March 27, 2004 Meeting Minutes

Pastoral Council Meeting Minutes
Meeting Date: 3/27/04

All members present except Wayne Snyder

Meeting Topic: Discernment

Meeting started with opening prayer and reflection

Linda Winter lead discussion on the basis of a book entitled, Wheat Among the Weeds, by Thomas Green. The book addressed some of the steps that lead from personal discernment to communal discernment. Green highlighted a few key steps:
1. Do whatever moves you to love
2. Gather discerning members to carry out communal discernment
3. Build a climate for discernment (pay attention to charism of the community)
4. Work to reach a communal commitment to carrying out the decisions reached (the commitment to do God’s will… commit to doing God’s will not by sight (strategic planning, thinking…) but by faith… radical openness to the Holy Spirit)
5. Spiritual freedom = God’s will (one can get too caught up in “getting rid of the weeds” and loosing focus on God’s will.)
6. Potential obstacles: Devil, Self, Spiritual Director

Other reports from other books:
o Temptation and Discernment
o Paying Attention to God in Communal Discernment
o Discerning God’s Will
o Listening to the Spirit
o Selecting Church Leaders

Summary of some of common themes: Discernment and Building Consensus

Ø Prayer
Ø Formulate questions
Ø Gather data
Ø Sift and condense questions and data
Ø Make time for personal and communal prayer; ask for guidance and insight
Ø Discuss Act


Linda Albani reported on a website that talked about separating the issue from the process of discernment. The issues may be formulated, researched, studied, etc. in a logical and/or analytic manner. The process of calling on the Holy Spirit to lead is not a process of analysis and research. Rather, it is a process of faith that God will, through the Holy Spirit, will bring a sense of clarity, peace, and insight to our attempts to analyze and study. Personal and communal prayer engages us in the process of discernment as we approach any issue.
Damian talked about a book entitled Selecting Church Leaders. This book addressed the notion that discernment is directed by charism. This began a conversation about charism, as a concept, and how St. Therese of Lisieux, our patron saint, might be a guide for us as we explore that concept of charism.

Questions asked: Are we, as a parish, carrying on the charism of St. Therese? Would one recognize that the spirituality of St. Therese is alive and well in the spiritual practices of the members of St. Therese parish? In her simple ways, St. Therese spoke quite eloquently about the benefits of humility, charity, and courage. How do we follow that path?

Dennis agreed to facilitate the next meeting focusing on charism and St. Therese. It was suggested that we invite Tim McEvoy to the next meeting, as he is quite familiar with St. Therese and her writings and teachings.

Next meeting April 15, 7:00 pm @ the Woolridge Center

March 10, 2004 Meeting Minutes

Pastoral Council Meeting Minutes: 3/10/04

All members present except Fr. Mike.

Topics to be discussed: Evangelization and Discernment

Prayer lead by Linda Winter… Gospel of John: Woman at the Well.

REFLECTION

Discussion about the kinds of questions we would ask if we were at the well with Jesus.

· Those who are thirsty are often the closest to Living Water
· Do we “get it?” like the apostles seemed to be slow to “get it.”
· How are like the Samaritan woman?
· How are we like the disciples?

Worship in truth and spirit!!!

Presentation: Discernment by Steve Hilliard

Some definitions: “to see that which is beyond the obvious”
Making right choices .. not just good choices. How does one know that one is making right and good choices? We see in hind sight by the fruits of our work. In discerning, we will be tempted to choose things that lead us off the path that is marked as “God’s will for us.” So, how do we avoid following our own agenda (the agenda of the ego or our “selfish Self”) and perhaps thinking that we are doing the Will of God. That is the challenge.

Perhaps to meet this challenge we must practice the art of discernment on a regular basis. How does one practice the Art of Discernment?:
Ø taking time to listen to the Holy Spirit,
Ø creating sacred space and time to allow for us to see and hear and touch as Christ might see, hear, and touch
Ø learning to identify a sense of truth, congruence, and peace within ourselves and others
Ø developing a willingness to be prophetic in the face of injustice or prejudice,
Ø developing the “largeness of heart” to be able to reconcile and invite reconciliation where ever and when ever possible

These are all good suggestions and questions. But discernment leads to action. Several members stated that they were looking forward to getting on with tangible projects, implementing a plan or objective. Still, discernment might be the best foundation to any implementation or action.

So, how do we, the Pastoral Council, develop the art and skill to lead, advise, and support in a discerning manner? This will take more time, more discussion, more formation. We committed ourselves to studying this topic and focus on it again next meeting. Several books were available for reading.


Presentation: Evangelization by Nancy Fahey

Nancy had a great handout entitled, What Is Evangelization?

Some members shared personal stories of their conversion and how is conversion linked to evangelization.

The section of the handout, Presentation of the Goals, listed numerous goals that might lead us in our efforts to become an evangelizing parish.

Closing Prayer: Linda Winter


Reminder: Next meeting is 3/27/04 at the Woolridge Center from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.