Councils and Pastoral
Planning
Parish Pastoral Councils study pastoral issues, reflect
on them, and recommend conclusions. To learn more, click below.
|
The Purpose of Councils
|
- Standing Committees.
- Should pastoral councils spend their time
coordinating them?
- Democratic Councils.
- They share responsibility, share wisdom, and benefit
pastors.
- Finance Councils.
- The financial tail should not wag the pastoral dog.
- Council of Ministries.
- It takes time and expertise to coordinate ministries
and committees.
|
The Meaning of "Pastoral"
|
- Planning.
- Councils do pastoral planning by studying problems
and recommending solutions.
- Types of councils.
- Some think there ought to be three types: pastoral,
finance, and coordinating.
- Coordinating Volunteers.
- Councils may coordinate volunteers, but that is not
their primary responsibility.
- Getting "Technical"?
- Councils do "pastoral planning," but that doesn't
have to be technical.
|
Councils and Planning
|
- Diocesan Pastoral Councils.
- They are a good model for parish pastoral councils.
- Early Councils.
- Early councils tried to be all things to all--but a
leaner planning agenda is better.
- Vatican II's Intent.
- Diocesan "pastoral" councils were defined by Vatican
II and later extended to parishes.
- Who sets the agenda?
- Councils should not merely react to the pastor, but
they need clear direction in order to be effectively
proactive.
|
