“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, 2020
Officers (parish council officers, with the pastor, form the executive committee):
- Tim Davis, chair
- Gerald Frank, vice chair
- Kathleen Rourke, secretary
Word committee (evangelization and education): Andrew Morpurgo, chair; Marc Albanese; Susan Guydosh; and Jacqueline Leidenfrost
Worship committee (liturgy): Thomas Duff, chair; Leo Kawczenski; Donna Ryan; and Barbara Willers.
Witness committee (outreach): Lynne Stager, chair; Bill Masterson; Charles Mullins; and Richard Pell.
Fellowship committee (social and communications): Scott Hamula, chair; Laurenda Denmark; and Martha Wooledge
Minutes and agendas of the Mother, Mother of Mercy Parish Council’s meetings are available here. The Council’s next meeting will be on May 12, 2022. All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Francis Solanus annex.
Parish Council Members 2021–2022
for the Parish of Mary, Mother of Mercy
(as of July 1, 2021):
Albanese, Mark
Tim Davis
Laurenda Denmark
Tom Duff
Gerald Frank
Susan Guydosh
Scott Hamula
Leo Kawczenski
Jacqueline Leidenfrost
Fr. Bernard Maloney, pastor
Andy Morpurgo
Charles Mullins
Richard Pell
Kathleen Rourke
Lynn Stager
Barbara Willers
Alternates:
Bill Masterson
Donna Ryan
Martha Wooledge
The diocese highlighted the parish and the chair of the pastoral council in their Spring 2017 newsletter, vol. 5, issue 1.
