Purpose of the Pastoral Council:
To assist the Pastor as an advisory body, acting in a collaborative manner, to provide advice on the faith life of the parish. The Council’s role is to seek out, investigate, discern, and recommend to the Pastor suggestions involving pastoral matters. A full description of the advisory purpose and role of the Council is included in the Pastoral Council Foundation Document.

Initial Selection Process:
Beginning in February 2009, three Pastoral Council Information Sessions were held and were attended by 66 parishioners. From these initial 66, after a number of discernment meetings, 12 Council members were chosen in summer 2009.
Members began meeting with Fr Steve Sallot, our Pastor, and facilitator Sr. Regina Fox in fall 2009 to begin to organize the Council.

Mission Statement/Goals/Foundation Document:
A Mission Statement was developed and affirmed in May 2010.
“Loved by the Father, saved by the Son, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we, the faithful of St Edward the Confessor and San Felipe de Jesus, joyfully embrace our community and the world. Nourished by the sacraments and inspired by the example of Christ, we strive to be His voice, hands and heart.”

Goals:
In order to garner direction for what issues/goals the Council should address, a Parish Assembly was held in February 2010. Approximately 125 persons attended. From that assembly and considerable conversation among the Council and with Parish staff, four goal areas were identified as the highest priorities for the Pastoral Council to address from 2010 to 2013.
As affirmed in September 2010, the goals are:

• Create opportunities to blend and engage the gifts and talents within the communities of St. Edward the Confessor/San Felipe de Jesus and St. Edward the Confessor School.
• Present opportunities for parishioners to enrich their personal relationship with God.
• Invite all parishioners into a deeper faith journey by encouraging them to participate in parish ministries.
• Enhance and expand programs for youth and young adults to explore and strengthen their understanding and living their Catholic faith.

The Council spent most of 2010 -11 discussing, along with parish staff, the ways in which the goals could be realized and developing a Foundation Document that would provide organizational guidance to the Council as it progressed from a developing organization into a functioning Council.

Current Efforts:
The Council, beginning in fall 2011, has its own Chairman and Vice Chairman, and has organized itself into small groups to work with parish staff in focusing on making progress on the four goal areas. Those, along with planning for 4 new members as of September 2012 and a Parish Assembly in fall 2012, as well as providing ongoing advice to the Pastor as requested, are the primary current activities of the Council.

Council Members