THE PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL - A NEW LOOK
On Wednesday 11th November 2015 Father Clement met five members of the parish who, among others, had been working on the PPC. They were keen to know his vision, as our new parish priest, of the meaning and purpose of a Parish Pastoral Council.
Father stressed that he would like the people to know that he was listening to them, that he was thinking and praying for their intentions, and especially that he was not working alone without their help and input.
The greatest Council in Church history, Vatican II, envisaged a new structure of running a parish and carrying out effective pastoral work. The Fathers of the Council believed that the parish priest should involve lay people by listening to their initiatives, and confirming and reassuring them in carrying out different pastoral activities in the parish. Vatican II firmly believed that lay people were a vital part of the Body of Christ, as they are rooted in the life and teaching of Christ and so they must not be left in the margins. According to the Council, the priest was to sit down with a representative body of parishioners to take advice from them and draw them into sharing spiritual responsibility for each other. More recently, the new Code of Church Law of 1983, echoing the spirit of the Vatican Council, advocated the existence of an active Pastoral Council in every parish.
It is envisaged therefore that the St. Gregory’s Parish Pastoral Council be reconstituted in a format that will involve every parishioner. You, therefore, are invited to nominate from among your fellow parishioners, individuals that you believe would be best able to represent your views, aspirations or concerns at the quarterly meetings of the Parish Pastoral Council. It should be stressed moreover that attendance at these meetings is open to any and all members of the parish who might wish to attend.
Father Clement will approach those you have nominated to ascertain whether they would be willing to serve on the PPC. It is felt that a group of about eight to include a representative from the Finance committee and the Social Centre would be the most effective size.
If more than this number were to be nominated, then an election would take place in order to finalise the composition of the group. It is envisaged that Council members would normally serve for a term of three years.
It is anticipated that the newly formed Council will meet for the first time at the beginning of the New Year. Minutes of all meetings will be published at the back of church and on the parish website so that everyone is aware of matters being discussed.
Please give prayerful thought to this important matter and pass on your nominations to Father Clement by the 4th Sunday of Advent at the latest.
On Wednesday 11th November 2015 Father Clement met five members of the parish who, among others, had been working on the PPC. They were keen to know his vision, as our new parish priest, of the meaning and purpose of a Parish Pastoral Council.
Father stressed that he would like the people to know that he was listening to them, that he was thinking and praying for their intentions, and especially that he was not working alone without their help and input.
The greatest Council in Church history, Vatican II, envisaged a new structure of running a parish and carrying out effective pastoral work. The Fathers of the Council believed that the parish priest should involve lay people by listening to their initiatives, and confirming and reassuring them in carrying out different pastoral activities in the parish. Vatican II firmly believed that lay people were a vital part of the Body of Christ, as they are rooted in the life and teaching of Christ and so they must not be left in the margins. According to the Council, the priest was to sit down with a representative body of parishioners to take advice from them and draw them into sharing spiritual responsibility for each other. More recently, the new Code of Church Law of 1983, echoing the spirit of the Vatican Council, advocated the existence of an active Pastoral Council in every parish.
It is envisaged therefore that the St. Gregory’s Parish Pastoral Council be reconstituted in a format that will involve every parishioner. You, therefore, are invited to nominate from among your fellow parishioners, individuals that you believe would be best able to represent your views, aspirations or concerns at the quarterly meetings of the Parish Pastoral Council. It should be stressed moreover that attendance at these meetings is open to any and all members of the parish who might wish to attend.
Father Clement will approach those you have nominated to ascertain whether they would be willing to serve on the PPC. It is felt that a group of about eight to include a representative from the Finance committee and the Social Centre would be the most effective size.
If more than this number were to be nominated, then an election would take place in order to finalise the composition of the group. It is envisaged that Council members would normally serve for a term of three years.
It is anticipated that the newly formed Council will meet for the first time at the beginning of the New Year. Minutes of all meetings will be published at the back of church and on the parish website so that everyone is aware of matters being discussed.
Please give prayerful thought to this important matter and pass on your nominations to Father Clement by the 4th Sunday of Advent at the latest.
If you wish to make any comment or suggestion about life in the parish, please click here to open a contact form with either Father Clement or the PPC Chairman.
