Catholic Diocese of Broome

Viewpoint: From little things… to a living faith

By Bishop Christopher Saunders

Until somebody comes along with a better idea the Parish remains as the basic unit of any particular Church such as the Kimberley Mission. Creating the notion of parish in remote areas is problematic while priests continue to travel large distances and visit some settlements only periodically. Some parishes cover a variety of geographical areas and encompass many congregations with distinct languages and divergent needs. Just the same, the Parish still remains as the unit that most defines the Church in any area and serves the people best albeit the only way we know how.

Despite any perceived problems and real challenges, solutions to Parish-building questions remain the concern of the Parish Community and their Bishop. As Bishop my influence on the ground is to a significant degree dependant on the generous and receptive nature of the priests and people. No doubt vitality in the field will depend on the energy and attitude of not only the priest but also that of the people he serves. Some priests are capable of energizing and encouraging – and some less so. Some parishioners are easily moved to see themselves as part of the Parish while others apparently are interested in only what they can take.

An indolent priest is an obstacle to parish-building and is in good company with the unimaginative and the contrary. A self-indulgent parishioner cannot make the sacrifices necessary to build a parish or to support its vital activities. In such instances the ground has dried up, drought has fallen over the land and the faith cannot flower in abundance.

This state of affairs varies from one location to another. The drought persists and deepens in one place while in another there are glimpses of ‘green-pick’ – the early regrowth that brings joy to the faces of pastoralists in our country. Sometimes you have to look for the ‘green-pick’, and sometimes it is strikingly more obvious.

One parish in the Kimberley now has a functioning Parish Council where I had almost given up hope of seeing one develop in my life-time. More importantly, the Council is addressing itself to some of the issues that ought to concern Parish Councils. It has resisted the temptation to bury itself in lamington drives and incessant cups of weak tea and is facing deliberately the challenges of evangelization in their town in their time. From little things big things grow.

I wonder if this might be part of the problem in ‘drought affected’ areas. We can become too anxious to see results quickly and think too big. Small realizable goals, manageable steps along the way, are more in order and seem infinitely better than doing nothing.

Living parishes begin with small steps. The first step is to walk away from being comfortable. The comfortable life-style stands in stark contract to the demands of the Gospel. The second step is to build relationships. Without connections and real communication there is only a limited way we can travel on the pathways to building a parish community. The third step is to become immersed in an appropriate prayer life – scripture based, open and inclusive, welcoming and embracing. The fourth step is a combination of appropriate formation and community development. It may mean addressing the needs of a few or the needs of the larger group or the entire Parish. Much will depend on what is possible and on what is pressing. The fifth step revolves around worship, public worship. Sunday need not be the only time in the week that gives us cause for vital and meaningful celebration. Todays issues that are affecting peoples lives are well suited to be drawn into our liturgical expression. From little things big things grow.
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