Wellington Regional Coordinators Weekend 2011

Who am I? How did I get here? Why am I here? Where am I going?
Fr Kevin Hennessy facilitated the Wellington weekend held 21/22 May 2011 at Tatum Park Conference Centre which is just north of Otaki. 63 family group members including 3 parish pastors were involved on the Saturday questioning the “now” of our world and what has affected our worldview. The DVD with Brian Swimme and others gave us insight into our worldview relationships but that this knowledge “is overwhelming”. These revelations were very thought provoking.

The development of our cosmos, our interconnection with other beings and our planet is the continuance of God’s creation. There are billions of galaxies so why is God continuing his creation here on earth and how can we as PFG see God’s presence all around us and sustaining us?

Tori Prendergast from Passionist Youth presented a summary of the youth visit to Vietnam where they assisted in orphanages, aids clinics etc – very moving experiences which have affected her worldview. She encouraged us to promote and help parish members to attend the Youth Retreat and Young Persons Retreats in July 2011.
Mass was led by Fr Kevin in the early evening and was followed by a meal catered for by Tatum Park.

On the Sunday morning, the remaining 42 participants were challenged by Fr Gerry Whitford, who had been there also on the Saturday, to consider that though PFG have met the needs of our older generation, how do we include the needs of all parishioners and involve teenagers, youth, children & grandchildren in the movement and its ongoing development.

Fr Kevin encouraged our feedback and our newest PFG member from Blenheim gave us an excellent reflection into what PFG means to him in a series of bullet points:

• Parish Community and Unity
• Create friendships
• Strengthen self worth
• Learn from others
• Kids are what they experience
• In giving, you receive
• Extend your family
• Give God’s grace and peace
• We can be lonely in a crowd
• Maybe some kids don’t have grandparents
• Maybe older people don’t have grandchildren
• Maybe the young would like to learn to cook
• Maybe we yearn to make friends but don’t know how
• Oh to have someone we trust to talk with

The day concluded with a shared lunch and all left with lots to think about.