PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING
The Pastoral Council met in the Parish Hall on Monday, 12 September, at 7:00 p.m.
Present: Fr. Jack Kane, C.M., Deacon Don Canonica, Nancy Penaskovic, Dan Bloodworth Jr., Bob Sevchuk, John Rowe, Amanda Venafro.
Absent: Herbert Quintero, Sandy Halperin, Bonnie Sevchuk, Judy Odom, Connie Scroggins, Mike Collins.
The Meeting began with a reflection & prayer led by Nancy Penaskovic. She read On Suffering from Hope Against Darkness: The Transforming Vision of St. Francis in an Age of Anxiety
by Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM.
The Council proceded with the proposed Agenda.
1. The St. Mary’s Mission Statement was read and reflected upon. Emphasis was put upon the common vision: that we are called to be a Christian Community in East Central Alabama. It was asked: Does this reflect the reality? It was mentioned that the Mission Statement is not supposed to reflect the reality but rather is a goal ever present before us. However, most often, the members of St. Mary’s respond when called upon.
The Spanish-speaking families are becoming more responsive and are feeling free to participate in Parish Life. A new committee has been formed — Comité Latino — that will treat matters specifically to the Spanish-speaking in our parish.
Fr. Kane said that at the first meeting of this committee, a serious concern was mentioned. In the past, when hurricane and tornado warnings were given, all advisories on the radio were given in English. This committee is looking into ways that these radio advisories could be given in Spanish. Nancy Penaskovic will contact Mr. Bill Meadows about getting information in Spanish that deals with emergencies. Contact will also be made with Mr. Michael Venafro about the radio announcements.
Deacon Don said that Nov. 13th would be the first Generations of Faith celebration. It will be from 6:00 pm to 9:00 p.m. On the weekends of 8/9 October and 15/16 October, registration forms would be handed out. Knowing the number of participants will facilitate duplicating materials and ordering the food. Various committees are working on the materials needed which will not be ordered until after the registration is completed. The next meeting for the GoF Team is 19 September.
The next Pastoral Council Meeting is scheduled for 17 October at 7:00 p.m. One important topic to be discussed is to verify the members of the Council who will be leaving office and who will have to be replaced.
An Important Planning Session
As we approach the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year, our parish will return to its many activites, both old and new. This should be a very interesting year for all of us.
To help this year run smoothly, the Pastoral Council will meet with no more than two representatives of each Parish Committee on Wednesday, August 17th at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. All those attending are asked to be prepared to inform the group of all dates and times of activities that will be had from September 2005 to January 2006. This will be a great help for all parishioners.
If need be, every Parish Committee should meet before August 17th to work on its particular calendar.
An Important Planning Session
As we approach the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year, our parish will return to its many activites, both old and new. This should be a very interesting year for all of us.
To help this year run smoothly, the Pastoral Council will meet with no more than two representatives of each Parish Committee on Wednesday, August 17th at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. All those attending are asked to be prepared to inform the group of all dates and times of activities that will be had from September 2005 to January 2006. This will be a great help for all parishioners.
If need be, every Parish Committee should meet before August 17th to work on its particular calendar.
Welcome to Fr. Joe Fitzgerald, C.M.
Fr. Joe Fitzgerald, C.M., ordained to the priesthood on May 28th, 2005, will be seriving in our parish until August 12th. This allows Fr. Kane to spend vacation time with his family in California. Fr. Joe has been permanently assigned to the Republic of Panama. He is able to speak Spanish and therefore can serve our whole parish. We pray God’s blessing on him as he begins his priesthood among us in Opelika.
PASTORAL COUNCIL MEETING, May 9, 2005
Pastoral Council Meeting
Present
Members
Fr. Jack Kane, Deacon Don Canonica,
Amanda Venafro, John Rowe,
Bonnie Sevchuk, Bob Sevchuk,
Sandy Halperin, Ray Collins,
Mike Collins, Dan Bloodworth,
Herbert Quintero, Nancy Penaskovic.
