Update on Pastoral Parish Council (PPC)  - December 31, 2023

Thank you for your continued patience with the Council as it gets up and running. The Council has met and has worked in between those meetings to assimilate, sort, and prioritize both the ‘Parish Inputs’ and its own ‘Initiatives Inputs’, where you will not be surprised to learn that many of your inputs were echoed by the PPC at its workshop. We are making progress, perhaps slowly as it may seem to you. We have developed a process to both begin actions on your inputs and summarize your inputs back to you. Thank you for your patience and your prayers for our efforts. In the not-too-distant future, we will begin our communication process and we will be ready to receive and further input from the parishioners. Stay tuned. 

PASTORAL PARISH COUNCIL

   The Pastoral Parish Council is a unifying and coordinating structure made up of the Pastor and members of the parish through which every parishioner may have a voice in the affairs of the parish. The Pastoral Parish Council is established in accord with the Code of Canon Law and Diocesan norms concerning pastoral parish councils.

Objective

• To assess adequately the needs of the whole parish and its members, and to develop and implement a pastoral plan which will promote the common good of the parish.
• To foster unity and a sense of community in the parish and to coordinate all parish activities in a manner that will best serve the interests of the parish.

Mission & Vision

   The Parish Pastoral Council is primarily charged to assist in the development of mission focused parishes rather than programmatic or finance driven ones. It attempts to place at the heart of the parish a consciousness of a zeal for the mission of Jesus Christ.

   When there is a clear awareness of this “larger vision” proposed by the gospels and taught by the Church, a parish finds itself energized by a sense of mission and directed to matters that foster the mission of the parish which is grounded in the mission of Christ.

   Important elements that form the essence of parish life: Evangelization, worship and Word, community, service and stewardship, and leadership. These elements constantly interrelate in parish life, each nurturing and supporting the other.

   Recognizing these essential elements and understanding their interrelationship are central to the functioning of the pastoral council. These elements are what make pastoral councils “pastoral”. The agenda of the council is primarily to research, consider, reflect, and propose for action those matters considered to be truly “pastoral.”

Membership

   The members of the Pastoral Council are to be Catholics of the parish who are mindful of the common good, compassionate, prudent, faithful in the stewardship of time, talent and resources and regular participants in the worship of the parish.

   The Council shall consist of 10-13 members. The members of the Council are selected by means of a Nominating Committee and by appointment by the pastor.
Appointed members in 2023 start-up are listed below. The at large membership voted to assign the role of Chair, Assistant Chair and Secretary:

• Mike Mallon, Chairperson
• Mayra Marchand, Assistant Chairperson
• Deacon Matt Houle
• Shealyn Barnes
• Kimberly Bowen
• Damian Gonzalez
• Susan Greenfield
• Rosalie Merrow
• Linda Powell
• Brad Thompson Jr.
• Joe Smithdeal