Last Updated on January 28, 2023
The Parish Pastoral Council (“the PPC”) is that basic leadership grouping, called from, and by, the parish community, to share with the Pastor the building up of the body of Christ and to be concerned with the overall welfare of the parish family.
The PPC, as a consultative body, shares, with the pastor and his staff, the planning and coordinating of the overall policies and goals of the Parish.
The PPC is concerned with all aspects of parish life and once having established policies and goals, and the means to achieve these goals, it is essential that the PPC coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the work of the various ministries and committees in the parish. It does not, however, become involved in the day to day details. The implementation of the PPC policies is entrusted to Parish staff, ministries, and committees of the Parish.
St. Philip Parish Pastoral Council Members:
| Pastor: | Fr. Bob Poole |
| Chair: | Fr. Bob Poole |
| Members: | Bernadette Nagle |
| Janet Seward | |
| Dan Zanette |
Purpose of the PPC:
What does the Parish hope to achieve by means of the PPC?
Although there may be variations from parish to parish, the following objectives should be included as part of the constitution:
- proclaiming the Gospel, carrying forth the Good News;
- building up of a caring, Christian, community;
- acting as the representative of all members of the parish community;
- working for a spiritual renewal of all members of the parish community by a concern for, and attention to, the quality of the liturgical services and education programs;
- discerning the needs, spiritual and temporal, of the parish community and organizing and planning the structures required to fulfill these needs;
- working for a just society with other churches and organizations in the neighbourhood and in the wider community.
The PPC and the Parish Priest:
The Pastor is the spiritual leader of the Parish. He is also the president of the PPC in accordance with Canon Law. It follows, then, that his role on the PPC is a central one. He is, however, neither an authoritarian dictator nor a powerless symbol. His role of pastoral leadership in the PPC is similar to his role in the total parish. As preacher of the Word, the pastor has the responsibility of ensuring that the PPC is hearing and applying the Word of God in its fullness. In so doing, he is obligated to call the PPC members to pause and reflect on the Christian implications of an issue being considered. Pastors and priests are called to generously share responsibility with the PPC. They must be models for consensus building, which is the way of the church. Pastors and priests are, therefore, responsible for constantly working with the PPC to assist it in achieving the ideals that have been set forth in these guidelines.
The PPC and the St. Philip Temporal Affairs Council:
Since the PPC is responsible for carrying out the Parish mission and establishing the over-all goals and priorities of the parish, it is essential that there be a close liaison with the Temporal Affairs Council (the “TAC”). With the pastor, the AC is responsible for the temporal administration of the parish (finances, supplies, maintenance of properties, bookkeeping, budgeting, inventory, etc.) and does not report directly to the Parish Pastoral Council.
After setting the parish goals and priorities for the coming year, the Pastoral Council will dialogue with the TAC to ensure that financial resources will be available. The TAC will advise the PPC when there are any major concerns regarding parish finances or parish facilities which might hinder the parish from carrying out its planned activities.
It is recommended that a member of the PPC act as a liaison with the TAC and that the chairperson of the TAC attend meetings of the PPC when required.
For more information: Please consult with the Archdiocese of Ottawa Guidelines For The Development Of Parish Pastoral Councils.