PARISH CENSUS GUIDANCE 2014

Fellow Parishioners,

We last carried out a Parish census in 2008 so Fr Michael and the Co-ordinators felt it was time we carried out another in order to ensure we are up-to-date in our records. So today we are asking you please to fill in those forms that were given out as you came into church today. And so you have time to do so, we are going to do it now. We hope many of you have brought pens but we have some spares if not. If you can’t complete the form today, please bring it back next week!

Let me briefly take you through the form. First, let me reassure you this information will ONLY be held on the Parish computer database and ONLY used for Parish purposes.

I will take you through the 2-page survey – only 2 pages! Please would you fill in your details as we go? Then we ask you to hand the form in either via the Offertory plate or at the end of Mass.

The first part of the form is for your personal details and we are asking for a return from each family or individual if you’re the only family member in the Parish. We ask for email addresses if you are on email. We would like to use this to send you very occasional Parish information of particular interest to you. So, for example, if you say in the survey, you are interested in becoming a Reader then we can send you any information or news on that.

We have asked if you are Catholic or another denomination. We know that some regular Massgoers are not Catholics but may be interested in finding out about the RCIA programme for example. But we promise never to inundate you with information!

We ask for some details about your children : this is useful for planning for sacramental programmes such as First Holy Communion & Youth activities.

Then we ask you to indicate all those Parish activities you are already involved in or would be interested in getting involved in. If we are to be an effective Parish, we all need to get involved! We start with those activities that may not seem very exciting but which are essential : administration, counting collections & the like. If you have other skills to offer, please write them in!

Then we ask you about helping with all those Parish services that keep everything running – like church cleaning, flowers on the altar, offering lifts to people to get to Mass.

Then we ask about your involvement in the Liturgy or Sacramental Programmes. We are keen for more young people in particular to become altar servers. Many parishes have quite a number of servers and we used to as well. But, of late, the number of servers has declined greatly. So, if you have children, why not see if they would be willing to serve at Mass?

We’ve included healing Masses in the list. We’ve had a few of these in the past but would you like to see more and help with them? Don’t worry if you’ve never been involved in these activities before. We’ve all got to start somewhere!

And then we’ve listed all the various Parish activities & organizations. Some at present have very few members and we need to build them up! Pope Francis has stressed the need to become a more participative Church: one that “goes forth into the world, getting the mud of the streets on its shoes” as he put it. Not leaving it to someone else. So please look through the list and ask yourself, could you do that? Have you got that particular talent or interest? Social Concerns for example. Or getting involved in Evangelism : again Pope Francis that we should be “joyful messengers of the Gospel.” Just to explain some of the groups :

  • Knights of St Columba : Catholic Mens’ association dedicated to Charity, Unity & Fraternity
  • Marriage Encounter : weekend workshops for married couples
  • RCIA : Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults for those interested in becoming Catholics
  • Ride & Stride : the Surrey Churches Bike Ride
  • SVP : St Vincent de Paul – helping the poor
  • Teams of Our Lady : for married couples

Then we ask if there are any changes you would like to see in the Parish? Are there things you feel we should be doing but aren’t? Let us have your views. We will consider anything reasonable! For example, you may feel we should hold Parish Social events. And Days of Reflection perhaps on certain books in the Bible. What sort of events would you attend? You may even want to organise something!

And then we ask if you are aware of anyone in the Parish who needs our help – perhaps with transport or shopping. Anyone we should be reaching out to? Any lapsed Catholics or perhaps people who’ve expressed an interest in the Faith who might be interested in RCIA.

And then we ask if you have any ideas on how we can best evangelise? Either as individuals or as a Parish? Is there anything we could organise to help us develop our skills in evangelising?

And, finally, we ask if you would like to make your Mass offerings by Gift Aid if you don’t already do so? Then we can claim back the basic rate of income tax provided you pay tax.

So please take the next few minutes to complete the form and then put it in the offertory plate or hand it in as you leave Mass today. And, if you know of anyone who’s not here today, please take a form for them so they can complete and hand it in next week.

Thank you and God Bless.