NEWS
Joan McFetridge
31 March 2012
Six new candidates have been accepted in the Archdiocesan formation programme for parish and chaplaincy ministries, The Launch Out Formation Programme. They are:
David Wootton from St Theresa’s parish, Plimmerton
Heather Sangster Smith from St Patrick’s parish, Paraparaumu
Joe Green from St Patrick’s, Paraparaumu
Monica O’Connell from St Mary of the Angels, Wellington
Brent Watson from Ss Peter and Paul, Lower Hutt
Suzanne O’Rourke from St Mary of the Angels, Wellington
These gifted and generous people have committed to training and formation in theology, pastoral leadership, spirituality and pastoral praxis. They have joined seven others in the formation programme. With a growing number of graduates there is a steady resource of well trained and formed candidates to be available to minister in the archdiocese at the archbishop’s request.
The Launch Out candidates and their families met for the first time this year with a barbecue at Kaitoke Country Gardens in the Rammell family home. The setting was beautiful with a swimming pool to engage the children and provide lots of fun. An impressive Mongolian BBQ overseen by Mark Rammell cooked up a feast and new friendships were formed over food and wine as the year was ‘launched’.
The following day the candidates had their first prayer day for the year. This was led by Karen Moynagh, a spiritual director from Richmond, Nelson. In the same beautiful setting of the Kaitoke Country Gardens, Karen took the candidates through a prayer reflection day which she described as a ‘heart day, a day to be with the God who loves us, a time to be still and to be with God, to refresh, to reconnect and to grow, a time to refresh our dreams’.
As people in the archdiocese we are grateful for the vision of the people of God at the three archdiocesan synods in 1988, 1998 and 2006. They had the courage to trust our fellow baptised. Their courage and trust is well rewarded as we see the excellent ministry the Launch Out graduates have achieved in parishes, chaplaincies and in archdiocesan offices. The archbishop’s continued trust and ongoing commitment to lay leadership and ministry will continue to lead us into new challenges and growth. The ‘coming of age’ of the laity in the archdiocese must speak to us all of a maturity of which we can be proud.
For further information contact Joan McFetridge at: j.mcfetridge@wn.catholic.org.nz
Image: Back: Malia Vito Tupai, Joan McFetridge, Kevin Crighton, Brent Watson and Joe Green; Centre: Patsy Buttle, Monica O’Connell, Chris Walkerdine, Fiona Rammell, Merrick Mitchell, Karen Moynagh (prayer day leader), Heather Sangster Smith and Terry McAuliffe; Front: Suzanne O’Rourke, Dan Siave and David Wootton.