From the Diocese of Austin Policy Manual:
"The council provides a means for uniting the parish community in expressing its collective wisdom concerning pastoral plans and activities. The PASTORAL COUNCIL is to guard against serving special interest groups.
"By reason of its existence, the PASTORAL COUNCIL must read and reflect the "signs-of-the-times" to those planning and/or implementing short and long term pastoral policies and activities in the parish. Ordinary administration of the parish will be the responsibility of the administrative staff. By the fact that it is convoked by the pastor, the PASTORAL COUNCIL must respond to his call and questions and offer the best consultation possible.
"The PASTORAL COUNCIL’S task is to give counsel and seek consultation. Good counsel is the result of full, holistic, active consultation. Thus, the members of this group, along with the pastor, are called to reflect and consider pastoral issues for the common good and for the future. Their role is to understand, to reflect carefully and prayerfully and to seek consensus. However, under certain circumstances, the pastor and council may choose to attain a majority through voting to decide a course of action."
The Parish Council at St. Mary's Church of the Assumption:
At St. Mary's, the Parish Council consists of a representative from each of the groups within the parish and three representatives that are elected at large by the parish membership. The council meets once a month to discuss and plan the pastoral work of the parish. Members of this council are not only actively involved with the parish as a whole, they are also very involved in many other ministries within the parish community.
Click on the link to the left for the Parish Council Constitution. Also, click on links to the left for summaries of Parish Council Meetings.
The Parish Council meets:
The First Sunday of the month (except January & July)
at 12:00 Noon in the Conference Room
Members of the St. Mary's Parish Council:
Mike Tusa, President and Representative from the Men's Club & Maintenance Committee
Terri Bukowski, Director of Religious Education & Vice President
Betty Ross Crook, JD, Recorder
Mary Brown, Director, Liturgy & Music
Jane G. McBride, Representative from the Women's Guild
Edward H. Brem, Chairman of the Finance Committee
Philip J. Bukowski, Youth Director
Phalan Bukowski, Youth Representative
Elizabeth Sherry, Representative at Large
Fred Dulock, Representative at Large
Cecilia Soukup, Representative at Large
Jim Fitzpatrick, Deacon
Jerry Opperman, Deacon
Jim Poole, Deacon
Rev. Joseph F. Geleney, Jr., Pastor