Functions of a Parish Council

A Parish Council seeks to:

• Enrich the quality of parish life
• Provide opportunities for parishioners
• To grow in holiness
• To discover and live out a personal and community call to mission to live as Catholics who effectively transform society.

In order to fulfill its role, the Parish Council will:

• Search out and respond to the hopes, ideas, needs and concerns of parishioners
• Grow in knowledge and awareness of what is already happening in the parish
• Encourage and support the good work of existing groups within the parish
• Evaluate carefully information gathered in order to contribute towards the making of decisions that reflect the values of the gospel and the teachings of the Church
• Set long-term and short-term pastoral goals for the parish
• Provide opportunities for parishioners to grow in their relationship with God and with one another
• Develop, implement & improve parish initiatives to assist parishioners’ continuing efforts to live as effective Christians in society.

By way of explanatory note, pastoral issues, the core concern of the Parish Pastoral Council, are those that impact on the life of parishioners in the areas of:

• Integration of their faith into everyday life – home, work, community.
• Nourishment and support of their faith as they strive to live as faithful disciples of Jesus.
• Outward focus for the development of a vibrant Christian community, actively engaged in Jesus’ mission of service and influence in the wider world.