Fr. Louis Bulletin Letter - October 2, 2005 - The Role of the Parish Pastoral Council
Already 68 parishioners have completed their pledge cards for the 2005-2006 Diocesan Annual Appeal. These members of Saint Peter’s have pledged more than $8000.00 and have already paid nearly $6000.00 of that total! Not a bad way to begin this year’s Appeal! Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter that is so important for the life of our parish and our Diocese. To those who have not yet turned in their pledge card, please give prayerful consideration to your generous participation in the Appeal. And keep praying for Bishop Listecki and for the success of the this year’s Appeal!
According to universal Church discipline (Code of Canon Law, canons 536-537), each parish has two bodies of consultation, the Parish Pastoral Council and the Parish Finance Council. In order to give a general orientation regarding the role and function of these councils, last week I explained the nature of consultation itself. Keeping that in mind, we can now complete the picture with more details.
The work of both Saint Peter’s Pastoral Council and Finance Council is informed and inspired by the vision of the Church itself, especially as set forth in the teaching of the Second Vatican Council. The Pastoral and Finance Councils are closely related to one another, yet are distinct bodies “by virtue of their distinct purposes, their distinct responsibilities, and the distinct qualifications for membership on each” (Bishop John J. Paul, Pastoral Letter On Consultation in the Parish and Deanery, p. 21).
The Parish Pastoral Council is “a consultative body by which the Christian faithful of a parish, together with those who have pastoral authority, give their help in fostering pastoral activity . . . The ways by which it fulfills its shared responsibility are: the spiritual enrichment and growth of its members; the study of the Christian life of the People of God with special attention to their Christian vision, needs, and hopes; the discernment of the relationship of the pastoral activity of the parish to the legitimate needs and hopes of the parish community; establishment of priorities among the various aspects of the pastoral activity of the parish; and the formation of policy and the development of programs of pastoral activity” (p. 21). In sum, Saint Peter’s Pastoral Council has responsibility to give counsel to me, your Pastor, regarding the pastoral activity in the parish. Members of the Pastoral Council must be parishioners of Saint Peter’s in full communion with the Catholic Church. Two-thirds of the members are elected and one-third are appointed by the Pastor. Members serve a two-year term that can be renewed twice. Saint Peter’s Pastoral Council meets five times a year.
In order to assist the Parish Pastoral Council in fulfilling its responsibilities, there are normally four work groups or permanent committees: Family Life, Sacred Worship, Catholic Education, and Justice and Peace. These committees direct themselves to four fundamental areas of pastoral life in the parish. This list of committees is not exhaustive as other committees may be formed according to specific needs of the parish.
Thank you to those who so faithfully serve on our Pastoral Council and on its four committees. Next week, we will focus on the Parish Finance Council.
Saint Peter, pray for us.