The Formative Texts
1. Introduction
Recognizing that sound pastoral decisions are informed by the wisdom of the
People of God, the pastoral council of St. Edward Catholic Church, Newark, CA
was established on September 30, 2005. The documents of the Second Vatican
Council recommended the establishment of such councils. They state that
Catholics have a right and duty to express their opinion on what pertains to the
good of the Church. Pastors should willingly consult their people, say the
documents, and use their prudent advice. By establishing a pastoral council, the
pastor acknowledges the wisdom of his parishioners and expresses his desire to
share with them his responsibility for the governance of the parish.
2. Purpose
The purpose of the parish pastoral council is to investigate pastoral matters, to
consider them thoroughly, and to propose practical conclusions about them.
The council's task is, first of all, to study those matters brought to its attention
and shed light on them. Its second task is to reflect on them thoroughly, to
discern their true nature, to evaluate and to ponder them. Its final task is to draw
sound conclusions. The council presents these conclusions to the pastor and
the pastoral team in the form of recommendations. This threefold task of the
council-investigating, considering, and recommending conclusions-is called
pastoral planning. After the Pastor and the Pastoral Team have accepted the
recommendations of the council, they direct their implementation. Council
members may assist the Pastor and Team, but strictly speaking, implementation
is the responsibility of the pastor and the Pastoral Team, not the council.
3. Scope
The scope of the council is pastoral matters. These may include everything that
pertains to the pastoral ministries of proclaiming God's word, celebrating the
sacraments, caring for the faithful, promoting the mission of the Church to the
world, and being a good steward of parish resources. The scope includes all the
practical matters of parish life. There is, in short, nothing about which the pastor
may not consult the council, apart from faith, orthodoxy, moral principles or laws
of the universal Church.
4. Criteria for Membership
Pastoral council members are chosen, above all, for their ability to accomplish
the main task of the council-the work of investigating, considering, and
recommending practical conclusions. They are baptized Catholics, having made
their First Communion and Holy Confirmation, members of the parish in good
standing with the Church, who reflect the parish's various neighborhoods, social
and professional groups, and apostolates. Finally, they are parishioners noted
for their faith, good morals, and prudence.
5. Selection of Members
Twelve pastoral council members are elected every three years. The election
takes place on the last of a series of four weekly assemblies during the month of
September to which all parishioners are invited. The first assembly introduces
parishioners to the work of the pastoral council. The pastor explains his motives
for establishing it and invites parishioners to express their hopes for it.
Participants at the second assembly identify the strengths of the parish and
those areas in which the council may help it to develop. The third assembly is
devoted to a reflection on the qualities of a good councilor and it culminates with
nominations. In the fourth assembly, participants elect, in an atmosphere of
prayer and discernment, the twelve new councilors. Members may serve two
terms. After being off the council for one term they may again be discerned for
the council.
6. Officers
The pastor presides at every meeting of the council. He consults, he accepts or
rejects recommendations, and he develops the agenda with the council officers.
The pastor and councilors select three officers from among their number. They
are the chairperson, vice-chairperson, and secretary. With the pastor they
develop the council agenda. The chairperson facilitates council discussions,
making sure that everyone speaks and is heard. The chairperson also monitors
the work of the councilors between regular meetings. The vice-chairperson
assists the chairperson and facilitates meetings in the chairperson's absence.
The secretary keeps the minutes. He or she ensures that they are sent, along
with the agenda and supporting documents, to each councilor at least one week
before every meeting.
7. Operation
The Pastoral Team develops with the Pastoral Council’s assistance a five to six
year plan with goals and objectives. The pastoral council has a three-year
planning cycle, and members are selected for a three-year term. The pastoral
team defines the theme of the planning cycle during the September assembly at
which the council is selected. In the beginning of the council's second and third
year, the members facilitate a parish assembly to report on the council's
progress and to elicit the advice of parishioners. At the end of the third year, the
council completes its work. Then a new council is selected and a new planning
cycle begins.
