I’m not sure exactly when I began dreading parish-council meetings, those monthly assemblies of parish staff, elected parishioners, and sundry officeholders. It might have been the forty-seventh time the Knight of Columbus made us clench our politically correct teeth by outlining his grand plan to sell Tootsie Rolls “for the retarded.” It could’ve been the meeting at wh (...)
Columnists
Parish Councils
Let God decide
The remainder of this article is only available to paid subscribers. If you’re not currently a Commonweal subscriber in print or online, an online-only subscription costs just $34 a year. Click here for immediate access.
Fr. Nonomen is correct that parish councils often get involved in minutiae and interminable reports. However, he needs to remember that the pastor 'presides' over the council and is mainly responsible, along with the council chair for preparing the agenda. Leadership requires attention to the details of running a meeting, fostering a prayerful approach, and revealing important information needed for sound decision-making. I think the major problem is that our pastors are often afraid of their councils and try to not engage them in any serious parish business.