Pastoral Councils were born out of the Second Vatican Council, which emphasized the shared responsibility among laity, religious, and clergy for the mission of the Church. Specific operating details of the Pastoral Councils are covered in the Code of Cannon Law. The intention here is to provide an overview of the role of the Pastoral Council here at Our Lady's.

By Baptism, we are responsible for sharing in the mission of Christ. As a practical means of implementing this shared responsibility, the focus of the Pastoral Council is the development of unity and nourishment of spiritual vision in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. The Pastoral Council is not a board of directors or a decision making body, rather, it is a consultative group. It is intended to address the goals of the Parish as outlined in the Parish Vision and Mission Statements, the needs of the Parishioners, and the mission of the universal Church. As a coordinating body, the Parish Council is responsible for discerning the needs of the Parish, promoting communication, linking ministries and organizations, and handling serious issues facing the Parish.

Membership of the Pastoral Council is outlined in the Council's charter. The council meetings are listed in the church bulletin. All meetings are open to the parish.

Members of the Pastoral Council are as follows:

Deacon Peter J. Bernier SFO – Chairperson

Fr. Normand Carpentier

Dr. Martha Corkery

Debra Bernier

Donald Bernier

Lawrence Guertin

Rob Hatch

Anita Krieg

Christopher Lanza

Dena Profenno

Michael Roy

Pastoral Council Meeting Minutes

March 8, 2008 – 6:00 p.m.

Members Present: Deacon Peter Bernier, Don Bernier, Chris Lanza, Anita Krieg and Rob Hatch

Apologies: Fr. Norm & Larry Guertin

1. Deacon Peter led the group in opening prayer.

2. Minutes were read and approved as written.

3. Commission Reports

a. Faith Formation  

i. The Catechists appreciation breakfast is being planned for March 22nd which the Knights of Columbus will be hosting.  

ii. The proposed budget for 2009‐10 has been submitted to the Finance Committee.

iii. A meeting will be scheduled to discuss faith formation needs in the parish.

b. Worship and Spirituality

i. Planning for Holy Week is going well. Larry Guertin is planning the Tenebrae service on April 6^th. Deacon Peter will be the celebrant.

ii. The Music Ministry is working on the variety show. A committee is judging the acts to be included in the show. This is a fund raiser for the group. Shows will be held on Saturday, April 18^th (with a dinner) and Sunday, April 19th in the afternoon.

iii. A more formalized greeter program is being reviewed. A meeting was held with the ushers and greeters. Another meeting will be held with the greeters as not many were present at the first meeting. The idea is to greet new people with more knowledge in a more engaging way.

c. Social Justice and Peace

i. The Lenten giving project is underway to restock area pantries with non‐perishable food and household items. Donations are to be returned by April 5th.

ii. Faith Formation students visited the residents at Ledgewood Manor on Feb 22^nd to interact with the residents. This month they will go to Harvest Hills Animal Shelter to take the food and animal supply items donated in February.

iii. No recent requests have been received for local financial assistance. The commission will seek out local needs to distribute additional funds.

iv. The commission is looking into donating to an organization outside the country as we are no longer sponsoring the young man who graduated from high school.

v. Deacon Frank’s employment group continues to meet on Thursdays to provide assistance and support to those seeking work.

vi. The commission is reviewing options for fundraising. A sale of donated, used books and videos is being considered for this summer.

vii. A proposed budget for next year is being submitted to the Finance Committee.

d. Finance Commission – No report

4. Building and Grounds Update – Building Repairs

a. Chase has replaced siding and six windows. The canopy over the sanctuary is intact. The skylights in the rectory will wait until spring. Funds have been set aside to cover this expense. The bill has not been received yet.

b. The new furnace is running well.

5. Pastor’s Report (presented by Deacon Peter)

a. There are no new changes with clustering. We will wait for the bishop’s appointment of a pastor (possibly this year or next). Fr. Norm has indicated he does not wish to continue as pastor, but would be happy to stay on as parochial vicar.

6. Pastoral Council Budget Review

a. Discussion was held on the number of retreats to hold each year. Members present supported one retreat each year.

b. The Pastoral Council has $875 of the allocated $1,500 remaining for the council’s use. Deacon Peter requested input from the council on other activities.

i. Members suggested a social meeting in August prior to the first official meeting in September.

ii. Discussion was held on the possibility of organizing a social event to include all the members of commissions as a thank you for their service.

iii. The possibility of supporting a child overseas or sponsoring a parishioner who wishes to pursue overseas service was also discussed.

7. Pastoral Council Fall Retreat Follow‐up

a. Members discussed the Pastoral Council Fall Retreat topic of building up the faith community. Members believe we have a welcoming community but we can continue to work on this area. The greeter program will assist with this. We now have a bereavement group and parishioners are very supportive of each other in difficult times. More discussion and closure on this topic will be held at the April meeting.

b. Deacon Peter will review the schedule to determine the next meeting and those for the remainder of the year.

8. Deacon Peter concluded with a prayer.

9. The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Anita Krieg