“A parish is a definite community of the Christian faithful established on a stable basis within a particular church; the pastoral care of the parish is entrusted to a pastor as its own Shepherd under the authority of the diocesan bishop.” (Canon 515)

A pastoral council acts as a consultative body in assisting the pastor in maintaining the Christian life of the parish community. Parish council members are representative of the various constituencies that form the parish family and have a vested interest in the life and development of the parish.

The council only meets from 4 to 8 times a year but its effect on the parish is important. For more information about the council see the March 2017 Pastoral Council Guidelines for Mary, Mother of Mercy. Please feel free to contact any of the following council members whose terms began on July 1, 2023.

Officers (parish council officers, with the pastor, form the executive committee):

• Tim Davis, chair
• Andrew Morpurgo, vice chair
• Susan Guydosh, secretary

Word committee (evangelization and education):
Scott Hamula (chair), William Connor, Leo Kawczenski, and Kevin Oefelein

Worship committee (liturgy):
Marc Albanese (chair), Richard Pell, and Duane Porterfield

Witness committee (outreach):
Gerald Frank (chair), Sharon Dal Cero, Sheila Ryan, and Karen Salino

Fellowship committee (social and communications):
Russ Wedemeyer (chair), Barbara Bero, Elizabeth Coats, and Jacqueline Leidenfrost

Minutes and agendas of the Mother, Mother of Mercy Parish Council’s meetings are available here. The Council’s next meeting will be on March 14, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Francis Solanus annex, Interlaken. A subsequent meeting will be held on May 9, 2024.

Parish Council Members 2023–2024 for the Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy (as of July 1, 2023):

• Marc Albanese
• Elizabeth Coats
• William Connor
• Sharon Dal Cero
• Tim Davis
• Gerald Frank
• Susan Guydosh
• Scott Hamula
• Leo Kawczenski
• Jacqueline Leidenfrost
• Andrew Morpurgo
• Richard Pell
• Sheila Ryan
• Karen Salino
• Russ Wedemeyer
• Alternates:
• Duane Porterfield
• Barbara Bero
• Kevin Oefelein

The diocese highlighted the parish and the chair of the pastoral council in their Spring 2017 newsletter, vol. 5, issue 1.

Minutes and Agendas for Mary, Mother of Mercy Parish Council