Proposed Pastoral Centre

for

Ashford and Glenealy Parish

Parish Consultation

A number of concerned parishioners with Fr. Farrell and Fr. Barry have spent some time considering the need for, and the possibility of building a small pastoral centre on the Church grounds in Ashford.   Details were outlined at an open meeting in the school on 6th December.

This meeting was very supportive of the proposition. Before progressing matters however, it was felt that details of the proposal should be circulated to as many parishioners as possible and views / comments sought, to ensure that the project would have widespread support among the Catholic community of Ashford and Glenealy.

We need your views and opinions

Details of the proposal are summarised below and overleaf.   Please take the time to study this. If you have any comments, views, or indeed, any further questions please complete the response form overleaf and return it / post it to one of the priests, put it in the collection basket or drop it into the sacristy in Ashford or Glenealy.

What is a Parish Pastoral Centre?

The centre would be a focal point of parish activity allowing lay people to become more involved in the running of the parish.   It would be a base from which they can carry out their various ministries, be they spiritual, pastoral, administrative or social.  In other words, we would have a parish base for administration, meeting rooms for our various church groups and committees and a coffee lounge for social interaction both formal and informal.  

Parish Office

A central location with set opening hours where parish diaries / records are maintained and where parishioners can, for instance, have Mass cards signed, book weddings / baptisms /etc. and obtain certificates, etc. It would serve as a general secretariat for the parish.   Small religious icons such as rosary beads and Mass cards would be available there and it is hoped that we can staff it on a voluntary basis, at least in the early days.

Meeting Rooms

For the use of the various groups and committees that support the running of the parish.   There are up to a dozen such groups which currently meet in people’s houses or the local pubs.  The number of these groups will continue to grow as lay people get more involved in new ministries, as priests become scarcer on the ground and the community gets bigger.

Social Dimension

A small kitchen and coffee lounge will facilitate informal gatherings particularly after daily Mass, in the afternoons and other celebrations where people can meet and chat over a cup of tea in comfortable surroundings.

OUR PROPOSAL

A Parish Pastoral Centre of up to 2,000 sq ft should be built on the grounds of our Parish Church.   It will be located on the green patch of ground to the left of the Church opposite the entrance to the sacristy.   The building will comprise a parish office, a small consultation room, toilets, a kitchenette, a reception/coffee area and 2 meeting rooms each accommodating up to 20 people.  The wall between the meeting rooms could be retracted to form one large meeting room, if required.

Estimated Costs

Building and fitting out costs are estimated at approx. €250k to €300k.    Up to 50% of this would come from existing resources.   The availability of any grants is to be examined and fundraising will be required for the remainder.

Running costs are estimated at about €5k per annum.