CORPUS
CHRISTI CHURCH
Pastoral
Council Minutes
March
5, 2007
Present: Joe
Barra, Mary Jo Brown, Father Marty Fisher, Mike Hetz, Angela Krulls, Darrel
LaVigne, Liz McNamara, Janet Mietlicki, Mary Mietlicki, Kelly Millington, Lisa
Partlow, Cindy Racette, Mary Ann smith, Sr. Sue Wieczynski, Dick
Tatro
Absent: Brian
Campbell, Dick Cody, Dennis Klimek, Diane Marco Guests: Debbie Botch, Judy Mullins, Jack
Sweeney
1
Opening of Meeting:
Darrel
LaVigne led the reading of the Mission Statement. Mike Hetz expressed his gratitude to
Mary Ann Smith for setting up hospitality for the recent Called to Church
cluster meeting and to Mary Jo Brown for serving as Recorder. Mike led us in the Called to be Church
prayer.
2 Youth
Report: Mary
Mietlicki -- There will be a fund
raiser for NCYC on April 1, a Giant Monopoly game, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 or 2
p.m. They hope to raise $8,000 all
together. Brian Campbell has a form
letter for soliciting of donations.
Darrel suggested announcing it at church. Each youth planning to attend NCYC will
be a piece from the Monopoly board.
Each teen will get donations and they will play with that money. The Bible Study program, combining two
programs, is going well. In their reading of Genesis, the 12
teens did role playing of Adam and
Eve and how it relates to their lives.
They are formatting their study as they move forward. People have trained in the past but have
not actually done it before. Joe
Barra mentioned the lock-in April 20 at the Y. Confirmation rituals started a few weeks
ago and will continue to be held on Sunday nights at 7 for a few weeks.
2
Prayer: Sr.
Sue reported that at Called to be
Church, the need for prayer at our Pastoral Council meeting was discussed. We are here not only to talk about the
topics, but to bring the spiritual aspect to the gathering, bringing a spiritual
aspect into our meetings gives us some time to really place ourselves in the
moment and become a body of prayer.
Father noted that the idea is to have this at the beginning of the
meeting, so that it helps develop the conversation. If we can make a commitment to do this,
it becomes an opportunity for placing yourself in the presence of God, calling
forth the Spirit. Sue has a book of
18 services in the spirit of Vatican II.
The Executive Council will look into this and perhaps have one of our
members prepare for our next meeting.
3
Discernment Process for 2007-08 Members: Mary Ann has met with Judy Mullins. The packet that has been distributed is
a draft. There are 7 positions to
be filled. The selection process
will be an insert in the bulletin for 2 weekends Father agreed to do an invitation from
the ambo. Cindy and Janet will help
with phone calls telling people they have been nominated and will be invited to
discern. Discussion was held about
the pros and cons of the dates on the draft time frame. Changes were: Telephone calling 4/16-17 and Evening of
Discernment May 2 or 4 at 7 p.m. We
have the option of doing executive discernment at the June meeting. It is important that as many present
members as possible attend discernment of new members. Mike agreed that Called to be Church be
brought up at the discernment meeting.
Mike will work with Judy to get the dates publicized. For future reference, Judy keeps this
process on file.
4
Review of Second Called to be Church Topic -- Evangelization: (Mike
welcomed Jack Sweeney and Debbie Botch, who are part of our team.) Father Marty enjoyed hearing how other
people approach Evangelization and how we can implement their ideas in our
parish and how we can work with the other two parishes. Sue was impressed by the willingness of
members to work together and to share their best practices. Our facilitator sees the minutes from
other groups and finds our discussions very open. We are fortunate to be living in a place
where the growth is. It was pointed
out that we are unique in that we have the same demographic of sharing a school
district. There are things going on
now that can be shared, as well as ideas given of future ideas. Options are available and we are a
richer community because of it.
Mike went over questions that were to be discussed at the meeting: Specific goals from the Bishop in 1992:
Go and Make Disciples; Bring out in all Catholics an enthusiasm for faith;
Invite all people to hear the message of salvation of Jesus; Foster the gospel
in our society; Importance of family; Teaching transformed by the saving power
of Jesus.
There
was a lot to discuss in a couple of hours.
We’re still building trust in the group and learning to connect. Parish retreat came up as an excellent
model. We had a discussion about
faith sharing groups. Specific
ideas given were about reaching out – a transportation ministry, youth
center. There are a lot of people
that really want things to happen and a lot of good ideas. Some of the ideas could be started
now. There’s no real gain in
waiting 18 months. People really
want the best for the community.
Pastors and youth groups have already been working together, so the
network is already set. The people
attending are open and free with their conversation. They have not been stone walled. They believe in the process. The opportunity is really great to make
something of this. We should go to
adult communities and find out if there is anyone who wants to go to church,
pick them up and bring them to church.
Mike replied to a question about communication with the other parishes –
a contact list is being prepared by our facilitator. (We should be praying for those
communities who cannot get to this point of unselfishness because of
consolidation.
5 Next
Called to be Church Topic – Life Long Faith Formation (Birth to 5 years):
Mike read from the Desired Outcomes for
the next meeting. Ideas were
solicited from those present. What
we have at Corpus Christi: a
ministry to help parents who are about to have their children baptized, to help
them recognize that the parent is responsible for the child. Are they ready to take this on? That ministry has been passed on to a
group of lay people, 6 husband and wife teams. It was felt that it is also important
that we do this as a community, at Mass, as First Eucharist is also done. After
Mass, they are greeted by the Community in the gathering area. Confirmation is a community event. Children’s liturgy for 4-8 year
olds. Rocking chairs are used. Units of Generations for small
children? Little children imitate
us, learn from modeling. They are
watching. Sister Sue’s background
in early childhood education She
noted that today’s children multitask, they have to be doing something
else. Most of what is said about
little children is that it is the family that brings the faith to the
child. Our goal is to be a domestic
church, to keep the family together, start when the children are little. Janet had been on Baptism ministry. They called parents after a couple of
months, went to their homes, answered questions. By going into homes, you are going into
their environment. It is a
bonding. A lot of problems with
teens are because parents did not take an interest in their young children. It is hoped it will spread into other
areas so that the family gets used to working together. Father Marty’s visual sermons really
help with the little ones. Parents
should know that kids are welcome in our churches. Sue could see doing a teaching around
that – that children are welcome here.
Perhaps put in bulletin that ALL are welcome. Part of our Mission Statement is
“lifelong faith formation.”
6
Communication Plan on Called to be Church:
Mike
suggested that we choose a couple of avenues of communication and get
feedback: Website Called to be
church link, get the contact names out there, establish a Called to be Church
email. Mike and Brian would set up
a Called… website and Mike will discuss with Sue. Angela offered to read it. It could have agenda for next 18
months. Council members should send
input to Mike about what the message should be. Would a monthly announcement at church
be appropriate? Father will
try to put in the bulletin as his letter.
Mike will take the lead to contact Lisa and Rob. Father will summarize each meeting as
part of his letter. Bulletin
insert. Judy suggested putting
something on the table outside the gathering area for people to pick up. Called to be Church reps could wear name
tags at any church hospitality.
REVIEW: Website; Father’s letter in bulletin;
Wear name tags to Generations of Faith; Sue will announce at dinner who is
there.
7
Closing Prayer: We were
asked to remember Don Butner in our prayers.
NEXT
MEETING: April 9 at 7 p.m.
ADJOURNMENT
AT 9:05 P.M.
Respectfully
submitted,
Mary Jo Brown,
Recording Secretary
A:PasCMins3
0507