The Parish Council is the consultative body to the Pastor. As the primary organization of the Parish, it coordinates and unifies the activities of the Parish. Positions are needed every year to fill vacancies for 3-year terms. Articles in the bulletin will indicate the need and instructions on how to submit a name.
The council consists of four basic commissions and one committee:
Christian Service – The commission empowers the members of the Parish to fulfill the Church’s mission of love, justice, freedom, and peace by communally responding in an organized way to societal and individual human needs. Here at St. Charles, Christian Service provides a delicious funeral luncheon for our parishioners who suffer the loss of a loved one. They provide practical, confidential help to those in need by supplying emergency food aid, seasonal food baskets, and referrals to appropriate organizations as needed. They facilitate the “Comforted Through Prayers” Prayer Blanket Ministry which reaches out to those who are suffering and in need of prayer. Ideas for other outreach programs are always welcome.
Education – The commission helps all parishioners understand that the entire Parish community has responsibility for promoting the teaching mission of the Church. The commission has the responsibility of developing, promoting, and evaluating programs in cooperation with the Archdiocesan and Parish staff.
Stewardship – The commission plans, recommends, and with Council approval, implements actions on Parish financial support and the effective management and use of Parish resources. These resources include parishioner’s time, skills and talents, and monies that are raised or offered.
Worship – The commission promotes and strengthens the program of continuing liturgical renewal. Servicing the Parish in the areas of liturgy and ecumenism, the Worship Commission also promotes and provides for programs of education, planning, and evaluation.
Evangelization Committee – The Evangelization Committee is an ad-hoc (exclusive, for one specific purpose) committee that reports directly to the Parish Pastoral Council. The work of evangelization is the responsibility of the entire leadership of a Parish including the Parish Pastoral Council. In fact, it is the mission of every baptized person. The Evangelization Committee is responsible for planning, organizing, and advocating specific Parish witness ministries designed to reach others for Christ. While the committee itself is usually a small group, its goal is to involve many other members of the Parish in outreach to the active, inactive, and unchurched.