This captures the concerns of the parishioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish as expressed in responses to the Synod questionnaire. The unedited answers were compiled and sent to the Diocese of Saint John. What follows is a summary of topics and issues that our parishioners have indicated as being important. 
While most respondents felt that they were active in the Church's mission, several expressed concern about not knowing what the Church's mission is.  This comment came up in several different places in the questionnaire. 

The people of OLOGC parish are involved in many ministries and activities such as: 
Proclaiming the Word, Pastoral Council, various projects, Liturgy, Hospitality, 
working at breakfasts, COVID team, Faith-sharing groups, Spiritual companion 
Outreach ministries -Helping the poor and needy, supporting lapsed Catholics, 
living their faith at home and work, Avenue B, Lakewood Headstart, sponsoring a child through Chalice.

The following things were credited with helping parishioners to stay active in their faith: 

• A welcoming environment 
• Friendships and openness of the parish community 
• Participating where personal talents are needed 
• Strong Faith 
• The power of prayer 
• The desire for spiritual growth 
• The opportunity to attend mass online and receive spiritual communion 
• Reading the book Divine Renovation
• Feeling valued. Hearing the words "Thank You!" 

Reasons given for not being active in the Church's mission: 

• Not feeling valued or respected
• COVID anxiety and Fear
• Not Convenient

What areas of the Church's mission are we missing or neglecting?

• Evangelization 
  • Evangelization beyond our congregation 
  • Adding evangelization components to outreach programs and fundraising events through handouts with Mass times, upcoming church programs, etc. 
  • Person to person faith sharing opportunities 
  • Both human and financial resources to enable us to tap into opportunities to build community. 
• Leadership 
  • Leadership training 
  • Recognition of what has and could be achieved (vision) 
• Formation 
  • Learning opportunities 
• Hospitality
  • Welcoming - seeking out the "strangers" at Mass and other church events 
• Parish Council 
  • Active Pastoral Parish Councils -to help and support our priests; need buy-in from the priests and diocese 
  • Clarifying the difference between PPC and Operations Committee 
  • Status of Regional Pastoral Councils 
• Renewal 
  • Active renewal efforts. How does renewal differ from reorganization/consolidation of parishes? We are several years in, yet many are still concerned about church closures. How are we doing? 
• Diocese  
  • Communication and support from the diocese. What programs and initiatives are available and how do we access them? Who do we contact for information and support? 
  • An interesting fact is that a few people indicated that that could not think of 
    anything. 

What issues in the Church do we need to pay more attention to? 

