Archbishop Dermot Farrell asks people to share their ideas for how the Archdiocese of Dublin can give effective witness and service in the years ahead.
In this video (produced by iCatholic) he asks people to share their proposals for the spiritual and pastoral renewal of the Archdiocese.
to participate see dublindiocese.ie/taskforce-request-for-contributions/
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I want to hear from you. I have asked the Task Force to reach out to all Catholics and people of good will so that together, we can share thoughts, experiences and the fruits of prayer for the pastoral future of the Church in Dublin.
When Pope Francis asked me to become the Archbishop of Dublin, my heart was filled with hope, not a naive hope that everything will be better tomorrow, but a hope born of a conviction that transcends these difficult days through which we are living, and a hope that transcends the limits our own capabilities. God has a plan for the future of the Archdiocese of Dublin and together as brothers and sisters in Christ, we are called to pray that He will show it to us.
I have recently established a task force under the title “Building Hope”. I have asked this Task Force, comprising lay, religious and clergy to engage in a process of listening to the Holy Spirit – discerning the promptings of God in our heritage and in the People of God in this Archdiocese today. On my behalf, the Task Force are reaching out to parishes and deaneries; schools and hospitals; prisons and universities; charitable organisations and youth groups. Today, I am reaching out to you and your family inviting you to contribute to its work.
As your Archbishop, I know that the Holy Spirit is at work sowing seeds of hope in you every day. I want to hear from you. I have asked the Task Force to reach out to all Catholics and people of good will so that together, we can share thoughts, experiences and the fruits of prayer for the pastoral future of the Church in Dublin.
I am asking you to have a conversation in your family – grandparents, great grandparents, parents and children – on how you see God at work in our church today – on where the Holy Spirit is calling us to grow. Please have this conversation – maybe on Zoom if you cannot yet meet in person – and ask somebody in your family to visit www.dublindiocese.ie and click on the link for the consultation to share how you see the Holy Spirit at work in our diocese.
The Task Force will report to me later in the summer with a proposal to start a process of spiritual and pastoral renewal in our church. I am looking forward greatly to hearing from you as together we follow the path that the Lord shows us – as together we strive to grow in holiness and live this time of grace from the Lord. What we do in the coming months and years, how we live though this time of challenge and opportunity, will define who we really are as a people of faith. We must embrace the future: after all, today and tomorrow are God’s gift to us. Christ goes before his disciples: we follow. Rooted in our heritage, rooted in who we have become, Christ calls us forward (see Matt 4:19, Mark 1:38, John 21:15–18, Gal 1:15–16).
May God bless you as you take this first step with me to rebuilding our church together.