Parish Pastoral Council
What is the Pastoral Council, and why is it important?
The function of the Pastoral Council is important because its members work in service to our Parish community with the blessing of our Pastor, Father Dominic. We are the eyes and ears of the Parish. We serve as an advisory board to our Pastor and counsel him at his request and direction. We discern what we (the Parish) should be doing, suggest new ideas, and speak for the Parish in consultation with our Pastor, Father Dominic. The members of the Pastoral Council are a visioning body assessing where we are as a Parish and where we need to go as a Parish, and most importantly, the Pastoral Council members support the Parish Mission Statement.
Pastoral Council members must be individuals of faith who are capable of leading the Parish in the discernment, expression, and fulfillment of its mission. Ideally, they are people of vision, open to the workings of the Holy Spirit in and through themselves, while having a deep respect and openness for the workings of the Spirit in others.
The Pastoral Council is set at a predefined membership level, with council terms lasting three years. The council is replaced by new members who go through a discernment process. Understanding the Council’s governing assumptions, goals, and objectives and the role of discernment will help identify parishioners who may be interested in serving on the Council. The Pastoral Council meets five times a year.
Members of the Parish Pastoral Council
- Mr. Marty Knecht, Chairman
- Ms. My-Hang Nguyen, Recording Secretary
- Ms. Maryann Graffeo
- Ms. Annalisa Genovese
- Mrs. Lisa Russell
- Mrs. Linda Mader
- Mrs. Juanita Jacobson
- Mrs. Anna Lucena
- Mr. Scott Spencer
- Mr. Mark Cancalosi
- Fr. Dominic Toan Tran, Pastor
Parish Financial Council
Since 1983, the Code of Canon Law (c. 537) requires that “each parish is to have a finance council which is regulated by universal law as well as by norms issued by the diocesan bishop; in this council, the Christian faithful, selected according to the same norms, aid the pastor in the administration of parish goods.” This canon makes it clear, however, that the finance council does not substitute for the pastor as the chief administrator and legal representative of the parish’s goods and refers to canon 532, which charges the pastor to care for the parish’s goods and to represent the parish in all juridic affairs.
What is the Finance Council?
The Finance Council is a consultative body composed of parishioners to advise the Pastor in matters pertaining to the financial affairs of the parish. The Finance Council meets four times yearly to review the financial statements and establish the budget for the upcoming year. Members are appointed by the Pastor and serve a three-year term and can be renewed for a second term. The Finance Council is directed by the values of the Gospel in fulfilling its responsibilities, as well as by good business practices. Efficient and effective use and management of parish resources must be measured as much by their contribution to parish mission and ministry as by commonly accepted business standards.
Members of the Parish Financial Council
- Mr. Kevin O’Gorman, Chairman
- Mr. Terry Condon, Recording Secretary
- Mr. David Herbert
- Mr. Mark Quinn
- Mr. Tim Moore
- Mr. Rafael Nazario
- Mrs. Cynthia Kistner
- Mrs. Penelope Moloney
- Mrs. Lisa Russell, bookkeeper
- Fr. Dominic Toan Tran, Pastor