“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. Pastoral 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, 2018.
Executive committee:
- Barbara Willers (bdwillers1@gmail.com), chair
- Gerry Frank (gfrank@ottcmail.com), vice chair
- Kathleen Rourke (kerourke8@gmail.com), secretary
Word committee (evangelization and education):
- Andrew Morpurgo (amorpurgo@twcny.rr.com), chair
- Tim Davis
- Laurenda Denmark
Worship committee (liturgy):
- Tom Duff (tomduff2@gmail.com), chair
- Jessica Portillo
- Scott Hamula
- Jacqueline Leidenfrost
Witness committee (outreach):
- Michelle Humulock (newrisingfawn@yahoo.com), chair
- Leo Kawczenski
- Richard Pell
Fellowship committee (social and communications):
- Janice McLaughlin, (janmo2007@aol.com), chair
- Susan Guydosh
- Norman Hummel
- Nancy McGourty
Minutes and agendas of the Mother, Mother of Mercy Parish Council’s meetings are available here. The council’s next meeting is scheduled for June 13, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Francis Solanus annex.
Parish Council Members 2018–2019
for Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy
(as of July 1, 2018):
Tim Davis
Laurenda Denmark
Gerald Frank, vice chair
Susan Guydosh
Scott Hamula
Norman Hummel
Michelle Humulock
Leo Kawczenski
Fr. Bernard Maloney, pastor
Janice McLaughlin
Gerard Messmer
Andy Morpurgo
Richard Pell
Jessica Portillo
Kathleen Rourke, secretary
Barbara Willers, chair
Alternates:
Tom Duff
Jacqueline Leidenfrost
Nancy McGourty
The diocese highlighted the parish and the chair of the pastoral council in their Spring 2017 newsletter, vol. 5, issue 1.
