Our parish has been on a long journey of discernment, beginning with the Australian Plenary Council in 2021 and 2022, then our detailed parish survey last year and finally, our big parish Assembly this year. We kept asking: what are the best ways for us to love and serve God, spread the good news of the Gospel, and serve one another and creation? What is God calling us to do?

In response to those questions and the many voices of the parish, we are now present the Holy Spirit Evangelisation Vision for 2026-2029.

Why Vision?

This is our Vision – a commitment for and by the whole Parish.

It is a living document that reflects the words, passion and commitment of our parish community. It is framed by our motto: “Empowered by the Spirit to Serve”. This plan belongs to all of us, and it will continue to grow and adapt as our parish does.

Why Only Three Priorities?

We have focused on the three essential parts of our faith:

Encounter and Invitation
Discipleship
Mission

This allows us to concentrate our efforts and resources where they are most needed, ensuring meaningful progress. We can work together more effectively by keeping our focus clear and manageable.

Key Words and Focus Areas

You might notice that some tasks appear in more than one stream. This is intentional. There are also several key words that capture the heart of our Evangelisation Vision:

faith formation,
welcome and invitation,
music and liturgy
schools,
relationships
community.

These words highlight what matters most to us as a parish and will guide our actions throughout the coming years. They are who we are and what we do.

The Evangelisation Ministry: Roles and Next Steps

A new, dedicated parish Ministry will be created to put our Vision into action. The work on its role and operation is our next step. But we cannot emphasize this enough: Everyone is invited. Everyone is welcome to join this Ministry.

It will need energy, skills and commitment across the board. This Ministry will be community-led, action-oriented, and will be the body where words become action.

Accountability and Ongoing Review

Progress on implementing our Vision will be reported publicly and reviewed each year. This ensures that we remain focused, and responsive to our parish community as we continue our journey together.

Get Involved

The Evangelization Ministry is for all of us. There will be a range of opportunities to get involved but why not put your hand up now? Get excited for the future of Holy Spirit Parish.

Thank you to each and every parishioner whose prayers, energy and wisdom have contributed to this wonderful Vision for our parish.

The Three Pillars of our Vision

There are three key pillars of our Vision. They are Discipleship, Encounter and Mission. The key points for each are outlined below.

Discipleship – Active faith formation

Training – Calls to Ministry and training in all volunteer roles.
Testimony – Present four testimonies a year at appropriate liturgical times.
Bible Study – Provide a range of “bible study” or Christian meditation opportunities.
Alpha – Run at least one Alpha course a year, covering adults, youth, or seniors. Invite neighbour parishes.
Pilgrimage – Offer at least one parish pilgrimage each year to local and regional sacred places.
Youth Groups – Provide leadership and resources to substantially expand our three youth groups.

Encounter – Be a welcoming and invitational community – open to all

Communication – Try new ways of communicating, to reach more people and sharpen our message. Actively support all parish groups.
Hospitality – Draw old and new parishioners into the community with hospitality.
Friendship/ Fellowship – Welcome people, practice invitation; open our hearts, walk beside one another.
Music, Liturgy, Culture – Support the Music Ministry to use worship and welcome to grow our faith and community.
Cultural sharing – Schedule multicultural Masses; and run the Multicultural Festival each year.
Our Schools are ‘parish’ – Build stronger relationships with our four schools and their parents.

Mission – Building a faithful and harmonious community

Family Groups – Re-invigorate Family Groups in the parish.
Hospitality – Use hospitality to draw old and new parishioners into the parish community.
Multicultural events – Invite our cultural communities to stage events in the parish which share their traditions and culture.
Music & Liturgy – Encourage our musicians to use music and liturgy to strengthen our bonds.
Being one with our schools – Invite their membership on parish bodies and groups.
Walking with neighbour parishes – Reach out to our neighbouring parishes in friendship and to share resources, ideas, and events.