Pastoral Council

“Where there is no vision the people perish.” – Proverbs 29:18

Purpose

Aware of the absolute importance of its mission, the Church seeks constant renewal, it never ceases to beg the Holy Spirit for the grace it needs to be the Light of the World. Begun by his preaching the Good News which had been promised for centuries, this church was enlivened and illuminated by the words, the works, the miracles, the very person of Jesus Christ. The mission of Jesus is to live and proclaim the message of love and forgiveness, build a faith community where all are welcomed, serve the poor and oppressed, enable all to grow in relationship with God and others and to call people to thankfulness and praise of God through liturgy. The Pastoral Council is a collaborative ministry between laity and religious founded on the belief that all baptized persons are gifted and called to the mission of Jesus Christ. Those who participate in collaborative ministry recognize and believe in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Structure

Those selected members on the council are to be of deep faith and open to the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The members should be concerned more about God’s will rather than their own. The participants should reflect cultural, racial, and age diversity within the parish. Members consist of the pastor, 13 lay ministers, the associate pastor and the parish deacons. The term of a Pastoral Council member is three years. No member should serve more than two terms. A member whose first term has expired would be eligible to serve a second term, however they must participate in the parish selection process. The members of the Parish Council discern the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson and the Secretary. Membership on the Pastoral Council is open to all practicing Catholics of the parish and is achieved by the process of discernment.