As part of the parish review, Mount Argus - Looking Forward, a questionnaire was published in the weekly Bulletin just before Christmas 2003. 

Over 100 parishioners responded with their thoughts and recommendations and many interesting points were raised.A random sort through the completed questionnaires reveals that, in general, there is a great sense of community at Mount Argus.  There is great appreciation for the atmosphere of welcome and reverence and special praise for the tireless work of both priests and lay people.

The extent of lay involvement was often mentioned as a positive development, boding well for the future of the parish.  It is interesting to note that one third of the respondees lived outside the parish boundaries and perhaps this is an indication of the shape of things to come – when a parish is not simply the inhabitants of one specific area but a vibrant community of disparate people who come together to pray.

Some people said that they came to Mount Argus because of the meaningful homilies that were relevant to today’s world.  Others asked for a religious discussion group, a forum that would debate Christian ethics – where they could reflect and pray on current issues (from global capitalism to poverty, from genetic engineering to the role of women in the church).  In a changing world, there is a hunger for understanding and people look to the church for guidance.  If it is to remain relevant, the church must deal openly with these issues and actively promote the Christian message.

Many people expressed the concern that young people weren’t interested anymore.  Perhaps if we did confront these issues they would not feel so alienated.  At the same time, those attending Mount Argus for a long time, though acknowledging the need for change, expressed the concern that the needs of older people might be forgotten.  It is important to build on what we have.

When asked if they would like to be more involved in the parish, a significant number wrote that they would – but not necessarily on a weekly basis.  People’s lifestyles seem to dictate that the way they will participate in the future will be different to how it was in the past.  Some said that they would be interested in occasional projects, some that they would prefer to help, rather than lead, others that they would work from home.  It seems that new ways must to be found to enable more people to use their talents for the good of the community.

On the whole, there was very positive feedback, some good suggestions, praise for the many initiatives and support for those working towards a new vision for Mount Argus Parish.