We the Pastoral Council of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Through faith and with God's everlasting light, promise the people of our church, to serve, honor and aid in every way the Spiritual lives of each parishioner.

Members

Donna Bayless, Joanne Elder, Marie Huss, Debbie Kelly, Gene Komondor, Greg Petrillo, Wendy Staso, Lorraine Glenn, Helen Pensenstadler, Greg Bailie, Michelle Palm

Philosophy

The Second Vatican Council called for the creation of Parish Pastoral Councils.  In the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, #26, we read:
In Dioceses, as far as possible, councils should be set up to assist the Church's apostolic work, whether in the field of evangelization and sanctification or in the fields of charity, social relations and the rest...

Such councils should be found too, if possible, at parochial, inter-parochial, inter-diocesan level, and also on the national and international plane. 

    These councils were to serve in an advisory capacity to the pastor, and were to utilize the many and varied gifts of the laity in service to the Church.

    Over time, Parish Councils continued to function in this advisory role.  The evolving model came to include various committees on which these elected members served.  The councils became very task-oriented groups, investing a great deal of time and energy in creating and financing programs and making them happen.

    Members of the councils were often elected because they were the doers in the parish.  Ther presence on the council assured the pastor that things would get done, in keeping with the task-oriented nature of these councils.  As a result, parishes have had many and varied programs, successful festivals and other fund-raisers, well-maintained facilites and a variety of social events.  The Parish Council was often the vehicle through which these programs received the pastor's approval, the necessary funding and the human resources to accomplish it all.

    In recent years, this pattern has shifted toward the creation of Parish Pastoral Councils.  More than a mere change of a word, this shift has created an entirely new role for these councils.  Rather than focusing on specific program planning and implementation, the new model calls for bodies which lead the parish community in the discernment and expression of its mission.  This new role presents a challenge to parishes to redefine the nature of their leadership and to call forth those who are best gifted to serve in that capacity.

    The role of the Parish Pastoral Council is, through ongoing pastoral planning, to maintain the integrity of the parish mission and the goals and objectives related to it.  Within this new model, programs and events continue to take place in the parish through the efforts of many dedicated parishioners, always in the context of the parish mission and its pastoral plan.

This shift from a practical to a pastoral emphasis is rooted in early Church tradition, the relatively recent decrees of the Second Vatican Council, the 1983 revision of the Code of Canon Law and current developments in our local Church of Greensburg.  A review of each of these factors will enhance our understanding of the new significance of Parish Pastoral Councils.
 

The Seven Essential Elements of Pastoral Life

Evangelization

The term evangelization encompasses any way in which the Church continues to spread the Good News of Jesus.  Evangelization is at the heart of the mission of the Church, and is the essential element of the pastoral mission.

Worship

Personal and communal prayer are essential to the building up of the body of Christ.  The worship of the community is the vehicle to express its prayerfulness.  Worship entails the celebration of the Sunday Eucharist as well as the other sacramental and liturgical rites.

Word

Spiritual formation is the ongoing process of maturation and growth in the faith.  This deepening of faith results from echoing God's word, which takes place in a variety of ways and multiple contexts within the life of the Church, for example:  adult, youth, and children's education and spiritual formation; the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA); sacramental preparation; and Sunday homilies.

Community

Community is an essential element of Church life which draws people together in mutual support, activity, celebration, and growth.  It is the unity that results from members becoming involved with one another in all other elements of the pastoral mission.  Community is the human dynamic through which the mission of the Church is embodied and embraced.

Service

The call of Christ to the Church clearly includes works of charity and justice.  Jesus' own mission was characterized from the beginning by what the Church as come to call social ministry--outreach and service to others.  Socal ministry is not an added burden to the Church; rather is is part of what keeps the Church alive and makes it truly Catholic.

Stewardship

Stewardship can be defined simply as making the most responsible use of one's gifts and resources.  If the Church is to fulfill its mission, members will be deeply committed stewards, willing to share their gifts, talents, money, and material resources inthe same spirit of generosity as the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our salvation by his death onthe cross.  This sharing is not an option for Catholics who understand what member ship in the Church involves.  It is a serious duty.

Leadership

The challenges facing our Church today require a shared leadership among clergy and laity which calls forth gifts of visioning, planning, empowering, and evaluating.  These gifts are placed at the service of the community for the fulfillment of its mission.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish
Pastoral Plan 2000-2001

Goal #1
Primary Element:  Community
Year this goal began:  1998

To strengthen communications throughout the entire faith community.

Objectives:

  1. To assist in the development of a regional database by June, 2001.
  2. To publih a list of all parish ministries and participants by January 1, 2001.
  3. To compile and distribute a parish resource book by February, 2001.
Goal #2
    Primary Element:  Community
    Year this goal began:  1999

    To create opportunities for social interaction.

    Objectives:

    1. To offer intergenerational sharing experiences to maintain family traditions, such as cooking ethnic foods, teaching needlepoint, etc.
    2. To create intergenerational networking opportunities, such as, hosting a gathering where there is interaction between members of the parish established in various professions and recent graduates (high school and college).
Goal #3
Primary Element:  Service
Year this goal began:  1999
Cost:  None

To extend our ministry as disciples of Jesus to those in need.

Objectives:

  1. To create a social justice committee by January, 2001.
Goal #4
Primary Element:  Leadership
Year this goal began:  1999
Cost:  $1000.00

To promote the spiritual growth among all age groups of the parish.

    To develop a regional youth ministry program by the fall of 2000.