Pastoral Council
History of a Parish Pastoral Council:
The Vatican Second Council called on all Catholics to recognize and respond to their vocation to ministry. This call includes an invitation to lay people to participate in Church leadership. The Diocesan Pastoral Plan and the Bishop’s commitment to fully support Parish Pastoral Councils. Canon Law provides for the formation of Parish Pastoral Councils in Canon 536 #1. “In every parish of the diocese, a Pastoral Council shall be established, if the diocesan Bishop, after consulting with the Council of Presbyters, so decides. The pastor presides over the Pastoral Council. The Pastoral Council is composed of members of the congregation together with those of the parish staff who have pastoral care by reason of their office.
Mission Statement
The Pastoral Council advises the pastor on the pastoral issues concerning the parish.
Purpose
The Parish Pastoral Council is a consultative body, pastoral in nature, because it strives to discern the movement of the Holy Spirit among God’s people in the parish. “It assists in promoting pastoral action in the parish.” The Council speaks on behalf of their fellow parishioners and shares the wisdom of the community as they advise the pastor about pastoral concerns. The Council gives its help to the pastor in fostering pastoral activity; it investigates, under the authority of the pastor, all those things which pertain to pastoral works – to ponder them, and to propose practical conclusions about them. It is essential that Council meetings occur in the context of prayer and openness to the Holy Spirit, so that at all times the common good will prevail. Specifically, the Parish Pastoral Council’s purpose is to enhance the process of pastoral planning, developing pastoral programs, improving pastoral services, and evaluating the pastoral effectiveness of various programs and services. Although the Council is not a body which makes binding decisions, the recommendations of the Pastoral Council are to be taken seriously when grounded in prayer, discernment and communal wisdom.
Council Members
The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) is currently comprised of 12 parishioners and the Pastor.
Fr. Andres C. Ligot, Pastor
Joseph Thu Huynh, Chairperson
Cecile Nga Nguyen
Paolo Rico Sioco
Rosita Ecura
Diane Bayona
Amudhan Manickaraj
Carlos Chavez
George Sanchez
Andrew B. Dyson Jr
Sathish Thurai
Richie Le
Jinky Peralta
The pastor presides over the Parish Pastoral Council. The pastor is responsible for the final approval of Council recommendations concerning pastoral planning, programs, and services for the parish, as well as for their implementation. While the pastor is not obliged to follow the recommendations of the Parish Pastoral Council, it is understood that he ought to do so unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise. If there is such a reason, the pastor should share this with the Council.
Meeting
The Parish Pastoral Council meets every 3rd Thursday from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. in the Parish Ministry Center.
For any questions contact the Pastoral Council via
e-mail: stelizabeth.milpitas@dsj.org
