Caveats about One Pastoral Council for Our Parishes

Last week I mentioned the hope I have for one, combined pastoral council for our parishes and that the general feedback from pastoral council members was positive.  At the same time, pastoral councils offered a couple of caveats.

The first recommendation council members offered is that the two or three official council members from each parish also have the support of six to ten of their parishioners who would act as “consultors.”  I agree this is a wise idea.  For, while the two or three members of the combined council would do the official considering and recommending to me with council members from our other parishes, having representative parishioners with which to consult would be helpful.  It is important to note that these consultative bodies would not have the authority the current individual councils have.  

The second recommendation is that parishioners be well informed about when the combined council officially begins.  For, several council members themselves thought the one, combined council would begin when the merger is effective.  (The target date for the merging of our parishes is currently July 1, 2026.)   I think it is best that one “family pastoral council,” (as Beacons of Light calls it) begins this July 1.  Why begin the combined council a year before the merger?

Recall, Archdiocesan Beacons of Light guidelines recommended that one family council begin within the first year of Beacons of Light, two years ago.  I consciously made the decision to hold off on creating one unified pastoral council, wanting to know more of our parishes’ leaders better and allowing them to come to know each other better.  Wonderfully, these two goals have been accomplished!  Now is the time to go to one pastoral council so that the council can better focus on helping our parishes merge
Please pray for our parishes, the future Transfiguration of Our Lord Parish, all our people and especially our leaders!  Also, see another article below from Deacon Royce to inspire us with our new name!

My Godchild Meets Archbishop Casey before Me!
Our Local Church, the Church of Cincinnati, has received a new descendent of the Apostles to lead and inspire us. While I had RSVP’d to attend Archbishop Casey’s installation, I also fell behind on my commitment to visit and teach the seventh- and eighth-grade religion classes at Nativity School.

Their regular teacher, Theresa Olivas, had traveled to Hungary with a group of Nativity students. Before she left, she asked me to fill in during her absence—both to lighten her planning load and to give her substitute teacher a break. So, I made the decision to forego the archbishop’s installation in order to be in the classroom.

From the snippets I saw afterward, it looked like a beautiful liturgical celebration, truly a day of great joy for our local Church. Later that day, Joe Hanson texted to ask if I had been there. Had I gone, I would’ve seen one of my godchildren, Jack, the sixth child of Joe and April, who had been chosen to represent the Catholic school students of the archdiocese at the installation. Each pair of students had the chance to personally meet Archbishop Casey. Jack was on cloud nine! 
 
Sincerely and with Love in Christ,
Fr. Pat
 
Transfiguration of Our Lord 
Reflection by Rev. Deacon Royce Winters
As the Crescent Family of Parishes, we have opened ourselves to the transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit in the Beacons of Light process. We intentionally began to pray, “We thank you, O God, for guiding us through the hills, mountains, and rough places that have challenged us to remain faithful.”
 
When we stop to think about what God has revealed to us, we then acknowledge the blessings of God in those same hills, mountains, and rough places.  Our stories mirror the biblical stories of God’s people, who experienced holy encounters that provided a new direction and a new purpose.   
 
It is in our new parish name - Transfiguration of Our Lord - that we will experience continued growth as a unified parish. Under this new banner of Transfiguration, God will provide us opportunities to live as the ‘beloved community’ that intentionally desires to be of one mind, and one heart.
 
As we embark upon this new journey together, we must not be impetuous like Peter, who failed to reflect on what just occurred on the holy mountain. For he says, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 
 
Let us take it one step at a time. May we pause and reflect on the wondrous transfiguration that is happening within us, and around us. Let us not settle for the easy explanation of our story for it has yet to be fully revealed to us by God. 
 
Years from now, our hearts filled with gratitude will lead us to say, and mean it, “Lord, it is good for us to be here!”
 
Rev. Deacon Royce Winters
Director of Evangelization