Background

Our Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), which generally meets every six weeks on a Tuesday evening, is constituted, is constituted in accordance with the Statutes For Parish Pastoral Councils (the Statutes), as promulgated by the Archbishop in April 2008 for the Archdiocese of Cape Town, with the objective of collaborating with our parish priest in a consultative and advisory capacity in the mission of the parish.

The Statutes

The Statutes provide that the PPC comprises the parish priest who is President of the Council, our deacon, elected members of the parish, representatives of approved parish associations and religious and secular institutions together with parishioners appointed by the parish priest.

The Statutes highlight the following matters as falling within the competence of the PPC:

• Fostering an identity with the local church
• Liturgical
• Catechetical Instruction
• The Catechumenate or RCIA
• Evangelisation
• Apostolate to the Unchurched
• Basic Christian Communities/Small Faith Sharing Groups
• Family Life Apostolate
• Social Apostolate
• Youth Apostolate
• Community Activities
• Vocations
• Ecumenism
• Justice and Peace
• Additions to and Maintenance of Existing Immovable Property.

PPCs are presided over by the Parish Priest who is ex officio President of the Council. The Executive of the Council comprises the President, Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary of the Council.

Any parishioner who is aged 18 or more, has received the Sacrament of Confirmation and enjoys a good reputation is eligible for election to the Council for a period of two years and may be elected for a further period of three years following which he/she is required to step down and is generally not eligible to stand for election for a further three year period.

The Council has a consultative role in collaborating with the parish priest in an advisory capacity in furtherance of the mission of the parish