Also Attending
Timothy Perry, Steve Stuckwisch,
Janie Prickett, Lily Carrias,
Connie Scroggins, Luis Rodriguez,
Kathy Watts
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AGENDA:
1. Opening Prayer: Fr Jack Kane
2. Introduction of all attendees
3. Archdiocesan Programs
A. Long Range Apostolic Planning
John Rowe, Chairperson, reviewed the results of the questionnaire handed out several weeks ago at all the Masses. He reported that there were 67 responses and mentioned that there were strong indications that the general group response indicated that most people are please with the St. Mary’s Liturgical celebrations, homilies, music.
He indicated that only 70.8% were satisfied with the Mass schedule.
Only 60.6 % felt that Adult Instruction was adequate.
The strongest areas in need of improvement were:
1. Awareness of the Parish Goals
2. Concerns about the Youth Programs and Development
3. Outreach to those who do not attend services
He explained the statistical analysis and asked for comment. The comments expressed covered the following:
1. Who was concerned about the youth programs? 60 % of respondents 50 yrs of age and 40% of respondents were under 50 yrs age. The general consensus was that all groups had concerns with attending to the youth, but most especially parents.
2. 55.2% felt the facilities were adequate. A point was made that many respondents did not understand fully the meaning of tsome questions, especially among the Spanish speaking members of St. Mary’s.
3. Don Canonica questioned how many respondents were husbands and wives. Could it be possible that we only has 45 families responding out of our estimated 160.
John Rowe was commended for doing a great job of starting the process of long range planning at St. Mary’s. We will continue to work with the process of long range planning in the next year.
B. Two Catechetical Programs:
1.“WHY CATHOLIC”
Don Canonica reviewed and handed out a summary of the “Why Catholic” program. Somme of the points brought up about this program were:
a. there is a substantial cost to the program
b. it requires small groups meeting over four years
c. as it has been conducted in the Archdiocese, the small group programs run for 6 weeks and then there are long gaps in the program.
2. “GENERATIONS OF FAITH PROGRAM”
Father Jack explained some of the strengths of this program and showed a video that highlighted the tenets of the program and how it has worked in several dioceses in the US and Canada.
Strengths of this program:
a. It is intergenerational and involves families as a whole.
b. It is held once a month for 11 months or four or five times a year, depending on the individual parish.
c. It has some flexibility, i.e., it can be a 2 ½ or 3 hr program if it involves a meal for the community.
d. The costs associated with the Program are less: the first year is free and thereafter it will cost $100/year.
e. It involves experiential learning: a central meal, one theme;
breaking into groups according to age or some other criterion (seniors, young married couples, etc.) and then a returning together for a prayer. The program also involves a “Home Kit” with activities to be conducted at home with the family during the following month.
f. Father Kane gave a handout that was a sample of how the curriculum could be developed over six years. Basically, it covers the following themes: Church Year; Prayer; Sacraments; Justice; Creed and Morality.
g. The program can be :
Primary which does not include the Religious Education Program as we are used to or
Blended,which allows for the Religious Education program to continue as is as well as the GOF program. The general consensus of the group was to do a Blended program beginning in the Fall and to reexamine the Primary program after that experience.
Some of the concerns expressed:
We would need a large meeting room or could use the Church for central sessions.
It would take a strong commitment of a Design Team and Catechists to plan, develop and put togetherthe monthly meetings, home kits, etc. It would require a strong lay group commitment.
The meals are to be a shared experience, so it would have to be simple or box dinners.
There would need to be a nursery for ages 0-3 years.
The estimated cost is $2 –6 per family for the home kits.
There is another meeting at St Bedes in Montgomery on May 24th, 9AM-3PM for further explanation and details of this program. Connie Scroggins and Amanda Venafro said that they would go with Fr. Kane and Deacon Don to this meeting.
The suggestion was made that we think of having the GOF program on a Wednesday night.
It was thought that we should meet again after the St. Bede’s meeting. So, the next Pastoral Council Meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, May 31st, at 7:00 pm.
This meeting closed with the recitation of the “Hail Mary”.