Parish pastoral councils are organized groups of Catholic clergy and lay people together who have the function of guiding the pastoral life of the community. With the 1983 Code of Canon Law mandating the establishment of pastoral councils in every Catholic parish, and the realization by clergy that they needed the help of laypersons in parish management, parish councils became a fact of life of the church.

Experienced pastoral leaders Mary Ann Gubish and Susan Jenny have put together here a practical workbook for all persons involved in developing pastoral councils on a parish level. This workbook takes participating laypersons and clergy through several steps involving common prayer, the development of a mission statement, developing a pastoral plan and discerning leadership in the community. The step-by-step process is augmented with background information about tasks that may be unfamiliar to laity, e.g., what is a pastoral plan? What should a mission statement do? How do parishes relate to dioceses: How do we reach consensus in decision-making?

Practical, user-friendly and already proven successful in the Diocese of Greensburg, PA, this workbook is sure to improve the quality of council leadership in parishes. It belongs in the hands of all planners, clergy and lay, who are involved in the process of bringing new life to the parish organization.
†