This practical collection of essays brings readers up to date on the developments in pastoral councils as well as presents four principles that make pastoral councils even more effective. A must-have for pastors and parish council members.

Making Parish Councils Pastoral traces the historical development of the ôpastoralö style of council and shows how councils can more effectively embrace the church's vision of studying and reflecting on parish matters and recommending their conclusions to the pastor.

Every Catholic parish has a pastoral council and a finance council, but how many fulfill the mission they were set up to serve? These councils are among the most important but least understood structures in the Catholic Church. Mandated to exist, their roles have become increasingly critical as parishes--both large and small--are stretching personnel and financial resources further and further each year. Add in the need for internal financial controls and human resource management coupled with fewer and fewer parish priests, and the importance of these councils goes way beyond simply filling seats with warm-bodied volunteers. The function of these councils is to provide consultation to the pastor and to promote greater participation of the entire parish in the life and mission of the Church. But in reality, these terms are vague and leave too much room for individual interpretation. In an unprecedented research effort, author Charles Zech explores the very function of these councils in an effort to lay the groundwork for best practices at every parish. It systematically fills the void as both Church leaders and laity strive to better understand the structure and processes needed to improve their effectiveness. Zech's common-sense, straightforward writing style unpacks the extensive data to cover critical issues such as: Parish Leadership Education/Formation Programs Communication with Parish and Parish Staff Council Guideline Manuals Internal Controls Long-Term Planning Prayer and Faith-Sharing A must-read for every pastor, staff member, or committee volunteer, Best Practices of Catholic Pastoral and Finance Councils gives the guidance, support, and how-to that every parish needs--making it helpful for diocesan staff as well. Use it to stay on track, get back on track, or simply realize a track exists for these highly critical leadership councils.

This book has been written in a year when Parish Pastoral Councils (PPC) could not meet physically due to the Covid 19 pandemic. For many PPCs this meant that some stopped meeting or met on zoom, or at least re-grouped to form the backbone of the parish sanitising committee. It is hoped that those who read this book will have an "aha" moment, where they find that the purpose of PPC’s becomes more clear to them, and they can begin to imagine the part they can play in the pastoral development of their parish. The role of the PPC is explored relating this to the purpose of the parish community, debunking the myth that the PPC is a committee. It also looks at what can be called the five P’s of the PPC: Pastoral, Prayerful, Partnership, Planning and Participation. The whole notion of discernment for pastoral action is explored and how this relates to the ongoing prayer-filled reflection of the PPC and the parish community. Then there is an in-depth exploration into the whole notion of partnership and the implications for how the PPC relates to the parish community. There are some very practical helps about what makes planning in the PPC pastoral, and how that can be developed as a way of working in all parish groups. The purpose of mission statements is examined and how these can provide a platform for parish renewal and reflection, connecting them to parish assembly and listening together.