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MEETING MINUTES
St. Isidore Parish Pastoral Council
October 9, 2003
Members Attending: Glenn Bunnell, Rev. Richard Butler, Rosa Chow, Deacon Charles
Cornell, Ann DeChristofaro, Nancy Dome, Mark Douglas, Sharon McCann, Rosario
Rizzo, John Sangermano
Members Absent: John Colonna-Romano, Kathleen King, Susan Peabody, Domenique
Sexton
Evening Prayer
Minutes: Minutes of September 11th accepted, with correction; Nancy Dome was
absent..
Update from the pastor
Brief discussion of the ritual of Evening Prayer
In upcoming meetings, members of the council will be invited to take role
of leader and reader.
Priority of the PPC for 2003-04
Brainstorming first reviewed the six potential points considered at last
meeting.
Reaching out to welcome back those who have been absent since the scandal
Religious Education
Sunday Eucharist – especially vis-à-vis children and young families
Financial situation of the parish
Ecumenical/ interfaith policies and programs
Civic outreach of the parish to the wider community
As the various elements were discussed, the question of youth ministry was
also raised. Enthusiasm seems to have dropped on the youth question. It was
noted that the issue is not lack of enthusiasm as much as it is the overwhelming
nature of youth activity in suburbia. (an issue not unrelated to the other
topics!)
Paradigms of much of our activity do not synchronize easily with much of
the paradigms of modern suburbia.
Images of youth ministry in an earlier era in urban centers doesn’t fit
today’s suburbia where youth are dependent on parental transport and
there is extreme competition for time among the many options of extra-curricular
youth options: after school, town sports, dance – music – arts,
etc.
Religious ed today tries to accomplish all in a grade level schedule
even as we affirm in our priorities the necessity of adult formation.
Liturgy formation and Sunday observance runs into counter cultural
abuse of Sunday and, for many, multi-location of Sunday residence
with beach
cottages and ski lodges competing for attention.
It was noted that the intergenerational approach being test-run in
the upcoming activity of religious ed seems to be addressing this
overall problem.
Consensus reached that we will explore implications of this especially
around religious and liturgical formation of families in the
suburbs today.
New Business
Suggestion was raised to renew invitation for parishioners to participate
in the Small Faith Groups.
Review of meeting
“good example of consensus”, “positive, constructive”, “good
discussion”, “value of adolescents participating liturgically”
Next meeting: Thursday November 13, 2003
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