Parish Pastoral Council

“A spirituality of communion … means an ability to think of our brothers and sisters …as ‘those who are part of me’. This makes us able to share their joys and sufferings, to sense their desires and attend to their needs, to offer them deep and genuine friendship.” (Pope St. John Paul II)

The parish pastoral council is a leadership group through which priests and people work together as partners in furthering the mission of Christ in their own place. It does this through building up a vibrant Christian community that is rooted in baptism and marked by its faith, worship and service.

“…a pastoral council is to be established in each parish, over which the pastor presides and in which the Christian faithful, together with those who share in pastoral care by virtue of their office in the parish, assist in fostering pastoral activity.” (Code of Canon Law 566.1)

To fulfil its role the pastoral council needs to be a representative body in which the diversity of the parish community is reflected. It is a means whereby all parishioners can take part in discussions that relate to the parish, its mission and its future development.

The parish pastoral council assists the parish priest in fostering pastoral activity but it is not itself a decision-making body. “A pastoral council possesses a consultative vote only and is governed by the norms established by the diocesan bishop.” (Code of Canon Law 566.2)

To take on the task of the council, members need to be baptised Catholics who participate in the life and the worship of the parish, who have a loving concern for the parish and are willing to be part of a parish leadership group.

 It is hoped that a newly constituted Parish Pastoral Council will be in place by the beginning of Advent 2024.