The Pastoral Council: Reflections and an Invitation

The Cathedral is looking for new members of of the Parish Pastoral Council, which is a vitally important ministry in any parish.

First, Reflect

Following are brief reflections on the work of a pastoral council provided by L.J. Milone, Director of Faith Formation, as shared in a weekly eletter series in December 2021 and January 2022.

• The call of the Gospel for us today means becoming missionary disciples, people who know God in Jesus and want to share that experience. Being on a pastoral council is a concrete way to live as a missionary disciple. Members of the pastoral council undertake the responsibility of supporting the pastor in discerning how God is calling the parish to share the experience of God in Jesus, that is, the Gospel.

• Being an active member of a pastoral councils is grounded in a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. A council member is a “mystic activist,” that is, someone who discerns, assesses, plans, and decides through and in prayer. Thus, prayer is vital to an effective council.

• The parish is our spiritual home, which requires care and support like our own homes. And it exists to be a tangible sign of the presence of the Risen Christ in a particular place. The borders of a parish decide to whom the parish is responsible for sharing the Gospel and to whom the parish is responsible for bringing the love of God in Christ.

• The pastoral council aids the pastor by fostering a sacred space for all; aiming for the general welfare of the parish; assessing parish ministries, programs, and groups; setting objectives and priorities; and discerning together God’s plan for the parish. Discernment happens through deep prayer in which we set aside our own thoughts and desires to be present to God.

• “Entrusted with the responsibility to assist the pastor in fulfilling the mission charged to the church by Jesus Christ, the council is entrusted with discernment. Discernment in the context of the spiritual life is the practice of prayer and reflection that leads to a deeper understanding of God’s will for the situation. Reflection is practiced in the form of consultation, discussion and consensus.” (Susan Timoney, 6)

• A council is mainly responsible for helping the pastor make the parish a place for others to encounter God. The council is called to discern how the Spirit wants the Gospel to come alive in the lives of the people. The pastor and the members of the council must spend time together in deep prayer, which includes contemplative silence, listening to the Word, and reciting the official prayers of the Church. Prayer is one of the pastoral council’s central activities.

• Besides prayer, the other central activity of the pastoral council is the rhythm of discernment through assessing, planning, and coming to consensus. Consensus means coming to agreement about how the Spirit is calling the parish to a deeper experience of God. It emerges from discussion grounded in discernment and prayer.

• Rooted in deep prayer, the pastoral council assesses the different aspects of parish life that proclaim the Gospel, celebrate the mystery of Christ, and put the love of Jesus into action. Examining these different areas of parish life, the pastoral council helps the pastor plan for more effective ministries as well as consider new ministries more needed at a particular time.

Now, an Invitation

Now, with an understanding of what a Pastoral Council is and what it does, we invite you to consider joining the Pastoral Council. Msgr. Jameson welcomes parishioners to contact him if interested in joining the council (email Msgr. Jameson or call him at the rectory at 202-347-3215). He will conduct interviews in Spring 2022 and there will be a period of formation before the Council gets to work helping Msgr. Jameson discern how God wants the cathedral to grow in faith and proclaim the Gospel.