8. Agenda
The pastor develops the agenda with the council officers. Each meeting begins
with prayer from the Liturgy of Hours. The Agenda states the goals for each
meeting, the means and group process for reaching the goals, and the materials
needed to accomplish them. The agenda guides the meeting. It begins with a
review of the minutes of the previous meeting and concludes with a brief
evaluation. If the pastor is dissatisfied with the consultation, he expresses his
reservations and asks the council to clarify whatever remains obscure. When he
is satisfied with the consultation, he formally accepts the council's
recommendations. He may then ask the pastoral team or other parishioners to
implement them.
9. Relation to the Pastoral Team and Finance Council
The pastor consults others besides the pastoral council about parish
governance. He relies upon the pastoral team for their expertise and consults
them daily about the management of parish operations. Indeed, he may
occasionally ask pastoral team members to attend council meetings in order to
put their knowledge at the service of the pastoral council. Moreover, the pastor
relies on the finance council to develop, monitor, and report on the parish
budget. Finance council members are chosen for their technical skill in realms of
accounting and finance. The pastoral council, by contrast, offers practical
wisdom. That is the ability to investigate pastoral matters in a general way, to
reflect on them deeply in dialogue, and to propose conclusions appropriate to
the parish.
10. Meetings
The pastoral council meets once a month from September to May. Meetings are
two hours in length. Between the monthly meetings, council members are
expected to follow up the previous meeting and prepare for the next. This
usually entails work on ad hoc committees. The first meeting of the new pastoral
council is dedicated to the call and mission of the newly-chosen members. The
council's second and third year begin with a parish assembly. After each
assembly, the council assimilates the assembly results. During the final meeting
of each year, the councilors reflect on the progress of the three-year planning
cycle. The pastor thanks them for their service and reflects on the progress
made by the council toward reaching its goals.
This document was amended and approved by the Pastoral Team on February
15, 2005. It is sent to the Pastoral Council for their advice, comments and
suggestions. It was formally acted by the Pastoral Council on April 18, 2005.
1. Introduction
Recognizing that sound pastoral decisions are informed by the wisdom of the
People of God, the pastoral council of St. Edward Catholic Church, Newark, CA
was established on September 30, 2005. The documents of the Second Vatican
Council recommended the establishment of such councils. They state that
Catholics have a right and duty to express their opinion on what pertains to the
good of the Church. Pastors should willingly consult their people, say the
documents, and use their prudent advice. By establishing a pastoral council, the
pastor acknowledges the wisdom of his parishioners and expresses his desire to
share with them his responsibility for the governance of the parish.
2. Purpose
The purpose of the parish pastoral council is to investigate pastoral matters, to
consider them thoroughly, and to propose practical conclusions about them.
The council's task is, first of all, to study those matters brought to its attention
and shed light on them. Its second task is to reflect on them thoroughly, to
discern their true nature, to evaluate and to ponder them. Its final task is to draw
sound conclusions. The council presents these conclusions to the pastor and
the pastoral team in the form of recommendations. This threefold task of the
council-investigating, considering, and recommending conclusions-is called
pastoral planning. After the Pastor and the Pastoral Team have accepted the
recommendations of the council, they direct their implementation. Council
members may assist the Pastor and Team, but strictly speaking, implementation
is the responsibility of the pastor and the Pastoral Team, not the council.
3. Scope
The scope of the council is pastoral matters. These may include everything that
pertains to the pastoral ministries of proclaiming God's word, celebrating the
sacraments, caring for the faithful, promoting the mission of the Church to the
world, and being a good steward of parish resources. The scope includes all the
practical matters of parish life. There is, in short, nothing about which the pastor
may not consult the council, apart from faith, orthodoxy, moral principles or laws
of the universal Church.
4. Criteria for Membership
Pastoral council members are chosen, above all, for their ability to accomplish
the main task of the council-the work of investigating, considering, and
recommending practical conclusions. They are baptized Catholics, having made
their First Communion and Holy Confirmation, members of the parish in good
standing with the Church, who reflect the parish's various neighborhoods, social
and professional groups, and apostolates. Finally, they are parishioners noted
for their faith, good morals, and prudence.
