Parish Pastoral Council
The purpose of the Parish Pastoral Council is to counsel the
pastor and staff in developing goals and program that carry out
the parish’s Pastoral Plan; to foster dialogue among the clergy,
administration, and people of the parish; and to broaden their
understanding of the parish and its operation. The Parish
Pastoral Council consists of seven voting members and each
member serves a term of three years. The Pastor and some or all
of the parish staff and commissions meet with the Council but do
not vote. The parish community elects the at-large council
members. The functions of the Parish Pastoral Council are as
follows:
- represent all the people of the
parish and their collective wisdom and prayerfully discern
the needs of the parish community
- recommend pastoral priorities and
goals for the parish according to its needs—spiritual,
social, temporal—and the means available to meet those needs
- assist the pastor in delegating
responsibilities to appropriate commissions, committees, and
parish organizations
- provide for communication,
coordination, and cooperation among the commissions and
committees of the council, the organizations in the parish,
and the parishioners
- review priorities periodically and
evaluate their relationship and relevance to the mission of
the parish and to annually set goals and objectives. The
Parish Pastoral Council meets monthly except for the summer
months and a minimum of ten times a year. Meetings are
limited to two hours. The June meeting is a social and a
time to celebrate the contributions of outgoing members and
welcome new members. The Council year begins in September.
Council meetings are open for parishioners
to observe. Parishioners can submit agenda items to Council
members. Council members also solicit input from parishioners.
Finance Council
All financial needs, resources, and budgeting are
studied and reported by the Finance Council. Reports and
recommendations are presented to the pastor for appropriate
action
Building and Grounds Committee The
Building and Grounds committee meets periodically to review the
long-term maintenance needs of the parish plant. The committee
studies how to make best use of available space for current
needs and how to make our facilities safer and more comfortable
for those who use them. The committee studies the physical
grounds of the parish property, including exterior and interior
needs of the buildings. Reports and recommendations are
presented to the Parish Pastoral Committee and the Finance
Committee for appropriate action.
Worship Committee
The Worship committee assists the pastor and staff in setting
the goals and direction for the liturgical life of the parish.
The committee, with the pastor and staff, serves as an
evaluation body whose purpose it is to see that the spiritual
needs of the parish are met. The concerns include church
environment, music, worship space, acoustics. as well as the
celebration of the Mass, sacraments, prayer services, and the
spiritual life of the parish. The committee assists the pastor
and staff in achieving meaningful liturgical celebrations.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee delivers news and activities of the
building process to the parish; develops and maintains the
parish website, provides input for the weekly bulletin, and
helps parishioners to become more knowledgeable about parish
activities.