Parish Pastoral Councils
Parish Council Workshop Schedule
Walking together as a Synodal Church
Parish Pastoral Councils are essential to parish life in assisting in developing the mission of the parish and planning for the future. The Archdiocese is offering workshops to look at the purpose of Parish Pastoral Councils, how to form the councils, ways to do practical parish planning, and best practices of successful councils and parishes.
Parish Pastoral Guidelines Manual
The Parish Pastoral Guidelines manual of the Archdiocese of Newark is designed to help parishes develop their councils in order to surface and guide the pastoral planning and ministry needs of the local area. The manual begins with an introduction from Cardinal Tobin on the importance of parish pastoral councils followed by six chapters:
• Articles of Understanding
• Leading Meetings Effectively
• Exploring a Consultative Model
• The Consensus Process
• Resolving Conflicts
• Decision Making: A Way Forward
The Appendix contains prayers and sample agenda to help plan meetings. These guidelines are designed so that the contents can be updated and revised on an ongoing basis.
