CURRENT MEMBERS OF OUR SL PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL (Sometimes referred to as the Parish Stewardship/Leadership Committee) ARE:
Sonya O’Farrell – Feargal and I moved to Blackburn South in 2000 so this is my 20th year as a Parishioner and my second as Parish Secretary. I was born in Navan, Co Meath, Ireland and came to Australia in 1997. Feargal is also Irish and we have four children who all attended St Luke the Evangelist Primary School. I coordinated the St Luke's Playgroup for twelve years and managed the St Luke's School Canteen for nine years. I look forward to serving on the Parish Pastoral Council to ensure that this community continues to thrive.
Nigel Tauro – I have been a Parishioner at St. Luke's since late 2018, when I moved to the area with my wife. We have 1 child, a daughter, who was born in 2019. I spent a good portion of my growing years in Dubai, in the Middle East, where I was a Parishioner at St. Mary's Church, Dubai - which is one of the largest Parishes in the world. I spent a few years studying in the city of Bangalore in India. I moved to Australia in 2016 and for the past few years, I have been working at an Airline Catering Company at Melbourne Airport. My hobbies include sports, music, travelling and trivia. I am humbled to be a part of the Parish Pastoral Council here at St. Luke's and am looking forward to serving the community as best as I can.
We thank all these Parishioners for accepting the responsibility of being members of our next Parish Pastoral Council. As much as it is a statement of trust by us in them it is also a statement of trust by them in us.
ST. LUKE THE EVANGELIST PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL GUIDELINES
AND NOW FOR OUR CURRENT SL & ST COMBINED PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
One Mission Two Parish Communities living the Good News through hospitality and outreach
ROLE OF THE PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL:
The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) is made up of those parishioners who, after a process of discernment by fellow parishioners, are invited to share responsibility for the life and faith development of the St. Luke’s parish community in partnership with the Parish Priest. The PPC gives witness to the equality, dignity and responsibility of all the baptized to share in the mission of Jesus Christ.
“Co-responsibility requires a change in mentality, particularly with
regard to the laity in the Church, who should be considered not as
collaborators with the clergy, but as persons truly co-responsible for
the being and activity of the Church.” (Pope Benedict XVI)
The PPC has a role of oversight, looking out for the whole parish community rather than various sectional interests. It works with parishioners to build a community of faithful followers of Christ by being accessible and available to parishioners and working with them so that all may become involved in the life of the parish community, grow in faith and influence the society around them.
“The thing the Church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds
and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity.
I see the Church as a field hospital after battle.” (Pope Francis)
Working in close partnership with the Parish Priest, the PPC seeks out and responds to the ideas, aspirations, needs and concerns of parishioners. It seeks to be aware of what is happening in the St. Luke’s community, encouraging the work of existing groups whilst providing opportunities for new initiatives to emerge in harmony with the goals of the Parish Plan.
PROFILE OF PASTORAL COUNCIL MEMBERS
Members of the St. Luke the Evangelist Parish Pastoral Council aspire to:
Servant leadership: offering their gifts and talents to build up the community in a spirit of shared responsibility through service;
Co-responsibility: working closely with the Parish Priest and each other harmoniously for the common good rather than particular interests, and seeking the input of parishioners regarding their concerns and hopes, to establish the direction of the parish;
Hospitality: listening to the concerns and aspirations of parishioners as well as welcoming all without judgement, in the spirit of the Gospel.
MEMBERSHIP AND OPERATION
The Parish Pastoral Council has up to 12 Members duly appointed, and consists of up to 5 ex-officio members including: the Parish Priest, the Principal of the Parish School, a representative from the School Advisory Board, the St. Vincent De Paul Society and the Parish Care Group and up to 7 other parishioners chosen through the parish discernment process.
The PPC meets once every school term for two hours on a weeknight and time agreed by the members. Other opportunities for further involvement in church or school events may also arise because of PPC initiatives and subject to members’ availability.
The term of ordinary (non-ex-officio) membership is for two years. To facilitate continuity, it is anticipated that approximately half the PPC members will choose to continue for a second term. Anyone who serves two consecutive terms will then stand down for at least one term.
CONDUCT OF MEETINGS
The Parish Pastoral Council will choose a Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and Secretary. These office-bearers together with the Parish Priest form the Executive of the PPC who will
- Coordinate the business of the Council between meetings;
- Distribute the agenda, minutes and all other relevant material at least one week before each meeting;
- Ensure that the PPC reports after each meeting to the Parish Community of St. Luke the Evangelist.
Each meeting will begin with a period of reflection and prayer arising from the conviction that awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit affects and informs the meeting discussions and decisions.
PPC members will endeavor to:
- Honour, respect and genuinely listen to each other;
- Respect the ideas and initiatives suggested by parishioners;
- Use a consensus model of decision making whilst recognizing the ultimate responsibility of the Parish Priest for the parish community.
PPC members participate in a Reflection/Retreat Day once a year to facilitate a deeper understanding of the mission of the St. Luke’s PPC in the context of the Church’s mission as well as to enhance the way the members can work best together as a team.
KEY TASKS
The Parish Pastoral Council has the mandate to:
- Develop and implement the Parish Pastoral Plan.
- Build and strengthen unity by bringing the various groups, entities and viewpoints together in a collective direction inspired by the parish vision and plan.
- Facilitate and encourage new initiatives that will enable St. Luke’s parish community to more faithfully give witness to the values of the Gospel.
- Find ways to communicate and engage in an invitational way with members of the wider, ‘non-churched’ or ‘non-practising’ community.
REVIEW
These Guidelines will be reviewed by the Parish Pastoral Council Members at the end of each two year membership cycle.
“The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age,
Especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and
Hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.”
(Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Vatican Council II)
17 Stevens Road, Vermont VIC 3133 | 03 9412 8499