Advisory Councils

Left to Right: Bob Engelmeier, Rita Morasco, Jim Ricciardulli, Janet Lindner, Carol Hance, Reverend John Rushofsky, Vince Angelo, Diane Klocko, Jay Kerr, Donis Petnuch, Karen Depperman, John Franko, and Jim Balestreire (Facilitator).

The parish pastoral council is a consultative body. The council provides counsel to the pastor on matters relating to the pastoral life of the parish. Councils do this most effectively when they advise the pastor on the vision, mission, continuing objectives, and long-range goals of the parish. To say that the council is consultative does not mean that its role is insignificant. Church norms admonish pastors to neither easily dismiss nor readily discard the advice provided by pastoral council.

The documents of the church state that the pastoral council is to investigate, ponder, and make recommendations regarding the pastoral life of the parish. Investigation means looking at facts, statistics and trends. It also means listening attentively and intensively to how God’s Holy Spirit is at work. Pondering involves not only analytical thinking, but also creative and imaginative thinking as well as prayerful consideration of what has been learned through investigation. Finally, the council recommends to the pastor as shepherd of the parish.

Left to Right: Seated: Karen Kreutzer, James Hein, Bernard Kortz, and Reverend John Rushofsky. Standing: Ray Hart, Geraldine Orr, Dave Jack, Pat D’Amico, Darlene Hommer, Ralph Fischer, Tom Garbe, Matt Petnuch.

In accordance with Canon Law and Diocesan Statutes, every parish must have a parish finance council. The parish finance council is to have an active and defined role in advising and assisting the pastor in administering the temporal affairs of the parish by utilizing the skills and expertise of the finance council members in monitoring the financial activity of the parish.