Passionist Family Groups Movement Aotearoa 2024 -2027
Planning and Consultation
Dear Passionist Family Group members,
I am writing to you to seek your insights, comments and thoughts about the needs of our Movement over the next three years. The Trustees will be working with Fr. Brian Traynor CP (Passionist Advisor to NZ) and myself and meeting in December, to consider
- our present situation,
- what we need to do over the next three years
- what we will need to do to get there.
To assist us, I want to consult with you about the direction we should take. In order to do that we need to reflect on:
- what is working
- what could be improved
- what can help keep the PFGM grow and develop.
Oversight of the PFGM: 2017-2024
It is important for us to remember that by its nature, a Movement is not ‘permanent’. It has clear aims which call for adaptation and change to keep faithful to those aims. Movements generally can achieve this far more easily than Institutions.
Over the past eight years we have made significant changes to meet major challenges within the Movement and its structure. Firstly, we moved from the Lynn and Rob Hill era which was full of energy, expansion and excitement. During this period many support structures were introduced to deal with rapid growth and change as the PFGM spread throughout Aotearoa. During that time, many young families were involved and we had people engaged in a variety of roles to support the life and growth in a number of regions throughout the country. The Passionists, were often out here from Australia conducting ‘formation’ weekends which were hugely popular and created, a ‘shot in the arm’ experience.
Lynn and Rob worked in a national coordinating role for twenty-five years and when they retired, we needed a different structure. Fortunately, we had regional coordinators in place, so the Trustees with Brian, appointed Linda and Paul Darbyshire and Mary-Ellen and John Leen. to the National Coordinator role for Aotearoa for a five-year Term. They too, generously served as volunteers. This National Team were instrumental in developing strong bonds with the regional teams across New Zealand, resulting in a force of committed PFG people who supported and developed the Movement.
A new era –
In the wake of COVID, in 2021 when the Darbyshire-Leen term came to an end, the Trustees with the support of the Passionists in Australia, embarked on plan for a new structure. It was clear that for the task at hand, we could no longer reply on one couple or team of volunteers to exercise the national role. The same situation had emerged in Australia.
The Trustees (who have served generously for many years and are volunteers) took up their responsibility and with agreement of the Passionists in Australia, sought to employ a National Coordinator of Passionist Family Group Movement in New Zealand, who would be funded through a Passionist Trust in Australia. The parish stipends which had begun to decline with the amalgamation of parishes, would support the day to day running of the Movement in NZ.
Having been on the National Team with the Darbyshire’s and Leen’s I had good insight into the work they were doing and with Brian, I had supported them by conducting annual formation days. I have always been passionate about Family Groups, so I applied for the National role and was the successful applicant. I started on July 1, 2021. Since the Trustees are the employer, a contract was drawn up, agreed upon and signed. The Trustees wanted the national coordinator to connect with the PFG’s around the country and the rejuvenate the Movement, not just keep things stable.
Changes in support structures
The ageing of the church is reflected in the PFGM, and in particular, it is reflected in the loss of leadership in regions. Some who exercised a regional role are still acting in this capacity in their parish, but they are unable to continue serving a region. Over the three years since I began the role, the layer of regional coordinators has virtually ceased as a result of ageing, health challenges and other personal reasons. The team approach I had planned for, has diminished, so that the layer of support is no longer serving the PFGM in the way it used to. Despite this, several well-experienced individuals and couples do assist in significant ways in several regions.
Added to this, we have experienced the disillusionment following the loss of parish communities as a result of increased amalgamations. Many people have moved to other parishes or ceased to attend Sunday Mass. This of course has led to a loss of belonging, the principal attraction of a Passionist Family Group.
As these realities have unfolded, I have increased my travels throughout the country linking with parish priests, parish and group coordinators and where possible, meeting people from a regional area. I am grateful for the support and understanding of my wife, Clare because all of these trips take me away from home.
