In our scattered parish it is difficult to create a true feeling of ‘one family’. In an effort to overcome this, a Pastoral Group has been established. The Group has an Administrator. The parish is divided into a number of larger areas, each with a designated Coordinator.
Each Co-ordinator works with a number of parishioners who have agreed to be Contacts for their smaller areas. Together they make up the Pastoral Group, and are responsible for maintaining two-way communication between their areas and the rest of the parish. They look out for new parishioners and visit them, contact families with new babies, the bereaved, and any who are sick or housebound. They bring to the attention of the Parish Priest any specific problems that may arise. They are also encouraged to organise functions such as House Masses and social gatherings, all of which contribute to the development of a feeling of community. This system also helps to ensure that the sick or housebound who wish to be visited can be kept in touch with parish life on a regular basis.
The rural part of the parish is divided into eight areas, and Stowmarket town has ten districts. The Group Administrator represents the Pastoral Group on the Parish Pastoral Council.