“As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another
as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Pet. 4:10)
“According to tradition, the council is a gift of the Holy Spirit and so a parish priest […] need a council to help them in making decisions. Therefore these pastoral councils carry out the work of the Holy Spirit and witness to His presence in the Church.” (Pope Benedict XVI)
Who we are: A Parish Pastoral Council is an important consultative body that comes together under the direction of the pastor to provide him advice and support for the good of the parish community. The Council shares the responsibility for building the parish into a vibrant Christian community that promotes gospel values of love, justice and peace.
Members are selected based on their willingness to serve and offer their gifts and expertise in service to the parish community.
What we do: Through reflection, prayer, planning, motivation and support, the parish pastoral council assists the pastor in pastoral planning,
including:
- developing and periodically reviewing the parish mission statement,
- assessing ongoing needs and concerns, gifts and resources of the whole parish,
- defining parish goals and setting broad strategies for implementing them,
- developing a parish pastoral plan and participating in ongoing planning,
- evaluating the parish’s success in carrying out the Church’s mission.
We meet: Quarterly in the Pastor’s Office.
Contact: Paula Jones: (773) 324-2626 ext. 109 / email: pjones@stapostleparish.org
“It seems to me that one of the gifts of the Second Vatican Council is the existence of these Pastoral Councils. In them lay representatives of the entire community, together with the pastor and priests, tackle the problems of the neighbourhood’s living Church and help to build up the Church, to make the word of God present and to make the people sensitive to the presence of Jesus Christ in the sacraments. At this time […] it is all the more important that the priest not be left alone but be surrounded by believers that carry with him this seed of the Word and help to make it live and grow in our time too. Therefore, thank you for your initiatives.”
Pope Benedict XVI, Address from March 29, 2009.