- Date:
- Monday 17th June 2019
- Time:
- 9am-9.15pm
- Venue:
- The Exchange, Twickenham
This symposium on the parish seeks to explore bold questions about how parishes can prove to be “capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity” (Evangelii Gaudium, 28), how they can adapt to the new demands, assumptions and rules of “Missiondom”.
While numerous programmes of evangelisation promise the renewal of the parish, the foundational question of this symposium concerns the deeper change that is needed: mindsets, culture, language, models.
This symposium seeks to explore unchartered territory, new pastoral propositions characterised by “a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channelled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation” (Evangelii Gaudium, 27).
In this theological and pastoral symposium, we seek to explore what missional Catholicism in parishes looks like in terms of:
Evangelisation
How can the parish truly be “a centre of constant missionary outreach” (EG, 28)?
Transmission of faith and discipleship
How can the parish be structured towards making disciples, beyond the traditional sacramental preparation approach?
Leadership
What do healthy models of leadership look like in a “Missiondom” parish?
Structure
What about superfluous buildings, parish amalgamations and clusters
Culture
What values, principles and culture characterise the traditional parish model that prevent the parish being “completely mission-oriented” (EG, 28)?
Who is the symposium for?
The symposium is for bishops, priests, religious, pastorally-engaged researchers and lay practitioners who wish to reflect faithfully and innovatively on new pastoral models for the parish.
Keynotes
- Prof Stephen Bullivant: The British Catholic Landscape
- Hannah Vaughan-Spruce: Catholic Parish Culture and Evangelisation
- Sherry Weddell: From Christendom to ‘Missiondom’
Call for papers
Registration for this event is £50 and can be booked online.
Timetable
- 9:30am: Arrivals
- 10am: Welcome
- 10:15am: Keynote
- 11:15am: Coffee
- 11:45am: Short Papers
- 1pm: Lunch
- 2pm: Keynote
- 3pm: Tea
- 3:30pm: Short Papers
- 4:45pm: Plenary Panel
- 5:30pm: Symposium Close
- 7pm: Book Launch Reception
- 8pm: Evening Keynote
- Date:
- Monday 17th June 2019
- Time:
- 9am-9.15pm
- Venue:
- The Exchange, Twickenham
Find out more
For more information about this event please email h.vaughan.spruce@gmail.com.
