Parish Pastoral Council

Parish Pastoral Council – Openings Available

Have you ever wondered how you could serve your parish? Sometimes people are called with dramatic encounters with Jesus – Paul’s calling or Andrew and Simon’s calling. But more often than not, God calls people in much more subtle ways.

It may be you’ve been feeling a calling or nudging to get more involved in your faith and the St. Matthew Community. Perhaps, a role on the Parish Council might be that calling.

First, you may ask, what is the Parish Council? Or what does the council do? Or how much of a time commitment is it? What makes a good Parish Council? Or you may have feelings of “I don’t think I’m qualified for being on Council”. Let’s answer these questions.

What is the Parish Council?
The Parish Council is a consultative body working with the pastor to help lead the parish. It consists of representatives appointed by the various parish commissions and at least 8 at-large (elected or discerned) members (currently there are 9).

What does the Council do?
Its primary purpose is to develop and continually review and update the parish pastoral plan and to oversee and execute that plan. Minutes from past meetings are on the parish website.

What is the time commitment?
Each elected council member serves a three-year term, starting in July to correspond with the parish fiscal year. There are 10 meetings held monthly throughout the year, along with a couple of additional social meetings. Members are asked to take an interest in a certain aspect of the pastoral plan and provide guidance and assistance as well to help implement and execute aspects. In addition, Council members are expected to be visible at Parish events and help foster a welcoming community.

What makes a good Parish Council?
First and foremost, prayer. But also, people just like you. God called regular people – fishermen, tax collectors, carpenters, doubters and outcasts for some of the most important roles in our faith. They weren’t “qualified”.

I don’t think I’m qualified for being on Council, (I’m not a parish “leader”.)
In a very real sense not one of us is qualified, but it seems that God continually chooses the most unqualified to do his work.

It is an exciting time at St. Matthew! We are building a strong and renewed parish based on the Parish Pastoral Plan. We have increased attendance and involvement, and our many ministries and outreach programs are thriving. We are looking for people who can support the Parish Pastoral Plan and want to help continue its implementation. If this sounds like you, please sign up to be considered for the next Parish Pastoral Council. We will have three openings and are looking for great people like you! Interested candidates, please submit your contact information to Tom Dempsey, tdempsey@exhibithouse.com, Pat O’Brien, patrick.email123@protonmail.com, Betsy Burke, betsy.burke@sbcglobal.net, Dan Murphy, daniel_g_murphy@whirlpool.com, or Rick Gale, rick.gale@gmail.com by April 21.

Purpose and Function

The PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL shall be the instrument through which a representative body of the People of God, that is Saint Matthew Parish, in a relationship of shared responsibility with the pastor, enables the parish to experience itself as a community of faith called to proclaim the Good News of God’s Kingdom present among us.

Rev. Msgr. William F. Stumpf, Pastor
Ann Tully, Pastoral Associate
Patrick O’Brien, Chairperson, At-Large Member
Mary Marsh, Vice President, At-Large Member
Phyllis Mahoney, Secretary, At-Large Member
Rick Gale, At-Large Member
Chris Dobrota, At-Large Member
Betsy Burke, At-Large Member
Christine Gann, At-Large Member
Tom Jones, At-Large Member
Dan Murphy, At-Large Member

Commissions and Representatives
Bob Kowal, Christian Outreach Representative
Pam Fleming, Faith Formation Representative
Victor Neff, Finance Representative
Kate Thedwall, Building and Grounds Representative
Jenny Bruce & Rick Schuman, Generous Hearts Representative
Beth Wissler, School Representative
Beth Desalvo, Social/Community Life Representative
Tom Dempsey, Spiritual Life Representative
Nick McCallum, Parent Faculty Association