5. Selection of Members
Twelve pastoral council members are elected every three years. The election
takes place on the last of a series of four weekly assemblies during the month of
September to which all parishioners are invited. The first assembly introduces
parishioners to the work of the pastoral council. The pastor explains his motives
for establishing it and invites parishioners to express their hopes for it.
Participants at the second assembly identify the strengths of the parish and
those areas in which the council may help it to develop. The third assembly is
devoted to a reflection on the qualities of a good councilor and it culminates with
nominations. In the fourth assembly, participants elect, in an atmosphere of
prayer and discernment, the twelve new councilors. Members may serve two
terms. After being off the council for one term they may again be discerned for
the council.
6. Officers
The pastor presides at every meeting of the council. He consults, he accepts or
rejects recommendations, and he develops the agenda with the council officers.
The pastor and councilors select three officers from among their number. They
are the chairperson, vice-chairperson, and secretary. With the pastor they
develop the council agenda. The chairperson facilitates council discussions,
making sure that everyone speaks and is heard. The chairperson also monitors
the work of the councilors between regular meetings. The vice-chairperson
assists the chairperson and facilitates meetings in the chairperson's absence.
The secretary keeps the minutes. He or she ensures that they are sent, along
with the agenda and supporting documents, to each councilor at least one week
before every meeting.
7. Operation
The Pastoral Team develops with the Pastoral Council’s assistance a five to six
year plan with goals and objectives. The pastoral council has a three-year
planning cycle, and members are selected for a three-year term. The pastoral
team defines the theme of the planning cycle during the September assembly at
which the council is selected. In the beginning of the council's second and third
year, the members facilitate a parish assembly to report on the council's
progress and to elicit the advice of parishioners. At the end of the third year, the
council completes its work. Then a new council is selected and a new planning
cycle begins.
8. Agenda
The pastor develops the agenda with the council officers. Each meeting begins
with prayer from the Liturgy of Hours. The Agenda states the goals for each
meeting, the means and group process for reaching the goals, and the materials
needed to accomplish them. The agenda guides the meeting. It begins with a
review of the minutes of the previous meeting and concludes with a brief
evaluation. If the pastor is dissatisfied with the consultation, he expresses his
reservations and asks the council to clarify whatever remains obscure. When he
is satisfied with the consultation, he formally accepts the council's
recommendations. He may then ask the pastoral team or other parishioners to
implement them.
9. Relation to the Pastoral Team and Finance Council
The pastor consults others besides the pastoral council about parish
governance. He relies upon the pastoral team for their expertise and consults
them daily about the management of parish operations. Indeed, he may
occasionally ask pastoral team members to attend council meetings in order to
put their knowledge at the service of the pastoral council. Moreover, the pastor
relies on the finance council to develop, monitor, and report on the parish
budget. Finance council members are chosen for their technical skill in realms of
accounting and finance. The pastoral council, by contrast, offers practical
wisdom. That is the ability to investigate pastoral matters in a general way, to
reflect on them deeply in dialogue, and to propose conclusions appropriate to
the parish.
10. Meetings
The pastoral council meets once a month from September to May. Meetings are
two hours in length. Between the monthly meetings, council members are
expected to follow up the previous meeting and prepare for the next. This
usually entails work on ad hoc committees. The first meeting of the new pastoral
council is dedicated to the call and mission of the newly-chosen members. The
council's second and third year begin with a parish assembly. After each
assembly, the council assimilates the assembly results. During the final meeting
of each year, the councilors reflect on the progress of the three-year planning
cycle. The pastor thanks them for their service and reflects on the progress
made by the council toward reaching its goals.
This document was amended and approved by the Pastoral Team on February
15, 2005. It is sent to the Pastoral Council for their advice, comments and
suggestions. It was formally acted by the Pastoral Council on April 18, 2005.
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