Best definition I could find: “A parish council is a parochial structure consisting of representative members of the parish who form one body with the pastor in fulfilling the Church’s pastoral ministry.”

Ministry like liturgical ministries, indeed perhaps the first lay ministry of any parish.  Proper ministry of the laity, not given because of the absence of priests.

“Prior to the Council [Vatican II] the Church perceived God’s guidance and direction as flowing almost entirely through the leaders – the hierarchy: pope, bishop, pastor – finally to be activated in parishes through programs and other projects.  The concept of shared responsibility changed that thinking.  The theological meaning of shared responsibility is that God’s truth, which provides the guidance for the Church, comes not only through the leaders, but also through the people.  In order for the Church to have the fullness of God’s light and guidance, the people must be consulted.  Thus a totally new ministry of the people of God was born – a special ministry of people and pastor together reflecting on the parish’s ministerial activity and on the basis of that reflection, discerning what needs to be changed or developed in the parish to make it more faithful to what God is calling it to be.  It is this ministry that is specifically and particularly the ministry of the parish council.”

Baptism: “royal priesthood, holy nation, people set apart to sing God’s praise” 1 Peter - The common priesthood of all believers which the laity share with priests, bishops, and deacons, even the Pope –

Note also the word “pastoral”

History – churchwardens – margulliers – largely – administration - Vatican II -  Decree on the Lay Apostolate (1965 – no. 26):

“In dioceses, insofar as possible, there should be councils which assist the apostolic work of the Church either in the field of evangelization and sanctification or in the charitable, social, or other spheres, and here it is fitting that the clergy and Religious should cooperate with the laity. While preserving the proper character and autonomy of each organization, these councils will be able to promote the mutual coordination of various lay associations and enterprises.  Councils of this type should be established as far as possible also on the parochial, interparochial, and interdiocesan level as well as in the national or international sphere.”

– apart from the general notion of assisting the work of sanctification and evangelization, and charitable and social activities, and their role in coordinating a variety of activities, not explained, but totally pastoral – no provision at that time for a finance committee – however at least in N.A., parish councils, which began to be established immediately after the Council,  took on finances and administration as their primary tasks – variety of reasons, but because no finance committee or wardens, and because lay persons often felt more comfortable in these matters

Code 1983 – parish pastoral councils – allowed bishop to make them obligatory in each parish – separate finance council obligatory 537 – consultative role

Parish pastoral councils: respecting the Council’s original intent

Relations with finance committee - review and approve budget - see that enough is allocated for pastoral needs and priorities are respected – review financial report from finance committee 4-6 times a year

Setting priorities – parish can not do everything at once – priorities setting session once a year

Perhaps threefold level:

- to establish 3-4 maximum priorities for the parish in the short term (3-5 years);

-  to establish practical goals; to set concrete steps for the present year.  E.g. better attention to the needs of the poor – establishing a parish food bank or similar – this year: to prepare a study on exactly what other resources exist in the community and what are the practical needs of people in economic difficulties in this parish.  Before perhaps a simple consultation of all parishioners as to what they consider the principal needs of the parish.

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Intent should be to hear the voices of all the people, not just the loudest, or most powerful or most traditional.

Outreach – evangelization – Santo Domingo 1992 – new in  enthusiasm, methods, language

Outreach – Evangelization:

3. How can the concrete situations of daily life be recognized in the spiritual outreach of your parish?

4. Are there ways of binging “youth culture” (to 30-35) into more active interaction with the Gospel?

5. How “inclusive” is our parish, in the sense of actively encouraging the participation of those on its margins?  What can be done to foster a relationship of dialogue with them?

PRIORITIES:

1. What should be the two/three greatest priorities of our parish?

2. What concrete goals should the parish have with regard to each of them in the next 3-5 years?

3. What immediate steps can we take toward these goals within the present year?