Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish Council Meeting Minutes
October 18, 2012
Fr. Bob opened the meeting with a prayer.
Tonight’s attendance:
Present – Fr. Bob, Fr. Andrew, Sr. Mary Stephen, Victoria Akujuo, Bobbi Baker, Jackie Cronin, Joe Coffey,
Nini DeLuca, Yvonne Johnson, Bob Kelly, Fabio Ortiz, Mary Schmidt, Sandra Semple and Tracy Talarek
Excused – Linda Daniels, Sean Doherty, Steve Gallagher, Peter Howard, Marie Macfarlane and Ron Smith
The minutes from last month’s meeting were approved with the following changes:
Under Old Business – change needed from St. Anthony Feast to OLMC Feast.
Victoria Okujuo’s name was missing from the minutes (and also missing from the June minutes).
Victoria also did not receive the minutes. Email distribution to be updated.
Agenda for tonight’s meeting was approved.
Old Business
Town Hall Meeting – Nini noted the turn out was good. Approximately 25 attendees not counting Nini,
Bobbi and Fr. Bob. Number increase from last year. Good dialogue.
Goals from the Town Hall meeting were reviewed and the prioritized list from the meeting presented.
What does our Parish do that you like?
Food Pantry
Rosary Society – English and Spanish
Nini asked for any comments on the first category/prioritization. 4th bullet point (spiritual enrichment)
was previously noted by Father.
What can we do better?
More involvement/better staffing.
Fr. Bob commented the emphasis can be on better staffing /commitment to events. Varies by event.
Sandra commented about the Feast – it was hard getting people to come and set up. Tracy suggested
when you put in any request for volunteers, categorize what is needed so there is a definitive job with a
definitive time frame. Fr. suggested putting out a table with a sign up list in the church vestibule prior to
an event. Someone from the committee could make a personal pitch and reference the table and have
a representative there to answer questions.
Sr. M. Stephen asked what was the result of the stewardship request for volunteers. Fr. suggested not
lumping all together. Act on individual responses, ex. for readers.
Nini suggested that a rep from each OLMC organization be encouraged to volunteer at the Feast.
Bob/Sandra said they did send out letters to each organization but no response. Nini suggested using
other events to solicit for Feast Day help.
Recognize/welcome new members to our church – greeters
Nini mentioned Fr. would like to have the welcome part of the mass include asking those who are new
to our church to stand up to be blessed/recognized. Mary mentioned that people are often late so the
church is not full at the beginning of mass. Can it be moved to the announcements to have them stand?
Fr. Andrew asked if it was appropriate to have something at the homily. Fr. Bob responded the homily
should be kept to the readings and spiritual reflections; not the appropriate time to have the welcoming.
Fr. Bob felt there would be a disconnect if during the liturgy of the word. Announcements are
appropriate after post communion prayer. Fr. Bob will bring to the liturgy committee to see what
order in the announcements is most appropriate. Sr. M. Stephen asked for clarification about what
needs to be better about the welcoming. Fr. Bob explained that there could be an alternating year
emphasis on issues such as new parishioners where you have an event to invite them to, to ask for
volunteers. Sister suggested a coffee gathering every few months to bring new members together and
bring organization reps there as well. Fr. asks for information on their registration card. Nini stated that
as a reader, she takes the opportunity at the end of mass to remain in the back and wish people well as
they leave the church.
Outreach to the homebound/elderly
Mary stated first obstacle is to identify them. Fr. mentioned we have the list of sick that we pray for. A
few ministers do bring the Eucharist to a few homebound. Nini asked if we could have someone or a
group of people head this up – call homebound to see if there is anything the parish can do for them. Sr.
M. Stephen suggested maybe Sr. Maria Theresa would be interested in doing this. There are members
who have a list of people who are visited. Fr. Bob will bring it up at the staff meeting and approach Sr.
Maria Theresa. Will also have Jo ask the question, “Would you like someone to come visit you?” when a
person calls in to have a name added to the prayer list for the sick.
Nini asked if there was consideration of combining the St. Anthony Feast with the Feast of Mt. Carmel.
Fr. Bob thought they each had a different emphasis. Nini raised the issue of moving each event to
DeLuca Park. Fr. thought the cost would be less because of less rentals. Parking would be available
since it would free up the lot. Mary mentioned the concern of whether we’d get people to go the few
blocks if at DeLuca Park. Fr. Bob wants to keep the distinction between the two events.
Mary asked about moving confirmation back to our church. Jackie felt Transfiguration Church was
appropriate because Mt. Carmel was a mission parish from Transfiguration.
What are some things we should be doing?
Expand the training of the Eucharistic ministers.
2. Support groups – Sandra noted that the intention around a group for divorced support should also
have support for marriages in crisis. Nini asked Marie and Mary to head up. Phase one: 1) identify the
groups, 2) where to go for help. Phase two would be whether we want to do something here. Bob said
the vicariate council looks at what is available as support groups in the parishes as a whole, and he
would be happy to share our guide with the council.
3. Outreach to the elderly – more about activities for seniors. It has dwindled down – what happened to
this? Nini and Fr. Bob mentioned that the village fulfills the need for activities. Some periodic events,
such as the retreat Eileen Cain organizes, are well received.
