The role of the Parish Pastoral Council is advisory. The function of the Pastoral Council is to prayerfully discern how God is calling the parish to fulfill its mission through its Mission Statement and to envision how the parish can best achieve this. Every Council recommendation should be made with the Parish Mission Statement in mind.

Responsibilities include:

Advising and making recommendations to the Pastor regarding the Parish’s pastoral needs using the following approach:

• Investigate and/or study the topic under discussion
• Ponder the results of their investigation(s) and reflect on them thoroughly
• Draw conclusions and recommend a course of action to the Pastor
• Keep discussions open and respectful
• Present issues for agenda discussion to the Pastor at least a week before the scheduled meeting
• Information shared in Council remains confidential, unless otherwise directed by the Pastor
• Attend monthly meetings (September – June) and any additional meetings called by the Pastor

The purpose of this approach is to allow the Council to share its collective wisdom with the Pastor by consensus, if possible. The PPC is not responsible for the implementation of their vision.

Council members:

• Be visionaries
• Be registered and active members of the St. Bartholomew parish community
• Be willing to acknowledge their unique gifts and use these gifts for the good of the parish
• Be willing to put aside their own personal agendas in the interest of pursuing the implementation of the Parish Mission
• Be perceptive listeners and active participants
• Willing to make a 3 year commitment to the Council