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Eligibility:
To be considered
for the
St. Julie Billiart
Parish
PASTORAL COUNCIL
ministry, a
parishioner must...

+ Be a baptized,
practicing Catholic.

+ Be a registered member
of the parish
for 3 to 5 years.

+ Be a participant
in the ongoing life
of the parish, especially Sunday Eucharist.

+ Be at least 21 years
of age.

St. Julie's
DISCERNMENT
PROCESS:

March 25/26th:

During the Offertory
at all the Masses,
names are offered.
Candidates asked to
prayerfully commit
to seeing the process
through.

April 1st/2nd:

More names collected.
Candidates asked to
prayerfully commit
to seeing the process
through.

Holy Week:

Quiet prayerful reflection.
All are asked to
pray for the
Candidates.

April 20th: 7pm

Pastoral Council meets
with candidates to
discuss details
about this ministry.

April 27th: 7pm
ALL ARE INVITED!

Blessing of Candidates
at Sunday Mass.
All parishioners invited
to be a discerning
community, meet
and interact with
Pastoral Council
Candidates.

May 4th: 7pm
ALL ARE INVITED!

St. Julie Billiart Parish Community
participates in the
selection
of three new
Pastoral Council
members.

Parishioners
may
offer their
own names
as
Candidates.

They may also
submit
the names
of
fellow
parishioners
who are
eligible.

---------------------------

Pray
and ask
The Spirit
of
God
to
guide
your thinking.

------------------------------

This
invitation
goes
out to
ALL
PARISHIONERS
at St. Julie's!

We need
YOUR input!

Please
try to
attend
both night.

Thank You.

DISCERNMENT
Opening oneself to God’s will for your life, or for the life of the parish community

We have gone back and forth on whether or not to use this word because we can also talk about
"selecting" new Pastoral Council members.

However, discernment is a more religious term.
It conveys a process of decision-making rooted in prayer.

It’s based on a belief that God loves us,
is gracious to us, and gifts all of us in unique ways.

It’s also based on trying to let go of our individual wills, plans or agendas,
and recognizing what’s keeping us, as individuals, from hearing
The Spirit and the will of God.

The Pastoral Council focuses on the long term needs and goals of the parish,
NOT the day-to-day operations or ministry decisions.

When trying to choose new members for the Pastoral Council…
we look for people who will carry on the work of God in our parish…

Prayerful Discernment means putting God first, and
praying throughout the process for guidance to the answer…
”What does God want for St. Julie Billiart Parish?”

In prayer, everyone is asked to...

"Not my will, but Thy will be done..."

Think carefully
about what's involved...

Ask God to reveal
His will for the parish…

Allow the Holy Spirit
to work within us.

What does CONSENSUS
decision-making mean?

Our new model is rooted in the mission given by Christ –
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations”

A Pastoral Council that is committed to this mission never loses sight
of the need to seek God’s will.

We want always to seek wisdom.
That means taking time the to LISTEN carefully to others, to UNDERSTAND
what they are saying, and to LEARN why that’s important
before acting, in God's behalf, for the parish community.

What CONSENSUS is NOT ...

It is not majority rule, nor is it just compromise.

It is not competition (winners and losers)

It is not quick decision making. (Effective listening takes time. )

It's not about being impatient.

CONSENSUS decision-making means…

Getting enough input and information on any issue or situation.
(Fact-finding and research offer everyone new insights and perspectives.)

Having open discussions where everyone truly listens.
(Differing viewpoints help everyone develop a broader understanding.)

Offering patient reflection on what you've heard.
(A willingness to be patient and not rush decisions enables trust later.)

Working together to find common ground.
(Seeing where there is basic agreement and acceptance by all helps inspire hope.)

Coming to a point, after respectful interaction and sharing,
where every person can live with the outcome or decision of the whole group.
(Knowing the end result is something everyone can embrace invests everyone in that decision.)

Consensus is a way of making decisions that embodies
collaborative decision-making...

the belief that God speaks through all members of the community...

He speaks through a spirit of cooperation, collaboration, inclusion and accountability.

Consensus is something we all need to keep learning about

because it is inspired by God...

"from Whom all good things come!"

All Are Invited!
THURSDAY, APRIL 27th...7pm
to learn more and meet the candidates
who are now prayerfully
reflecting on joining the Pastoral Council.

Then on THURSDAY, MAY 4th at 7pm
all are invited to participate in the
Prayerful Discernment
of 3 new
Pastoral Council members.