Nini asked Fr. Bob to share about Bread for the World, which will be highlighted the last weekend of
October. (Normally it is weekend of Oct 20, but the diocese is celebrating mission Sunday for this
weekend.) Fr. Bob has pamphlets which will be distributed. Bread for the World is an advocacy group.
Encourages people to write to congress on a number of policy issues regarding hunger in the U.S. and in
the world. Interfaith group rep (St. Barnabas Church) is coming to speak about what it is and will invite
people to sign up and be part of the advocacy group. The following weekend emphasis will continue on
Bread for the World. Will possibly use the venue of the Potluck to continue marketing.
Parish Council Goals
Spiritual Enrichment – Fr. Bob will address
Youth Group – Sr. Stephen and Peter will meet with Tom Monty from Holy Innocence in Pleasantville
and attend one of their youth group meetings. Will know more next month. Early quarter of 2013
breakfast run is planned by Peter.
Potluck Dinner – scheduled
Town Hall meeting – completed
Parish Council retreat - postponed due to inability of most members to attend.
Capital Campaign Update
$33,800 donated as of this past weekend. ($1,200 away from goal.) Maintenance committee will look
at how to allocate funds for the sound system.
A few glass panes were broken during the pointing last year. The contractor was asked if he had any
available stain glass. Fr. Bob shared an image of a proposed stain glass to put in the sacristy. However,
we will need to raise an additional $3,500 for it.
OLMC Fall Family Potluck Dinner – insert is in the bulletin. Flyer will be in the bulletin this weekend and
the next. Fr. Bob asked if it could be translated to Spanish – Fabio will work with Yvonne. Fr. Bob asked
if group home members could attend. Yvonne will try to contact the person who brings them to mass.
New Business
Thanksgiving Shirt Drive – flyer will be in this weekend. Drive is for the men at St. Christopher’s Inn.
Goal is to collect over 100 shirts.
Christmas Angel – looking at bringing it back. Bob mentioned we don’t have someone yet to facilitate it.
We may have a different focus and have the recipients be those who receive food from the food bank.
This would help receive age appropriate toys for the children of the families. Marie’s committee will
look into this more.
Parish Friends Winter Gathering – set for Feb 10. Hopefully Linda will be spearheading the committee
for the honorees.
Standing Committee Reports
Finance Council Report – see Sandra’s notes (attached). Fr. Bob stated that because of one time
payouts for capital improvement, it offsets the deficit. Clarifications from Fr.Bob - AC for parish house is
a proposal, not yet approved. Mention of the PA system is really the whole sound system.
Liturgy – Target date is 10/29 for next meeting. Fr. Bob providing names for ministry to Carol.
Community Service – no report
Education – see Sr. M. Stephen’s and Jackie’s reports (attached). Number to receive confirmation: 30
plus 15 from OLMC school; number to receive First Ccmmunion: 25 plus 15 from OLMC school.
Plant & Maintenance
Joe Coffey reported the plan for spring is for the local Girl Scout groups to be involved in the church
grounds planting.
Fr. Bob noted that Bobby Williams/the village will address having a portion of the sidewalk cut out on
Hillside Avenue for the buses to pull in (similar to what Dixson School has). Will be paid for by the
village. Fr. Andrew asked about the problem of cars being backed up behind the buses. The sidewalk
modification will alleviate that problem.
Pro-Life – no report
Pastor’s Remarks
Interfaith Meeting – Carol Kelly will attend at Sacred Heart in Dobbs, and represent OLMC. Hope is to
have representation going forward so we can work on projects together regardless of faith, for the
benefit of the community – charitable works and outreach.
Spanish Rosary Society asked if they could have a monthly mass (first Friday of month) charismatic mass
for healing of sick (other than during lent).
Girl Scout Brownies will be meeting in Mt. Carmel. If we had the parish center in the future, it would aid
the community as well as the parish for housing meetings.
OLMC hosting a Trip to the Holy Land – March 5-14, 2013, will be in the bulletin. Jerusalem brings the
combining of the three faiths in the one area. The trip will include other parishes. (Easter is March 31.)
Father read an excerpt by Bishop Anthony Taylor of Little Rock, AR, entitiled, “Gospel without Borders”
regarding immigrants in our country and their basic rights.
Once a month parishioners will have the opportunity to view and address questions regarding a portion
of the video by Robert Baron, Blessings. Children preparing for the sacraments may be required to
attend some of the sessions. Format would be viewing (20 minutes) and discussion after the viewing.
Targeted to begin in November.
Goal of bringing alienated people back into the fold. Look at ways to evangelize. Spanish rosary goes
home to home. Maybe can introduce into the English speaking community.
Announcements
Nini – Ladies Auxiliary attended the food pantry distribution on Sept. 22nd. Two members from the LA
signed up as volunteers for the pantry. On Nov. 17th – Elmsford firemen will help with the turkeys.
On Nov. 9th our mayor will be honored by Westchester Community Opportunity Program, WESTCOP,
and receive the Public Citizen’s Award.
Thank you to Fr. Andrew for the blessing of the animals on October 4th.
Next Parish Council Meeting
Monday, November 19th.
Closing Prayer
Bob closed with a prayer.