Diocesan Pastoral Plan

From 2010 the work of the Forum was very much influenced by the results of a series of listening sessions organised by Bishop Freeman in response to the Ryan and Murphy reports and Pope Benedict’s letter to the Irish people. These sessions took place in ten locations throughout the Diocese. Two similar listening sessions were held for young people.

Another major event was an Assembly in 2011which brought together members of Parish Pastoral Councils, Deanery Pastoral Councils and the Diocesan Pastoral Council. Over two hundred people attended this event on the theme Co-responsibility for the life of the Church.

At the end of 2012 each of the Deanery Pastoral Councils and the Diocesan Pastoral Council held facilitated evaluation sessions followed by a general Assembly.  The purpose of this exercise was to review the experience of their term in office and to point direction for the future.  This process identified a clear need to develop a Diocesan Pastoral Plan to give focus and direction to the work of all pastoral groups in the Diocese.

Developing such a Plan was the priority for the new Diocesan Pastoral Council

In 2013 this work was led by the Diocesan Pastoral Council in consultation with the Council of Priests, the Deanery Pastoral Councils, and other diocesan bodies.  After many drafts had been considered and amended the Ossory Diocesan Pastoral Plan was ratified by Bishop Freeman in May 2015.  Ms. Gemma Mulligan was appointed to facilitate the implementation of the Pastoral Plan and she began work on 15^th August 2016.

To download the Diocesan Pastoral Plan click here