Pastoral council member expectations?

[PeterJohn]

Hi. I have recently become a parish council member and in the first meeting I attended my parish priest had just returned from a week long meeting with our bishop and fellow diocesan priests where they were trained to institute a new parish council system called a pastoral council. I was wondering if anyone knew what was expected of me in regards to being a council member in general as or as a pastoral council member? I realize I am expected to vote on specific parish issues. Is there any guidelines I should follow to best serve my catholic parish?

 

[wasserfall]

Hi. I have recently become a parish council member and in the first meeting I attended my parish priest had just returned from a week long meeting with our bishop and fellow diocesan priests where they were trained to institute a new parish council system called a pastoral council. I was wondering if anyone knew what was expected of me in regards to being a council member in general as or as a pastoral council member? I realize I am expected to vote on specific parish issues. Is there any guidelines I should follow to best serve my catholic parish?

The job of a parish or pastoral council is to advise the pastor, not to make decisions. Although the pastor can of course choose to implement the expressed wishes of the council. So, be flexible, work together with the pastor, and do your best to serve your parish within the boundaries set by the pastor.

 

[fbl9]

The job of a parish or pastoral council is to advise the pastor, not to make decisions. Although the pastor can of course choose to implement the expressed wishes of the council. So, be flexible, work together with the pastor, and do your best to serve your parish within the boundaries set by the pastor.

Having served on the parish council there are many decsions that do not really concern the parish priest. Issues regarding building maintence, fund raisers things of this nature. As our parish priest serves 6 different parishes it would way much of a burden for him to oversee and make decisons in these regards.

 

[fbl9]

Hi. I have recently become a parish council member and in the first meeting I attended my parish priest had just returned from a week long meeting with our bishop and fellow diocesan priests where they were trained to institute a new parish council system called a pastoral council. I was wondering if anyone knew what was expected of me in regards to being a council member in general as or as a pastoral council member? I realize I am expected to vote on specific parish issues.** Is there any guidelines I should follow to best serve my catholic parish**?

I think there is a handbook that you could ask for that details what is expected of you. This book also covers the proper procedures for holding meetings and what can be decided by the parish council.

 

[Phemie]

Having served on the parish council there are many decsions that do not really concern the parish priest. Issues regarding building maintence, fund raisers things of this nature. As our parish priest serves 6 different parishes it would way much of a burden for him to oversee and make decisons in these regards.

As much as parish/pastoral councils would like to believe they are in charge, they only have as much leeway as a pastor will give them. He answers to the bishop and per canon 536 the council’s role is consultative only.

Can. 536 §1. If the diocesan bishop judges it opportune after he has heard the presbyteral council, a pastoral council is to be established in each parish, over which the pastor presides and in which the Christian faithful, together with those who share in pastoral care by virtue of their office in the parish, assist in fostering pastoral activity.
§2. A pastoral council possesses a consultative vote only and is governed by the norms established by the diocesan bishop.

 

[fbl9]

As much as parish/pastoral councils would like to believe they are in charge, they only have as much leeway as a pastor will give them. He answers to the bishop and per canon 536 the council’s role is consultative only.

I see so it is the priest’s responsiplity to decide when, how, who fixes the windows,who cleans the church, who mows the grass, who shovels snow, if the old furnace needs replacing, when to buy a new vacuum cleaner. What a headache for a man taking care of six parishes.

 

[Cathryn]

Having served on the parish council there are many decsions that do not really concern the parish priest. Issues regarding building maintence, fund raisers things of this nature. As our parish priest serves 6 different parishes it would way much of a burden for him to oversee and make decisons in these regards.

The parish priest is responsible for all the decisions made in any parish. He is also responsible to be the presider and if he is not the presider, any decisions made are invalid, null and void.

Canon 536 of the 1983 Code legislates about parish pastoral councils. It states that “§1. If the diocesan bishop judges it opportune after he has heard the presbyteral council, a pastoral council is to be established in each parish, over which the pastor presides and in which the Christian faithful, together with those who share in pastoral care by virtue of their office in the parish, assist in fostering pastoral activity. §2. A pastoral council possesses a consultative vote only and is governed by the norms established by the diocesan bishop.”

