Pastoral Regions

Most Recent News from the Regional Pastoral Council

Posted on Wednesday September 30, 2009

Highlights of the San Gabriel Regional Pastoral Council Meeting of June 9, 2009

SAN GABRIEL REGIONAL PASTORAL COUNCIL: Keeping the Synod Alive
Highlights for Saturday, June 27, 2009

Welcome - Anita Ford

Anita extended a welcome to all present and expressed appreciation for all their work and accomplishments throughout this year. In addressing the year’s accomplishments, Anita mentioned the success of the parish liaisons. She also noted that the last survey showed that 63% of parishes now have a parish council. She credited this improvement to the efforts of all. Her greeting was followed by a prayer and shared reflection based on sections III and IV of the Cardinal’s letter on Evangelization.

Standing Committee Reports:

Synod Initiative I: Evangelization and the New Evangelization - Mark Padilla

Mark reported that the Committee held a weekend evening retreat at St. Andrews, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Fr. Paul Griesgraber, spiritual leader of the Committee, conducted the retreat; 15 to 20 people attended each evening.

They continue to work on their specific area of responsibility and are ready to start their evangelization plan.

Synod Initiative II: Structures for Participation and Accountability - Sr Kathleen

Sr. Kathleen reported that the Initiative II committee joined with the Initiative IV to sponsor the workshop for pastoral teams at San Gabriel Mission, March 18, 2009. The day was well received and enormously successful.

For the upcoming year, the Committee hopes to continue to offer a workshop for leadership teams and to repeat the training certification workshop for parish councils. The committee plans to provide tracks in English and Spanish for these workshops. They also plan to pay particular attention to Deanery 9 where there are few parish councils.

Synod Initiative III: Ongoing Faith Education and Formation - Sr. Carmen

Sr. Carmen reported that the Pastoral Resource Guide is on a spreadsheet and is ready to be sent to the Archdiocesan Webmaster. It will appear as a link on the Archdiocesan website under the San Gabriel Pastoral Region and will be designed to be user friendly. The database has a searchable 100-150 record index with about 25 attributes for each on pull-down menus. These menus include: category, age level, language, resource type, and description with location/contact information.

In the Pastoral Resource Guide, the Committee has identified and gathered resources for faith education and formation that are available within our region and archdiocese. The Committee sent a questionnaire to over 200 regional/inter-regional groups, organizations, retreat centers, Catholic colleges/universities and parishes to gather information for the guide. In developing the Pastoral Resource Guide, the Committee sought advice/guidance/help from the director of the ACC’s Tech Center who is also the Archdiocesan Webmaster.

The Committee asked Fe Musgrave to speak regarding an upcoming faith formation opportunity in the region. Fe encouraged other Council members to support the September 12, 2009 educational event sponsored by the Regional Religious Education Office. It is a day-long workshop focused on the USCCB’s Pastoral Letter, Our Hearts Our Burning Within Us, on the 10th anniversary of its publication.

Sr. Carmen also reported that the Committee has invited new members to join them and have scheduled an orientation/welcome meeting. The Committee stands ready to begin its Year Two goal of networking and facilitating the practice of Inter-Parochial Networking.

Synod Initiative IV:
Ministry and Leadership: Lay, Consecrated and Ordained - Yolanda Brown

Yolanda began her report by thanking the Council for their support. The Committee successfully hosted, along with Initiative II, the dialogue, Parish Leadership: A Shared Responsibility on March 18, 2009. One hundred and sixty parish leaders, representing twenty-seven parishes in the Region, attended. Leaders from St. Stephen Martyr Church and Dolores Mission Parish served as panelists, with Monsignor Tim Nichols as the Moderator. Three practical scenarios were presented for the Parish small group exercise. The program was self-funded and evaluations of the day were very positive; 99.9% indicated that the gathering was very helpful. In evaluating the program, however, it was suggested that more time be allowed.

Synod Initiative V: Eucharist and Sacramental Living - Fe Musgrave

Fe reported that the Committee is still in the process of identifying and inviting membership. She raised the subject of a focus with the Archdiocesan Liturgy Commission and their focus is on the new Roman Missal, which is to be out in 2010.

Synod Initiative VI-Social Justice-Cathleen Crayton

Cathy reported that the Committee is working on the Synod Initiative VI report for the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, a compilation of data from social justice committees in the San Gabriel Region. A survey was compiled and distributed in order to get input on Social Justice activities within the parishes. At this time eighteen parishes responded, giving the Committee a clearer idea of what parishes are doing. The survey asked for information regarding the kinds of social justice work parishes were doing.

Many are engaged in direct service: outreach to the homeless, food bank, holiday food programs, St Vincent Paul Society, Get on the Bus, Community Organizing, Immigration, 12 Step Programs and advocacy. Several parishes are aware of the needs but have not been able to respond for one reason or another.

Those engaged in indirect service reported participating in Operation Rice Bowl, advocacy work that promotes structural change and providing educational forums to raise consciousness around justice-related issues. Several parishes also participated in the recent FOCA postcard campaign organized by the USCCB.

Future meeting dates for Council and Executive Committee - Bishop Gabino
Council Meeting dates for 2009-2010:

Sept 19, 2009, Nov. 30, 2009 (6:30 p.m. -9:30 p.m.), March 6, 2010, June 26, 2010.

Retreat on Nov.7, 2009. The Executive Committee will set their meeting dates at their next meeting.

Updates:
Archdiocesan Pastoral Council- Cambria Smith

The primary focus of meetings has been on the evaluation of the Synod Initiatives. Initiatives II and VI are done. Work is being done on Initiative III. Insights of what is happening in the parishes will continue to be gathered and reports will be given in October. With regard to Initiative VI, Cambria mentioned that it is important to make a distinction between charity and Social Justice.

Anita mentioned, at this time that there is an Inter-Regional Meeting planned for January 16, 2010. The focus may be vocations - priestly and others.

Synod Office - Dn. David Estrada

Dn. David reported that the office is in the process of developing a Stewardship Council. Stewardship is being defined as the living out of our Baptism. The office is also considering developing an advisory board on Evangelization.

Environmental issues continue to be a concern. The Energy Summit called for a discussion saving energy and reducing expenditures related to energy.

With regard to communications, various structures in the archdiocese were identified to facilitate better communication within the offices and Regions, i.e., the website and email. In the development of communications policy, new technology is being looked at: facebook, twitter, etc.

Bishop Zavala

Bishop Gabino stated that one of the areas of concern in the San Gabriel Pastoral Region and the Archdiocese is the viability of our schools. All of our schools have been studied and categorized as: doing well, ok, critical and at risk.

The study has looked at such issues as enrollment, personnel and budget. Due to the loss in investment income, the Education Foundation has had to cut back on the number of grants for tuition assistance and also the amount of money of each grant. This may affect the ability of some families to send their children to Catholic schools. Together in Mission continues to help our needy schools. In some neighborhoods, the growth of Charter Schools is also affecting some of our schools by attracting students.

Bishop Gabino also informed the Council of those parishes that will have a change in leadership. He also reminded us that Cardinal Mahony is 75 in February of 2011.

The meeting adjourned at 12:30 p.m.