The loss of formation for PFG leaders
The age profile within our Family Groups has increased, but they continue to meet and to support each other. Our regional formation weekends which began in 1988, were once very well attended, but were reduced in 2009 to single days and from 2018 to half days in some regions. There was a gradual drop in attendees, and aided by the experience of COVID-19, formation gatherings have ceased.
There are rich resources on the NZ PFGM website which include summaries from all those years of formation sessions.
Relaunches
Since it was a clear direction from the Trustees that we seek to rejuvenate the PFGM, I have supported parishes to expand their membership by speaking at Masses on the occasion of the anniversary of the introduction of PFG’s into a parish. I have also spoken when new parishes have begun PFG’s. As well as this, each year there have been several parishes who have ‘relaunched’ the Movement and I’ve tried to play a key role in assisting this.
These relaunches have increased energy and enthusiasm as well as allowed many migrant families to join. This has demonstrated that PFG’s are still alive and relevant. Many parish churches are filling with migrants while many pakehas are leaving! Our future church in Aotearoa is going to be increasingly multicultural. Passionist Family Groups can play a part in helping to create strong intercultural communities. If we don’t, we will become increasingly irrelevant. At the same time, we can be a meeting point for those who are disillusioned those who have not returned to church after their covid experience.
So, here we are
Many people continue to meet and support each other by living out the Aims and Goals of the Movement. Like the church, we are facing many challenges including:
– only a small percentage of Catholics are church-attenders
– people are living increasingly busy lives and prioritise other activities
– an increasing number cannot commit to a gathering once a month
– families, and especially ‘younger’ people are increasingly disinterested in organised religion, which means the traditional place for reaching these people has gone
-many migrants work at inconvenient times
– those who prefer a more devotional faith find PFG’s not ‘religious enough’
.
We know and we believe that PFG’s have a role in the church and that they continue to provide a way for people to experience the message of the gospel lived through these relationships, connections and built by regular gatherings that allow people to get to know and value others.
We need to look with fresh eyes and see what we can do to continue supporting the Family Groups we already have, offer this PFG experience to other parishes, and find ways to support parish networks.
We can create hubs around the country and through these, we can nurture and nourish each other and be open to some gospel nourishment via formation in practical and creative ways.
The Passionists
The Movement is underpinned by Passionist spirituality, which is described as ‘down to earth’ and practical. It has a strong focus on community and is driven by the belief that Jesus revealed a God of overwhelming love. We can draw on our Passionist brothers and sisters to continue inspiring and assisting us.
Your input
There are some questions below. I would appreciate it if you could gather some PFG friends and help us, by responding to these questions and sending these to Murray Straight by email mastraight @xtra.co.nz or post to Murray Straight 3 Bailey Street, Templeton, Christchurch. Murray will collate these for me while I am away. Could you have these to Murray by September 25th.
With thanks
Paul
Paul Traynor
National Coordinator
- How would you rate the Paul’s work as National Coordinator in assisting the Movement in its growth and development as a whole?
Please circle one number from 1 (very low) to 7 (excellent)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Comment:
- Do you find the newsletter helpful?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Comment:
- Does the newsletter/reflection encourage you and your groups to a deeper understanding of the spirit and faith of the PFG’s?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Comment:
- Is the National Coordinator assisting PFG’s in your region or parish?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Comment (How is it helping?):
- Would you support efforts to reintroduce Formation sessions for PFG’s looking at the past formation topics and other current issues?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Comment:
- Any other practical suggestions about this idea?
- Are there any topics that would serve you parish community?
- What priorities would you suggest the Movement considers over the next three years?
Comment:
- What would we need to do to meet those priorities?
Comment:
- Given the history of the PFGM (1973-now in Australia) and (1988 tll now in New Zealand are there things you believe we should consider for the next three years.?
Comment:
Thank you, Paul
Please send your replies:
via email: Murray Straight mastraight@xtra.co.nz
Post: 3 Bailey Street, Templeton, Christchurch