PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL

Meet the Current Council Members

What is the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC)?

The Parish Pastoral Council or PPC is an advisory body called to renew, sustain, edify, enhance, enlarge, enrich and supplicate our Christian community by involving all of our people and others (including, but not limited to, priests, deacons, sisters, lay leaders, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, single persons, young and old) and making use of all their talents and abilities.

What does the Council do?

The Parish Council is called to serve as an advisory body to the pastor in all parish matters through shared responsibility, mutual trust and honest communication. The Council strives to promote effective communication on and in every level of the parish, providing for free and open discussion in an atmosphere and feeling of mutual trust and to provide advice to the pastor on the operations of St. Ambrose Parish and school.

The foregoing purposes together with others are inclusive rather than exclusive and are in no way intended or offered as a limitation on the purpose of the St. Ambrose Parish Council.

Who serves on the Council?

Members fall into one of several categories:

Executive - the leadership of the Parish Council, comprising the Pastor, Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary. Members, except for the Pastor, are typically previously elected or appointed members of the Council. Executive members are voting members of the Council, meaning that when a vote is called to approve an action of the council, they may participate.

Elected/Appointed - parish members who have been selected by the parish at large during the annual Parish Council Elections or those appointed by the Pastor to fulfill a specific role on the Council. Elected and Appointed members are voting members of the Council. The parish shall elect 8 parishioners as their representatives. Four members are to be elected per year, each serving a two year term. Elected members may choose to stand for re-election, but may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms.

Ex Officio - the office manager, the deacons, and the immediate past president of the Council. Ex Officio members are non-voting members of the Council.

Pastoral Team - usually members of staff at the parish who serve in significant roles, e.g., the Director of Liturgy, the Director of Religious Education, the Principal of J. E. Cosgriff School, and the Homebound and Bereavement Coordinator. Pastoral Team members are non-voting members.

Designated - parish members who represent various parish organizations, e.g., social activities, the refugee program, the finance committee, women's group, and peace and justice activities. Designated members are non-voting members.

Committees

The Council has four standing committees on which members serve. These include the Executive Committee, the Formation Committee, the Stewardship Committee, and the Worship Committee. Each committee is chaired by an elected member of the Council. The task of the committees is to advise the Council and the Pastor on parish activities within their scope, and to make recommendations based on input from parishioners.

Any member of the parish may serve on a committee regardless of whether they have been elected to the Council.

When and where does the Council meet?

The Council meets in the Vaughan Center library on the third Monday of the month at 7:00 pm. Council meetings are open to the parish at large. Please note: Meetings are suspended until further notice.

Committee meeting times are set by the individual committee chairpersons. Please contact them (see below) to find out when the next meeting will be.

Current Council