PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

May 13, 2008

 

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order by Larry Robinson, president at 7:00. 

 

OPENING PRAYER AND WELCOME

Fr. Daly led the group in prayer and welcomed everyone to the meeting.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A motion was made by Paula Muth, and seconded by Dickie Hayes, to approve the minutes from the 15 April meeting.  The motion was passed.

 

PASTOR’S REPORT

·  Fr. Daly asked for prayers for the sick of the parish including Thelma Thompson, Joanne Shick, Debbie Kustka, John Doran, Ethel Sands, and Al Grykewicz, Jr.    

·  Fr. Daly stated that 56 young people had received Confirmation and 64 young children received their First Communion. Additionally, six older children received their First Communion at the 5:30 Mass.  The May Procession was well attended and would be the subject of a future column.

·  A novena to the Sacred Heart would be in June in order to consecrate ourselves to the Heart of Love.

·  The sale of 3.1 acres to the county has been completed, and approved by the Archdiocese, for $426,000.  This will be used to purchase the Project Echo property.

·  The June agenda of the Archdiocese is to include the sale of 18 acres off Tobacco Ridge Rd. either to the American Chestnut Land Trust or the Rural Legacy Program.  The Archdiocese restricts money from property sales to go into a restricted account, to be used for future land purchases. 

·  The Youth work camp, being sponsored by the parish, has been fully subscribed.  The organizers have begun sing-up for volunteers to cook, assist, clean, etc.

·  Our parish youth will attend a work camp in South Carolina July 26-August 2.

·  Planning for College Age students to travel to Mexico is still ongoing, and Father Daly is working with Carlos Victoria and Juan Garza.

·  The Pope’s visit in April was a tremendous success, with 175 parishioners in attendance.  Jan and Joanne did an excellent job in organizing for the parish.

·  Thanks to Glenette Fitzmyer for getting the parish religious goods store up and running.

·  Thanks to Bruce Brooks for his effort with the parish directory.

·  Tracy Doyle and Steve Kupka will survey parishioners to provide recommendations on topics of interest for Adult Religious Education.  The focus is on our faith and basic ideals.  They will begin this summer to sign up speakers and begin lesson plans.

·  Safe Nights was a great success.  There is a newspaper article on Mary Anne and Joe which is available on the web site.  The Interfaith Council has agreed to 22 weeks next winter, which includes 7 churches for 2 weeks each.  The County will be asked for services rather than money.  Volunteer coordinators will serve on a monthly basis with Mary Anne and Joe will oversee the project, while each site will provide a coordinator from each host site.  Use of the United Way would be preferable to County money.

 

·  A new chapel at the hospital had been dedicated.  Jim Xinis, in his remarks, gave the parish credit for the stain glass window.

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

·  There is a need for help with hospitality after Mass.  It was suggested that families who are involved in activities that month provide refreshments, or that small prayer groups take a week to expose that ministry and its activities.

·  Newcomer dinners have not been held in the past six months.  It was suggested that lunch might better attended.

·  Liturgy and Worship Repost was accepted. 

·  There was a discussion of the Altar Server ministry.  New albs have been ordered, with the question of whether servers should wear crosses.  Training sessions will be held to retrain current servers.  Training booklets are available on the website and changing room.  The need for reverence while on the altar was stressed. 

·  There is a need for additional/new people to get involved in the Eucharistic Ministry for the 11:15 Mass.  We are currently using six ministers at each Mass.  New people should be invited individually to become Eucharistic Ministers.  There will be training sessions in August.

·  Jack McFadden, chair of the Facilities Committee, provided a copy of the committee’s plan that included costs, materials, labor, and benefits for various efforts.  The committee has met seven times since March 18, meeting with the various ministries/activities to learn about the wants/needs of each group.  Some of the requests included, but were not limited to:

    • storage facilities
    • kitchen improvements in the Vianney Room
    • washers and dryers
    • showers
    • phones that will allow to call in

o       locks on doors. 

·  Catholic Charities will be vacating the offices and discussion of the use of that property included use of it as a religious goods store and leasing it to Project Echo. 

·  Tax Exempt Organizations and the collection of taxes on sales information was provided and will be discussed at a later meeting.

 

OLD BUSINESS

None

 

NEW BUSINESS

·  Announcement date for new members of the Council

·  Father Daly is interested in a team building session for council members - possible dates would be August 21-22 (with staff retreat).  Father asked for 3 dates that would work and requested they not be into September.

·  Investiture of council members would be at the Mass of the Fellowship Picnic

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

·  Investiture of council members would be at the Mass of the Fellowship Picnic

·  Meetings of the Parish Council will to be the third Tuesday of the month and will move to the McFadden Center.

·  Father recognized and thanks Toni Abresch and Cindy Brown for their work during their term on the council.

·  The Fellowship Picnic will be held August 31st, and volunteers will be needed.  The Ladies Club and the Men’s Clubs will also help with the picnic.

 

CLOSING PRAYER AND ADJOURNMENT

There was no further business and the meeting was adjourned at 9:25.