St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish
Pastoral Council Minutes
January 15, 2013
Present:
Absent:
Paul O’Brien, Joe Farry, Marueen Versaci, Fr. Bob, Alex Yunker, Sharon Koegl,
Larry Grimmer, Deacon Tom, Geoff Buckingham, Carol Mondello, Karen Mills,
Fr. Michael.
Cark Garkowski, Randy McGough, Mary O’Brien, Mary Jo Pierpont
Minutes from November 20, 2012 meeting approved
New By-Laws were discussed and approved. They will be sent to the diocese for their records.
The following mission statements were approved by Council: Administration and Finance Faith
Formation, Prayer and Worship, School and Christian Outreach and Pastoral Concerns. The
final mission statement to be approved is Evangelization.
Use of Investment Money: At the last finance committee meeting, a recommendation to spend
yearly interest from our endowment was proposed. It was
suggested that this interest be used from a charitable purpose.
Since we already give 4% from our budget, it was suggested that
the money be available, as always, but not used yearly unless there
is a need. Father has full discretion over it and will run all ideas by
council. We need to discuss what to do when a large bequest
comes in. The Pastoral Council will continue to serve as an
advisory committee when the need arises.
Drug Free Grant:
Parishioner Margaret Brennan has written a grant ...$125.000 for 5 years
renewable for one more time. They need support from 12 separate
areas...religious being one of them. Grant goes for surveying risky
behaviors and approaches to involve education and community support.
Father invited anyone interested in serving on the committee to see him. It
was agreed to support this worthwhile grant.
School Gala: All were invited to the 2nd Annual St. Kateri School Gala to be held on Feb. 8 at
the Glen Sanders Mansion.
Parish Transition Update: Deacon Tom shared that we received our State number, one of the
last pieces to the merger.
- Parishioner envelopes continue to be a problem but things are
finally working out as the system has been renumbered.
- Fire alarm system has been rewired and combined into one so we
will be saving money.
Safety Issues: School has instituted new procedures for our children. Locks have been placed on
all classrooms, staff must wear name badges, and the After School
Dismissal procedure has been changed. Faith formation has a new policy
for entry and dismissal. On Union Street, the program will begin in the
gym, say a prayer and then go to class. For dismissal, classes are brought
to the gym and dismissed from there. A similar procedure will begin at the
Rosa Road location.
Pastoral Council Goals:
Discussion continued from last meeting on how the Council can be
more visible. It was agreed that members will serve as greeters at
all masses the weekend of 2/17 and 3/17. Whatever mass you
regularly attend, greet parishioners as they leave church. Anne
will get name badges and have them available. Minutes of
meetings will be put on web site. Karen Mills and Joe Farry agreed
to serve as new parishioner liaisons. They will call new families
and welcome them. When a new parishioner event is scheduled,
they will recall and invite.
Father Bob shared his Epiphany homily showing the similarity between it and our merger. We
saw a star (merger) and packed up our thing and began to follow it. We have done a great job
but we are not there yet. He is proud of where we are and shared that the hardest part of the
journey is the last few miles.
Meeting Adjourned at 8:21 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Anne Pomeroy
for Mary O’Brien
Recording Secretary