Pastoral Council Q & A

Q & A

In this installment of the Pastoral Council Corner a number of great questions were asked and the answers can be found below. Although every attempt to answer your question is made, it is inevitable that some responses will miss the mark. If so, feel free to follow up for additional feedback if warranted. God Bless.

Online Parish Photo Directory decision-making process
Not everybody has quick and easy internet access
Internet security issues and public information on the Website
What is the Pastoral Council and what does it do?

Online Parish Photo Directory decision-making process

The first question asked about the decision-making process by which the Pastoral Council elected to undertake an Online Parish Photo Directory and whether the rapid outdating of photos was considered?

Yes, this outdating of photos was absolutely considered and is in fact the number one reason that the online parish photo directory is currently being attempted. The new electronic format will provide the flexibility for quick and easy updating of previous or new member photos in the coming years. It was determined (through traditional photo directory providers) that although the printed version was free it could only be done once every three or four years. This infrequency coupled with the rapid parish growth of at least 80 new families per year made for an obvious decision for the online photo directory.

Not everybody has quick and easy internet access

The second question asked whether we considered that "Not everybody has quick and easy internet access and that a printed copy could provide this?"

Although the Pastoral Council did anguish over the fact that a small percentage of parishioners may not have home Internet access, the value of having an up-to-date directory far outweighed an incorrect or outdated traditional version. Also the limited availability of the Internet has diminished in recent years with the introduction of computers to the public library system.

Internet security issues and public information on the Website

The third question asked of "Internet security issues and public information on the Website?"

Since this is a voluntary photo directory and the only information listed will be that which the parishioner is comfortable with providing (such as name, email) there are no security issues to warrant password protection.

Finally, the availability of having an easy, quiet setting for a professional family portrait does still exist. We can appreciate the craziness of many photo studios can limit interest in conducting family photos yet there are many alternatives available right here in the parish. Feel free to contact the parish office for some suggested photography professionals.

What is the Pastoral Council and what does it do?

The ministry and main purpose of the Pastoral Council is to assist the Pastor in pastoral planning -- that is to say, in helping the Pastor determine how the Eucharistic community of the faithful can celebrate, proclaim and witness to the Good News of the Gospel.

The Pastoral Council does this by identifying needs, studying problems and solutions, and recommending to the Pastor a particular course of action. It functions as the communication bridge where community members can be heard and community needs can be addressed. Its goal is to help the Pastor see what is most urgently needed and what will work.

The scope of its work may include whatever aspects of parish life the Pastor may wish to address, including Worship, Religious Education, Community Life, Stewardship, Outreach and Service.

The Pastoral Council is not a legislative body that decides how the parish will be run. It does not engage in micromanagement of parish committees or in day-to-day parish administration.

Pastoral Council members are nominated each year by the parish at large. Those most frequently nominated are invited to attend a discernment meeting to learn what the Pastoral Council does and to share with members how they might contribute. The Pastoral Council members then choose among the candidates to fill the vacant three-year terms.

Pastoral Council members choose from among their ranks a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary. Decisions at Pastoral Council meetings are reached by consensus.

Pastoral Council meetings are held monthly, and are open to all parishioners.