Our Lady of Grace Parish Pastoral Council

The parish pastoral council is responsible for addressing and evaluating the long range needs and goals of the parish. The primary responsibility of the pastoral council is pastoral planning. This process envisions, addresses, and evaluates the needs and goals of the parish community, in light of church teaching and the mission of both the local and larger church.

Once the community has discerned and expressed its mission in light of seven essential elements, the Our Lady of Grace Parish Pastoral Council then directs the resources and gifts of the local community toward the fulfillment of that mission. This is accomplished through the process of pastoral planning.

The Our Lady of Grace Parish Pastoral Council is comprised of 9-15 parishioners, who meet regularly with the pastor. A facilitator is selected by discernment to direct the flow of council meetings. Membership is divided into subgroups or teams, which meet as needed between the regular council meetings.

Council members must be at least 21 years of age and be a practicing, registered member of the parish for five years.  New members are selected for the pastoral council through periodic invitations to members of the parish-at-large to participate in the discernment process, which is conducted by the existing council and the pastor. Length of service is at the member’s discretion, with the approval of the pastor, but is no less than three years, and no more than nine.

Very different from the past, the role of council has changed through the promulgation of the New Wine, New Wineskins process established in 1995 in the Diocese of Greensburg. The parish council has become the pastoral council, a name change that implies a completely different set of responsibilities for this group of parishioners.

Whereas before, the parish council was comprised of a body of elected leaders who coordinated ministries, the pastoral council is now a leadership group formed by discernment, which serves as a consultative body to the pastor. Articulating the mission of the church, strategic pastoral planning has replaced involvement in the day-to-day operations of the parish.

In addition, while the council members are expected to be involved in many church activities, members are also called to be an empowerment and oversight body. Rather than functioning as a voting body seeking majority, the council seeks consensus.  Through prayer and discernment, the council works in collaboration with the pastor to envision and evaluate goals and plans for the parish family. 

Ultimately, the pastoral council is responsible for considering matters pertaining to the life of the whole parish and the seven essential elements of parish life.  What actions are taken is ultimately determined by the pastor after consultation with the pastoral council.

In summary, the council works with the pastor to articulate a vision and plan for the parish. The council empowers implementation of the plan, oversees, and periodically evaluates the plan.