Saint Mary Cathedral Pastoral Council

The Pastoral Council is a representative body of the faithful whose focus is on the whole community: its beliefs, its hopes, its sorrows, its concerns, its gifts, and its pursuit of the mission of the Church.
The Pastoral Council provides a means of uniting the parish community in expressing its collective wisdom concerning pastoral plans and activities.  

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 role of the Pastoral Council is:  

1. Spiritual:  Each Pastoral Council must take time to develop spiritually to be more keenly aware of the Spirit’s presence and functioning within the council and within the whole parish community.
2. Representative: To be a representative body rather than a body of representatives.  A council member is not the representative of a particular special interest group, organization, age bracket, or neighborhood.  The Pastoral Council is to guard against serving special interest groups.
3. Consultative:  To give advice to the Rector by responding to the calls and questions of the rector and offering the best consultation possible.
4. Membership in parish organizations and activities:  Members of the Pastoral Council are to obtain the “pulse of the parish” to provide informed answers to parishioners about parish life, ministries, organizations, school activities, etc.  They are to seek the views of the community by active listening. 

• Meet with the Pastoral Council and seek council on pastoral matters affecting the church;
• Assist in the preparation of the Council agenda;
• Facilitate Council members building their community of faith, trust, and respect;
• Experience and participate in the interaction of the Council;
• Assist in the proper formation, training and orientation of all Council member;
• Make every effort to insure the membership of the council is truly representative of the whole parish community;
• Be open, respectful, and receptive to the voice or voices of parishioners;
• Weigh seriously and respond appropriately to the collective wisdom or consensus of the Pastoral Council;
• Insure that the Council’s concerns reflect the whole Church (diocesan and universal) and its mission.

The Pastoral Council meets the 3^rd Wednesday of the month at 6:00 PM in the Cathedral School library.  Parishioners are welcome to attend Council meetings to express their interests and concerns or to just observe.  Parishioners may contact the council to ask questions about parish activities or to voice their concerns.  Concerns are first brought to the Chair and then to the Rector.

Are you interested in participating in the Pastoral Council?
A meeting for prospective members is held each May. All parishioners who would like to prayerfully join and support the Pastoral Council Discernment process are invited to attend. The specific date and time of the meeting will be announced in the church bulletin or you may contact the chair for more information.


Council Members:

Ex-Officio Members
Very Reverend Daniel Lui, Rector
Rev. Everardo Cazares, Parochial Vicar