In July 2009 the pastoral areas of the Armagh diocese came into effect. This formation of the pastoral areas was the outcome of much consultation and reflection by all of the Catholic faithful within the Archdiocese of Armagh.

A pastoral area is a cluster of neighbouring parishes that support each other and share the collaborative gifts and talents of each parish. With the help of the Holy Spirit, they do this in order to fulfil the mission of the Church to proclaim the word of God and further the mission of Christ in the world.

The Pastoral Area within which St Peter’s Parish falls is made up of the parishes of Mell, Melifont and St. Peter’s. We are known as St. Oliver’s Pastoral area.

Each pastoral area has a priest leader who in keeping with Church law, is called a Vicar Forane. The Vicar Forane for St Oliver’s Pastoral Area is Canon Eugene Sweeney. The work of each of the pastoral areas is coordinated by a pastoral area resource team. The pastoral area resource team consists of a number of people from each of the parishes/religious communities in the pastoral area. Under the leadership of Canon Eugene Sweeney, the pastoral area resource team helps to strengthen each of the parishes in the pastoral areas by:

1. Ensuring the effective sharing of the collective gifts and talents of the parishes in the pastoral area
2. Identifying pastoral matters that can be done better together as a pastoral area than separately as individual parishes.

St Oliver’s Pastoral Area work closely in terms of local clergy and people. Most particularly the PART offers regular Reconciliation Services, Outreach events and support to the Parishes.

As a diocese, we aim to be the body of Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit so that we can live like Jesus in our time and place sharing his compassionate love with all.