondly, the survey told us how much we value each other on the journey and how much we need each other’s support. We also worry about those on the margins, those who are suffering, and those who have turned away from the church.
You can view a summary of the demographics and responses to the survey below.
KIDS ACTIVITY SHEET
We have created an activity sheet for the kids of Holy Spirit Parish to help them understand a little more about what all the talk is at Mass each week. Please download the PDF and print.