In fact, in Ecclesiae de mysterio
“On certain questions regarding the collaboration of the non-ordained faithful in the Sacred ministry of the priest
by eight dicasteries of the Holy See”
August 15, 1997

“It is for the Parish Priest to preside at parochial councils. They are to be considered invalid, and hence null and void, any deliberations entered into, (or decisions taken), by a parochial council which has not been presided over by the Parish Priest or which has assembled contrary to his wishes” (Article, 5, § 3).

 

[Phemie]

The parish priest is responsible for all the decisions made in any parish. He is also responsible to be the presider and if he is not the presider, any decisions made are invalid, null and void.

Of course in fbl9’s case,the priest is only ‘parish priest’/pastor to one parish, even though he may be responsible for 6.

I know that in many such cases, our parish being one at the moment, the parish/pastoral council sees to the day-to-day operations. The priest administrator doesn’t want to be present at any parish or finance council meetings, although he lives next door. As far as he’s concerned, it’s not his job and we’re responsible to look after our own parish.

I keep telling my fellow finance council members not to get too comfortable in that role because when the new pastor shows up they may be in for a rude awakening when he wants to actually be the Pastor with all that entails. The last Pastor wanted to give all the decision making to the Parish Council, which he called ‘Parish Coordinators’ to get around the diocese-approved Parish Council Constitution.

 

[MarkThompson]

Hi. I have recently become a parish council member and in the first meeting I attended my parish priest had just returned from a week long meeting with our bishop and fellow diocesan priests where they were trained to institute a new parish council system called a pastoral council. I was wondering if anyone knew what was expected of me in regards to being a council member in general as or as a pastoral council member? I realize I am expected to vote on specific parish issues. Is there any guidelines I should follow to best serve my catholic parish?

Contrary to the bickering above, the answer is that a parish council will have as much authority as the pastor chooses to delegate to you. If he wants to decide by himself whether it’s time to buy a new vacuum cleaner and who should trim the rhododendrons, then he’ll do so.

The real problem here – and I almost can’t imagine how this should have happened, except for a massive breakdown in leadership – is that you should be on the council without having any idea what it is supposed to do nor what the pastor’s expectations for you are. That’s awful. You ought to either talk with your co-members to get the scoop from them, or, if they don’t really know either, everybody should sit down for a long, long meeting with the pastor.

 

[thomas_jd]

Contrary to the bickering above, the answer is that a parish council will have as much authority as the pastor chooses to delegate to you. If he wants to decide by himself whether it’s time to buy a new vacuum cleaner and who should trim the rhododendrons, then he’ll do so.

The real problem here – and I almost can’t imagine how this should have happened, except for a massive breakdown in leadership – is that you should be on the council without having any idea what it is supposed to do nor what the pastor’s expectations for you are. That’s awful. You ought to either talk with your co-members to get the scoop from them, or, if they don’t really know either, everybody should sit down for a long, long meeting with the pastor.

Often the pastor looks for (name removed by moderator)ut to assist his decisions. Ours wants the (name removed by moderator)ut before he makes his choice.
I have long thought that the council was implemented to give the Bishop a heads up ,a protection of the parish resources.
The power does indeed rest with the pastor!

 

[Mike30]

Often the pastor looks for (name removed by moderator)ut to assist his decisions. Ours wants the (name removed by moderator)ut before he makes his choice.
I have long thought that the council was implemented to give the Bishop a heads up ,a protection of the parish resources.
The power does indeed rest with the pastor!

And well it should.

 

[fbl9]

Contrary to the bickering above, the answer is that a parish council will have as much authority as the pastor chooses to delegate to you. If he wants to decide by himself whether it’s time to buy a new vacuum cleaner and who should trim the rhododendrons, then he’ll do so.

The real problem here – and I almost can’t imagine how this should have happened, except for a massive breakdown in leadership – is that you should be on the council without having any idea what it is supposed to do nor what the pastor’s expectations for you are. That’s awful. You ought to either talk with your co-members to get the scoop from them, or, if they don’t really know either, everybody should sit down for a long, long meeting with the pastor.

Not bickering there dude.
Your last paragraph shows the real issue and basically most continue on with what the previous council members have done. It’s been just taken for granted that certain things are in control of the council. When in fact they never really were.