The Role of the Parish Pastoral Council
The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) includes the Priest, Assistant Priests and a group of parishioners chosen by the parish community or the parish Priest. The establishment of the Parish Pastoral Council was one of the outcomes of the Second Vatican Council (1962) as part of the movement towards shared responsibility and shared service. Therefore, the role of the PPC is to promote the Church’s mission to live and communicate the love and values of Christ in the world. It is also the role of the PPC to share in the responsibility for the ongoing life and development of the parish community, working together with parishioners to enrich the quality of parish life. This is done by providing opportunities for parishioners to live as followers of Christ.
The Parish Pastoral Council meets on a monthly basis from February to December.
The Council is involved in the Parish's life in the following ways:
. Planning for the future of the parish in consultation with parishioners by setting realistic and achievable short-term goals for the parish community
. Overseeing the implementation of the pastoral goals
. Managing times of transition e.g. change of Parish Priest
. Promoting participation of young people in the parish
. Organising or encouraging appropriate Faith Education opportunities
. Linking with the wider community e.g. in the areas of social justice, community events
. Establishing interpersonal links within the parish and between local parishes
. Building welcome, inclusion and communication within the parish
. Working collaboratively and providing support for the Parish Priest and Assistant Priest
. Contributing towards making parish decisions that reflect the values of the Gospel and the teachings of the Church.