Fr Jim High with Bishop Stephen
The Laity Council will hold its first meet on Saturday 3rd September, 2016.
COUNCIL OF THE LAITY: DIOCESE OF DUNKELD
The inaugural meeting of the Council of the Laity for the diocese of Dunkeld took place in the the St Ninian Pastoral Institute, Lawside Road, Dundee on Saturday 3rd September 2016, with Bishop Stephen Robson in attendance.
With Fr James H High, Vicar-Episcopal for the Laity in the Chair and Fr James McCruden of St Joseph the Worker, Callander as Vice-Chair, the Council consisted, for this inaugural meeting of twenty three representatives of societies , organisations, and groups. Following an introduction by Father Leszek Wiecaszek of St Joseph’s, Dundee, the Council adopted as its patron, St. Vincent Pallotti(1795-1850). Born in Rome, he founded the Society of the Catholic Apostolate which is considered as the forerunner of Catholic Action.
The council opened and closed with prayer – the essential beginning and ending of every undertaking, as St Vincent Pallotti wrote: “the practice of holy prayer is most necessary …… A Christian without prayer is a person without reason….. A missionary without prayer is a solder without a sword ….. In all my works may it always be Jesus Christ who lives and acts in me”.
The Council discussed inter supportive action in the diocese, eg. volunteer drivers providing transportation to and from hospital and transporting the aged or infirm to events in the diocese which they would not, otherwise, be able to attend.
Other issues discussed included the continuing development of the Pastoral Institute as a place that parishioners throughout the diocese would find easy to access, providing library and repository resources and meeting and conference facilities.
Bishop Stephen talked about catechesis, pointing out that first there was evangelisation (baptism and formation in the home) which was then developed by catechesis in the home and in the school. Concerned that after receiving the sacraments, children without the support of practising parents might drift away from the church, Bishop Stephen and Council representatives discussed measure for catechesis being spread to young people throughout the diocese.
The Council will consider everything talked about at its inaugural meeting for further discussion at the next meeting in February 2017. In the meantime any member of the Council may forward ideas or items for the agenda to the Secretary, Mrs Daria McDowall.
Begun during the Year of Mercy proclaimed by the Holy Father Pope Francis, the Council of the Laity will strive to fulfil the words of St. Vincent Pallottii: “….. by the grace of God, our lives, words and deeds will be works of God’s mercy”.
The members of the Council of Laity hope to extend the Good News to other people and to deepen the Good News within their own lives.
Fr James H High
Chair
Council of Laity
4 September 2016
Members:
ACROSS
Margaret Parke – margaretaparke@gmail.com
St Ninian’s, Dundee
Associates of St Jeanne Jugan
Jim Galligan
james.galligan@btinternet.com
The Catenians Association
Raymond Carlin
j.dagen@rda-architects.com
St Andrew’s Cathedral, Dundee
Catholic Spiritual Renewal – JPPM
Chris McCrosson
chris@wellsofpraise.com
St Fillan’s, Crieff
Catholic Grandparents’ Association
Rev. Ron Wylie
ronwyl@talktalk.net
St Pius X
Cecilia Choir
Pauline Veal
pjveal11@gmail.com
St Joseph’s Dundee
Diocesan Administration
Malcolm Veal
chancellor@dunkelddiocese.org.uk
Curial Office
Diocesan Independent Action Group
Cecilia Mulford
cecilia1936@icloud.com
St Margaret’s, Montrose
Dundee Secular Carmelite Group
Audrey Toshney
toshney17p@btinternet.com
Friends of Wellburn
Ann Kenny
annkenny47@hotmail.co.uk
St Mary’s, Lochee
Legion of Mary
Margaret Caswell
margaretcaswell@virginmedia.com
Our Lady of Victories, Dundee
Lourdes Pilgrimage Association
Margaret Mitchell
margaretmitchell123@btinternet.com
St Fergus, Forfar
Marriage Catechists
John Paul Cecil
jpcecil82@gmail.com
SERRA
Norah Sloan
honorahsloan@hotmail.co.uk
SPUC
Helen Kidd
hkidd@nhs.net
Syro-Malabrese Group
Viau Pullan
vijupullan@icloud.com
St Clement’s Dundee
Traditional Latin Mass Group
Steve Smith
steveansmith@gmail.com
Union of Catholic Mothers (UCM)
Pauline Porter
paulineporter1102@btinternet.com
University Catholic Society
Stephen Love
stephenlove90@outlook.com
St Andrew’s, Dundee
World Day of Youth Group
Frankie McGuire
youth-office@dunkelddiocese.org.uk
St John’s, Perth
Chair
Fr Jim High
jhhigh1945@icloud.com
St Margaret’s, Montrose
Vice-Chair
Fr Jim McCruden
jim.mccruden@btinternet.com
St Joseph’s, Callander
Secretary
Daria McDowall
dariam@gmx.com
St Ninian’s, Brechin