• Youth, Youth, Youth 
  • Youth formation and activities for Youth -Christian youth gathering in a safe environment, sharing common interests, making church more meaningful for them. Offer Alpha to those preparing for confirmation. 
• Liturgy 
  • Updated music/more upbeat Christian music 
• Lapsed Catholics 
  • Those who have lost trust in the Church, and those 18-50 that have found fault with the Church's teachings. We need to address the "pain". 
  • Adults in their 30's and 40's need a reason the come back to Church. How can we reach them? Unless children see that their parents' value Church and make an effort to attend regularly and get involved, they will have no reason to value Church themselves. 
• Education and Formation
  • Education to help young families share and live their faith 
  • Explanation of the Church's core values and teaching 
  • Clarify the Church's position on Euthanasia and the Death Penalty 
  • Leadership training 
  • Ministry training 
  • On-going formation for adults and youth 
  • Explain the Mass to the faithful, lapsed, and newcomers 
  • Explanation of Catholic observances and manners - why we bless ourselves, when and why we kneel, bow, sit, stand. 
• Welcoming 
  • Welcoming divorced and gay Catholics, and people who as youth never connected with the practices of the church 
• Communication
  • Improve Communication about church issues - What are the facts? 
  • There is a fear of returning to pre-VC 2. What is being done to alleviate this fear?
• Leadership 
  • Roles for Women - Deacons 
  • Consider use of deacons, both male and female 
  • The needs of our priests. Without healthy engaged leadership at the local church level, we cannot move forward in a purposeful and unified manner. The number of priests is also getting smaller with retirements. We need more lay people to help our older and over worked priests. 
  • Clergy abuse of children - What is being done to make reparations and what safeguards are now in place? 
  • Again, a few people did not think there was anything we need to pay more attention to. 
• Societal Issues
  • There are several areas in society to which we need to pay more attention:
    • The homeless and poor 
    • Mental health issues, including depression 
    • Support for families, particularly during COVID 
    • Isolation related to poverty 
    • Youth involvement 
    • Care of the elderly 
    • Lapsed Catholics 
    • Respect for people, including respect for their beliefs and culture.
    • Immigration and Refugees 
    • Social Justice and Equity 
    • "Open our Hearts, not just our wallets" 
• Indigenous Peoples 
  • The parishioners made several comments and suggestions regarding journeying with our Indigenous brothers and sisters in a process of healing and reconciliation. Please note that in the time since our responses were collected, Pope Francis has made a made a formal apology on behalf of the Church. 
  • This issue is very important as it is affecting the Church's ability to evangelize. If you mention the Catholic Church to any Canadian, they will bring up this topic. 
  • The first step would be to acknowledge past wrongs. The second step would be to listen to our aboriginal brothers and sisters. Until we, as individuals and then as members of our parish churches, can understand: the history of the Catholic Church and indigenous peoples, the spirituality of indigenous peoples' culture, the generational effect of practises of the Catholic Church, healing and reconciliation remain theoretical concepts. 
  • We cannot fully understand the impact the Residential Schools has had on their people. The Jesuits have a good book Listening to Indigenous Voices that can be helpful 
  • Talk/share information about the church's involvement in the residential schools. Seek information that is being withheld. Don't be afraid to implicate the government regarding food shortages and overcrowding. What information do we have? What information is missing? Why? What information is being withheld, by whom, and why? 
  • Seek explanation regarding the graves. What were the causes of death? Where are the records of death? Why are many/most unmarked? 
  • Continue to run missions and parishes 
  • Pay the debt 
  • Positive action is needed. Using records, try to reunite families where possible. 
  • Pray for the families of survivors & pray for forgiveness & peace. 

Sum up in one or two sentences how the Spirit is calling us to grow in "Journeying Together": In our parish Church? In the Diocese of Saint John? 

• We as Parishioners need to be responsible for our own Spiritual Journey. We need to reach into our congregation and utilize those among us with the expertise to help with this and not depend on our Priests. 
• We need to be as one, lean on one another for support, give of yourself, take time to share your thoughts and pray together for our Church to once again be strong. 
• The Spirit called loudly and clearly throughout the Diocese of Saint John during the reorganization and revitalization process a few years ago. 
• This is a hard question to answer in one or two sentences. But this is the 'sentence" I offer; Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount (The Beatitudes). 

Many people added extra comments under this heading 

• Communication and Transparency
  • Clear communication is key: respectful dialogue, recognition of different experiences and perspective, regular updates and feedback from our Bishop and the timely sharing of results of surveys. (Our Bishop needs to hear directly from the parishes through small group meetings without the clergy necessarily in attendance.) 
  • The results of the previous survey from Rome, several years ago, were not made public. The results of the Synod survey from this diocese should be shared here before they are sent to Rome. Failure to do so will result in a loss of faith and trust. Transparency is badly needed. 
• Prayer 
  • Take time to talk to God and ask Him for direction-He loves us and He does listen. "Those who pray together stay together." 
• Stewardship
  • The money WASTED on the Cathedral is so unfortunate. And how much spent on staging rental? Not good stewards of our donations. 
• Liturgy 
  • While our priests are aging, not many are considering vocations. Recent ordinations have resulted in a Pre-Vatican II "flavor" being practised in our Diocese. Our Bishop needs to get those guys to tow the line. 
• Sexual abuse 
  • Still so many angry with sexual mistreatment by some of our Priests. 
• Unity 
  • My hope is that the diocese may work as one. 
  • There is good in everything. Perhaps the divisiveness we see, may help us more fully appreciate all of the unity we take for granted.