By Mary Grieco
Catholic Herald correspondent
Workshop eyes role of parish pastoral council
Led by Richard Lyons, director of pastoral services and planning, five workshops were scheduled, with upcoming dates and locations as follows: Sept. 19, SS. Peter and Paul Church in Gilman; Sept. 26, St. Joseph Church in Rhinelander; and Oct. 3, St. Francis de Sales Church in Spooner. All begin at 7 p.m. Earlier sessions were hosted by Immaculate Conception in New Richmond and St. Isaac Jogues in Mercer.
The importance of planning was stressed by Lyons. "The most effective councils will look at things in the future rather than focus on what is happening today," he said. "They should avoid being involved in the day-to-day operation of the parish."
Lyons addressed several approaches to planning; the one most frequently used is problem oriented. The starting point for this method is to identify a problem or deficiency and then collect data and devise strategies to deal with the issue. The council's duty is then to make recommendations to the pastor, who will ultimately make the final decision after careful study.
While council members are establishing goals, objectives and a plan of action, Lyons stressed that it is important to communicate with the parish as a whole and involve other parishioners whenever appropriate. Evaluations of completed projects are also essential, he added.
"Planning doesn't work well if it is done behind closed doors," he emphasized. "Always be up front, or people will become suspicious." One way to get the parish as a whole involved is by conducting surveys, which can be effective tools if questions are asked properly, answers are shared, and people feel that their input has made a difference.
Lyons cautioned, however, that whenever more people are involved in decision making, it will take more time to reach a consensus. "If you do not have a consensus, don't force the issue," he said. "It may mean that you don't have enough inspiration or information to agree. Do more praying and more analysis and more fact finding."
Workshop time was also devoted to examining the parish life model. "Every parish has two components, leadership and the parish community," he explained. "The community is more than just the people who show up at Mass." Outreach or missionary work is just as important as caring for the parish. "You have to have both," he noted.
Those in leadership roles cannot carry out their ministries without assistance from the parish community, and much of that help comes from committees. "Folks most happy serving on a parish council are generalists and big idea people," Lyons said. "People who are more task-oriented are more comfortable working on committees. Good committees make councils much more effective."
Standing committees should be connected to the parish pastoral council or the parish financial council. A pastoral council member should serve as a liaison on each of its major sub-committees. There are also ad-hoc (temporary) committees organized to complete specific tasks.
A pastoral council is made up of ex-officio members (including the chairman of the finance council and one of the parish trustees), elected members, and up to two additional members whom the pastor may appoint. All are charged with the task of working together to identify the pastoral needs of the parish and come up with recommendations on ways to meet those needs.
Members of the finance council are appointed. It is their responsibility to do everything possible to see that adequate resources are available to support those needs.
To help councils in their planning, several sources of information may be helpful including annual financial reports, census and regional planning data, and annual questionnaires which the diocese sends to all parishes. The diocese may be contacted for help in compiling relevant information.
Many of the planning and organizational guidelines for parish councils are not much different from those used by civic groups. There is, however, one significant distinction which Lyons emphasized. "As councils you need to be groups of people that gather for prayer. Without serious prayer, you are functioning on the same level as a city council. We are called to be different."
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2000