Transcript Preparing to Establish a Pastoral Council

Councils in the 21st Century Series, 11.9.13
Mrs. Terry A Ginther
609-403-7143
[email protected]
So you are new to the
Pastoral Council….
Context
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Church Pilgrim People of God
 Body of Christ (1 Cor 12)
 Ordered Communion
 Sacrament of Christ
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“Local Church” - Diocese
Parish
The Mission
Go and Make
Disciples
Rekindle
Faith that
has become
Lukewarm
The Church on
earth is by its
very nature
missionary…
since it has its
origin in the
mission of the
Son…AG2
Initial
Proclamation
of Gospel
Ongoing
Conversion
Evangelization
…the Church,
endowed with
the gifts of her
founder…
receives the
mission of
proclaiming and
establishing
among all
peoples the
kingdom of
Christ and of
God… LG5
We may think the model is...
Pastor
Staff/
Parish Leaders
Parishioners
But this is the model that
serves the mission!
Parishioners
Staff/Parish
Leaders
Pastor
Parish Pastoral
Councils
What does a
pastoral council
do?
Vatican II:
The Pastoral Council
“It will be the function of this council to
investigate and consider matters
relating to pastoral activity and to
formulate practical
conclusions
concerning them.”
(Decree on Bishops, no. 27)
1983 Code: Purpose of
Diocesan Pastoral Councils
“In each diocese, to the extent that
pastoral circumstances recommend it, a
pastoral council is to be established whose
responsibility it is to investigate under the
authority of the bishop all those things
which pertain to pastoral works, to ponder
them and to propose practical
conclusions about them” (Canon 511).
Canon 536 of the 1983 Code:
Parish Pastoral Councils
“The pastor presides over it
[the council], and through it
the Christian faithful along
with those who share in the
pastoral care of the parish
in virtue of their office give
their help in fostering
pastoral activity .”
(Canon 536)
The pastor seeks counsel.
He asks them to help inform his thinking about a
particular aspect of pastoral activity.
The pastor consults,
not because he wants to
surrender responsibility for
the parish,
but because he wants to
exercise it wisely.
The council is
representative in that it
“makes present” the
wisdom of the community.
What is pastoral activity?
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Code of Canon
Law(canons 528-530)
lists normative
pastoral activity in
every parish. The
Pastor is responsible
for seeing that the
activities are carried
out…
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Word of God announced
Instruction through Homily
Catechetical Formation
Catholic Education
Evangelization
Mass and Sacraments
Care of families
Consolation
Care of the sick and dying
Reach out to help the poor,
lonely, exiled, in any need
Promote lay involvement
Cooperation between parishes ,
diocese, and ecumen. partners
Council and Pastoral
Planning
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Study one issue at a time and make
recommendations
OR
Undertake a systematic review of parish
life and create a five year plan
Both are ways the Council can assist the
Pastor to lead the parish in mission
The Pastoral Council is not:
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Responsible for the day-to-day activity or
management of the parish
A complaint board
A project team for planning special events
A board of Elders that governs the parish
Made up of representatives from different
organizations or ministries
permanent
The Pastoral Council
does not:
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Make decisions for the parish
Set its own agenda
Hire and fire parish staff, employees
Meet without the Pastor
Hold open meetings like a town council on
a regular basis
Implement its recommendations
Supervise ministries
The Pastoral Council does:
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Listen carefully to parishioners
Keep confidences
Investigate and Study issues
Prayerfully discern the best way forward
Make practical recommendations
Give their best advice to the Pastor about
ways to successfully implement something
Cease at the death, transfer or retirement
of a pastor
The Pastoral Council does:
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Work closely with the Pastor
Collaborate with the staff and finance
council
Help to keep the parish focused on the
mission and avoid “navel gazing”
Terms of Service
3 year terms
New members join
annually – “staggered terms”
or
at conclusion of term
Meetings
Frequency
Agenda includes Prayer
Faith Sharing
Learning Experience
Issue
Work in between meetings
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Investigation and Study
Careful Listening
Prayerful Reflection
Discernment
Consider the information learned and its
applicability to your particular parish and
its present/future reality
Advice: Limit Other
Responsibilities
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No parish staff members or parish leaders
with direct responsibility for leading a
ministry should serve on the Council
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“Tyranny of the Urgent”
Presents a challenge to seeing big picture
Recommend Council members limit
themselves to one other parish ministry
while serving on the Council
Questions
and Answers