Strengths
Universal
Instituted by Christ.
Apostolic.
Biblical.
Sacraments
Consistent Teaching.
Organised.
Beauty.
Offers way of life & meaning, relationship with Jesus Christ.
Multi-Cultural.
St Saviour’s
Location, location, location.
People.
Vibrancy.
Diversity.
Regular contact with people.
Always open.
Attention to prayer.
Regular Masses.
Regular Confession.
Large attendance.
Schools including Christ the King, Bonus Pastor and St Saviour’s.
Approachable Priests.
Father Bosco, Deacon James.
Committed families.
Groups in Parish.
Weaknesses
Universal
1. Seen as institutional.
2. Perceived as organised.
3. Perceived as ‘not with the times’
4. Poor in ‘catechising’ adults.
5. Cafeteria Catholics
6. Intellectual language of Encyclicals etc…
7. Non-focus on Jesus. (We need to emphasise a more personal relationship with Jesus).
8. Poor in sharing faith.
9. Poor in passing on the faith.
St Saviour’s
1. School factory.
2. Too much focus on initiation.
3. Needs of people not being met shown by poor attendance at groups such as Bible Study etc...
4. Sacraments of goodbye from the Church.
5. Welcoming new people.
6. People lost in crowd.
7. No database of Parish.
8. Website needs to link more to Prayer.
9. No weekly religious book recommendation.
10. Little challenge to people.
11. Loads of ‘Indians’ but few ‘Chiefs’.
12. Little Adult Faith Formation.
13. People feel disempowered.
14. No invitations to join or help.
Opportunities
Universal
1. Call to holiness, which leads to Community leading to Communion in the Eucharist.
2. Spreading the faith through Evangelisation.
3. Spiritual ecumenism through shared prayer.
4. One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic faith.
5. Universal.
6. Answers questions of the time.
St Saviour’s
1. Outreach.
2. Location.
3. Welcoming people.
4. Give overview to people of Catholic Church and Parish.
5. Record names of new & existing people in the Parish.
6. Huge audience.
7. People hungry for proper food.
8. Need to exploit our audience.
9. Develop relations with our people.
10. Fullness of Faith to transform.
11. Transforming culture.
12. House communities.
13. Deanery links with groups and new movements.
14. New movements there to be exploited ( Holy Spirit bursting on Church.)
Threats
Universal
Clericalism.
Does Church empower?
Child abuse.
Secularism.
Apathy.
Evangelicals.
St Saviour’s
Poached by other Churches in fight for market share.
Pentecostal attack.
Schools don’t form in faith.
Who are our people?
What are their needs?
Ethnic communities not being nourished.
269 versions of Christianity in Borough of Lewisham (source: Lewisham Council)
Need small groups like Y2K
Passing on of faith within Tamil Community.
Just coming to Mass does n’t build community.
Poor Theological knowledge.
Clubs/ cliques.
Need to ‘get views of people’.
Poor participation of people.
Diverse communities can be positive or negative. (Need integration).
Do not meet people’s needs at their stage of life.
Danger of committees.
Absence of relationships.
