How is the universal Catholic Church structured? The whole people of God is a communion of dioceses, each entrusted to the pastoral leadership and care of a bishop. The diocese is then ‘divided into distinct parts or parishes’ (Code of Canon Law, 374.1). Each parish is by nature an integral part of the diocese. What then is a deanery? ‘To foster pastoral care by means of common action, several neighbouring parishes can be joined together in special groupings, such as deaneries’ (Code of Canon Law, 374.2). Each deanery is led by a Dean appointed by the bishop to act in his name. In a scattered diocese such as ours, with many small parishes, working together in deaneries can be very fruitful, not only for the mutual support and care of the clergy, but also for pastoral and spiritual collaboration at local level.
The Dean is to ‘promote and coordinate common pastoral action’ in the deanery [Canon 555.1.1].
Our Dean is Father Mike Freyne MHM
Churches in our Deanery
St. Mungo’s, Alloa
Parish Priest: Rev. Michael Carrie
St. John Vianney’s, Alva
Parish Priest: Rev. Brian McLean
St. Joseph’s, Callander
Parish Priest: Rev. Leszek Wiecaszek S.A.C.
Ss. Fillan and Alphonsus, Doune
Parish Priest: Rev. Leszek Wiecaszek S.A.C.
Holy Family, Dunblane
Parish Priest: Very Rev. Mgr. Basil Canon O’Sullivan
St. Serf’s High Valleyfield
Parish Priest: Rev. Michael Carrie
St. Bernadette’s Tullibody
Parish Priest: Rev. Michael Freyne MHM