St. Isidore Parish Pastoral Council

June 10, 2004  

Members Attending: Glenn Bunnell, Rev. Richard Butler, Rosa Chow, Rose Colosi, Deacon Charles Cornell, Mark Douglas, Tim Garvin, Jeff LaPlante, Sharon McCann, Susan Peabody, Rosario Rizzo, John Sangermano, Kim Tocci

Members Absent: Ann DeCristofaro, Nancy Dome, Kathleen King

Evening Prayer

Minutes:            Minutes of May 13^th accepted.

Welcome of new members to the PPC

            Tim, Rose, Jeff, and Kim welcomed

Thanks

            Sharon and Rosario were thanked for their service as their term comes to closure.  (If there are extra meetings in the summer prior to our scheduled September meeting, they will be included.)

Generations of Faith

Registration for Generations of Faith, scheduled for the initial weeks of June has been put on hold.  Council felt we should move on this directly.  A decision will be made after the meeting with neighboring pastors June 12th

Reconfiguration

            Most of the meeting focussed on reconfiguration.

            A review of the past few weeks was given.

            The rumor of the potential sale of the property was squelched.  Background to this was an effort on the part of the archdiocese to assure all local civic leaders that the process of any sale would be open; thus a letter went to all inviting them to a meeting to share thoughts.  We called the archdiocese as soon as the rumor surfaced and they acknowledged that the letter to the town clerk of Stow was by mistake since no property in Stow is being sold.

            Even as the agenda centered on how to move forward, the question of seeking a change of mind on the part of the archbishop crept up.  Fr. Butler noted, as he stated at the public meeting June 3^rd, that all might write to the archbishop and that he himself would write a personal letter.  (He did that June 4^th, asking reconsideration, citing the future growth of the town, and pledging a willingness to go forward with whatever the final decision would be.)

            A meeting of the pastors of the neighboring parishes will be held on Saturday the 12^th.  Glen Bunnell and Rose Colosi will attend.  Fr. Butler will prepare a summary report of stats etc. so that they will know where we are.  Objective, on our part, is to state clearly our interest and potential to maintain Catholic presence in Stow via a liturgical and catechetical program and social outreach to the town.  Bishop Lennon has asked Fr. Butler to offer his thoughts after the meeting.

            Time line is indeterminate at this time but within a window of Sept. 1 to Jan. 1.

            Several spoke of the challenge and burden this transition would be to the receiving parish.  Important, therefore, for us to show our strengths and assets.  How can we help the receiving parish.

            Once a receiving parish is identified, a formal transition team would be established with representation from the P.P.C.

            With the suppression of the parish and continuance of the church, the P. P. C. would come to closure after the target date.  Strong support for suggesting a continuance of the group under a less official title – e.g. St Isidore Advisory Board.

Future meetings

            While we are not scheduled to meet until September, we will call an earlier meeting for response to any significant change in the upcoming process.

Next meeting

September 9^th.