Statistical ponderances
Mary-Ann Greaney
At the end of 2006, Barbara Rowley’s first year as lay pastoral leader at St Bernadette’s Naenae, financial giving had increased by 33 percent as against 4.4 percent for the diocese as a whole. The mass count rose by 54 percent while there was an overall loss within the diocese of 1.8 percent.
These figures were gathered as part of a study of the impact a lay pastoral leader had on a parish and were taken from the annual Mass counts and the money given in each parish from 2001 – 2010.
The figures are worth pondering. Could it be that Barbara’s collaborative leadership style gives parishioners a greater sense of belonging because they are given opportunities to engage in parish life and are well consulted from the beginning?
Barbara certainly understands that she is not the holder of all the wisdom in the parish and needs to encourage leadership and participation in everyone.