Bishop Seamus Freeman, Bishop of Ossory, has announced the appointment of Ms Gemma Mulligan as Coordinator of the newly developed Pastoral Plan.
In 2004 the diocese brought together a group of laity and clergy, on the diocesan forum groupings in three deaneries, with the intention of establishing and supporting a network of pastoral councils at parish, deanery and diocesan level.
It was from the members of these groups that the call for a Pastoral plan for the Diocese emerged. They believed that if priests and people are to work together effectively they needed an overall plan to focus and guide this work. After many drafts and much discussion throughout the Diocese Bishop Freeman ratified and made official the document which is called the Ossory Diocesan Pastoral Plan.
Gemma’s task, as Plan Coordinator, will be to help support the good work that is already being done in parishes and to offer the vision and leadership that will enable priests and people to adapt and make the changes needed so that parishes continue to be vibrant faith communities in an era of rapid change.
A native of Kilkenny city, Gemma now lives in Tullaroan with her husband and family. She is well qualified, both academically and from her previous experience of working full-time in Catholic Youth Care in the Dublin Archdiocese. A member of her own Parish Council in Tullaroan, she has been Chairperson of the Middle Deanery Pastoral Council for the last three years. She is also a member of the Diocesan Retreat Team that animates the reflection evenings for parishes at St Kieran’s College.
Gemma, as she now takes up her position, will be inviting all those who care about the future of the Church to become actively involved in shaping it.
ENDS
Picture: Sr Helen Maher, Ms Gemma Mulligan, Bishop Séamus Freeman.
Coordinator Of Diocesan Pastoral Plan
