A WORD FROM THE PASTOR

New Team of the Parish Pastoral Council

The Second Vatican Council promoted participatory structures in the Church. The Code of Canon Law of the Church has mentioned some important participatory structures. Two among them pertaining to the church parish are Parish Pastoral Council (c.536) and Parish Finance Committee (c.537). According to the policy of the Diocese of Lafayette, every parish is to have a Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) and Finance Committee composed of parish leaders who serve as an advisory group to the Pastor for the pastoral care of the faith community.

The diocesan policy says, “When a change of pastor occurs, the PPC ceases upon the departure of the previous pastor. The incoming Pastor is to establish a new PPC within six months.” In my first meeting with the PPC in August 2019, I asked the members to continue for some time until I got to know our people. They have been very helpful to me, briefing certain things with the interest of caring for our faith community.

In the meantime, I studied how the parish activities are happening and in what way those activities could be promoted. I understood that our parish functions through ministries such as Come Lord Jesus, KCs, Ladies Altar Society, Men’s Ultreya, CCD and Bereavement. It is true that those people who are involved in these groups do a little more activities than others. In a way, these groups carry out the commandment of Jesus in words and deeds.

Hence, I decided to compose the new PPC from these groups and I met each group separately and elected a member from them. Though I had planned to announce the new team before Easter, due to Covid-19 it was delayed.

Now I am happy to announce the names of the Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Committee.
The following is the new team of the PPC:
1. Patty Hotard – Come, Lord Jesus
2. Kenny Alfred – Knights of Columbus
3. Francisca Bergeron – Ladies Altar Society
4. John Cart – Men’s Ultreya
5. Becky Blanchard – CCD
6. Elaine Landry – Bereavement

The term for this council is three years. If a group changes or elects a new leader or wishes to represent a new person to the council it will be accepted. 

The following is the new team of the Parish Finance Committee; three years is their term also:
1. John Trevino – Trustee
2. Paul Tholen – Trustee
3. Peter J. Lipari
4. Allison Cook
5. Jenny Jones

I would like to congratulate the members of the new teams and thank them for their generosity in accepting this new responsibility in our church parish.
 
I would like to thank the old members who are not in the new team for their good hearts and their commitment to the church parish.
Some policies pertaining to these councils will be announced soon.

I do hope and pray that with this change in the church ministry we will be able to render services to our parish community in a better way and thus enhance God’s Kingdom on earth.