The Diocesan / Prefecture Pastoral Council

Prefecture Apostolic of the Marshall Islands

Assumption, Uliga, Majuro

P.O. Box 8 Majuro MH 96960

Marshall Islands

The Diocesan / Prefecture Pastoral Council

A. Purpose of Diocesan / Prefecture Pastoral Council (Commission) 

The pastoral council exists to investigate, consider and propose practical suggestions and conclusions about those things which pertain to pastoral works in the diocese/prefecture  The diocesan / prefecture pastoral council (commission)  is envisioned and recommended in the following documents,

1. Vatican II  “Christus Dominus” ( “Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops”)  No. 27 of this decree states:  “It is greatly desired that in each diocese / prefecture a pastoral commission  will be established over which the diocesan bishop / prefect  himself will preside and in which clergy, religious and lay people will participate. The duty of this commission will be to investigate and weigh pastoral undertakings and to formulate practical conclusions regarding them. (Vat. II, Decree concerning the Pastoral Office Bishops in the Church or "Christus Dominus." 1965)

2. The “Code of Canon Law” (CIC, 1983) No. 511 states: “In each diocese / prefecture in so far as pastoral circumstances suggest, a pastoral council is to be established. Its function, under the authority of the Bishop/Prefect is to study and weigh those matters which concern the pastoral works in the diocese/prefecture and to propose practical conclusions concerning them.”  Thus, it is accurate to identify the work of the pastoral council as “pastoral planning.”

The pastoral issues to be investigated and considered by the pastoral council may come from a variety of sources. The pastoral council, under the leadership of the bishop / prefect        investigates, considers, and proposes practical conclusions about those things which pertain to pastoral works.

Its membership includes clergy, members of institutes of consecrated life  and especially lay persons. Since the majority of the faithful of the diocese / prefecture  are lay persons, it is reasonable that the majority of the members of the diocesan / prefecture pastoral council are lay. The bishop / prefect determines how the members are designated. They should represent the diversity of the diocese / prefecture.

B. Manner of Operation

The pastoral council operates in a consultative manner. It means, the pastoral council performs its function in a consultative (decision-recommending) manner, not in a deliberative (decision-implementing) manner. It offers recommendations, but does not have the power or the role to execute them.

The pastoral council is a consultative body which plans. It is a planning council which operates in a consultative manner.  It is only reasonable to expect that the bishop / prefect will sometimes approach the pastoral council for advice on matters of pastoral concern, to get a sense of the diocese / prefecture. This is a perfectly legitimate activity, and can result in much pastoral good within the Church.

The support of the bishop / prefect is essential for the success of the pastoral council, whether he proposes questions for the council to study or receives questions from it. Indeed, the council exists to give practical conclusions on pastoral matters to the bishop / prefect.  He designates its members, convokes it, makes public its activities, and receives its conclusions.

C. Practical Considerations

1. Composition of the Prefecture Pastoral Council: the members will be the clergy, religious sister, lay representatives of various sectors in the prefecture.                                                           2. The members are appointed by the Prefect for a term of 2 years, renewable.                             3. The Pastoral Council will meet at least three (if needed, four) times a year.                                   4. The points on the agenda related to the pastoral works in the Prefecture will be collated from the suggestions of the Prefecture Pastoral Council members.                                                           5. The date and venue of the meeting will be indicated by the Prefect Apostolic.
 
D. Conclusion

The diocesan/prefecture pastoral council finds its origin in Vatican Council II, and in Code of Canon Law.  These documents show that the pastoral council exists to investigate, consider, and propose practical conclusions about those things which pertain to pastoral works in the diocese / prefecture. This may be called pastoral planning. While planning is common to so many groups and individuals in the Church, the pastoral council is the body which exists solely to do pastoral planning. It performs its important function in a consultative  manner.

The pastoral council is composed in such a way as to represent the diversity of the diocese/prefecture.  When the pastoral council performs its role effectively and appropriately, much will be done to further ecclesial communio.

The pastoral council will assist the program for the Church in every age, found in the Gospel and the Church"s living Tradition, to be enfleshed in the pastoral plan of each particular Church.

Fr. Raymundo T. Sabio, MSC                                                                                                               (Prefect  Apostolic)                                                                                                                             July 25, 2013                                                                                                                                   Feast of St. James the Apostle

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Prefecture Apostolic of the Marshall lslands
P.O.Box 8  Majuro MH 96960
Marshall Islands

PREFECTURE PASTORAL COUNCIL

Last Monday, July 29 at 12:00 noon at DAR,  the first meeting of the Prefecture Pastoral Council took place. Present were: Fr. Ray Sabio, msc; Deacon  Alfred Capelle;  Donald Capelle; Veronica Kiluwe; Sr. Kantarawa Yee-On, fdnsc; Ted Stepp;  Miriam Balico; Luke Roverove.  Invited but unable to come were: Marie Maddison and Tone Herkinos

The meeting started with a prayer led by Deacon Alfred Capelle.  Afterwards, the participants, one at a time, introduced themselves to the group.  A word of warm welcome was given by the Prefect Apostolic.

Then followed a period which was given to the reading of the statement of the purpose of the Prefecture Pastoral Council and to subsequent clarifications, in the light of the two Catholic church documents:

1. Vatican II  “Christus Dominus” ( “Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops”)  No. 27 of this decree states:  “It is greatly desired that in each diocese / prefecture a pastoral commission  (council) will be established over which the diocesan bishop / prefect  himself will preside and in which clergy, religious and lay people will participate. The duty of this commission will be to investigate and weigh pastoral undertakings and to formulate practical conclusions regarding them. (Vat. II, Decree concerning the Pastoral Office Bishops in the Church or "Christus Dominus." 1965)

2. The “Code of Canon Law” (CIC, 1983) No. 511 states: “In each diocese / prefecture in so far as pastoral circumstances suggest, a pastoral council is to be established. Its function, under the authority of the Bishop/Prefect is to study and weigh those matters which concern the pastoral works in the diocese/prefecture and to propose practical conclusions concerning them.”  Thus, it is accurate to identify the work of the pastoral council as “pastoral planning.”

Then a sharing followed on points or issues of importance to the prefecture. First is the issue of  integration of the various ethnic and language groups in the prefecture (Fijians, Kiribati, Filipinos, Americans and other nationalities)  in order to enhance the pastoral and liturgical activities. There is some kind of a distance between the 6:30 PM Saturday Mass (in English) participants and the Sunday Mass (in Marshallese) participants.

Finally, after a good period of discussion,  all agreed that in an effort to better integrate the worshipping community, special masses involving all sectors of the community (ethnic/national groups, language, speaking and musical talent) should be planned approximately four times a year, e.g., Feast of the Assumption (August 15), Feast of Christ the King  (end of the liturgical year), Christmas, and Easter.

The group participants think  that  the upcoming  “Feast of the Assumption”  would be a good time to make an effort in this regard.  Various members of the group were asked to contact liturgically active members of their communities. 

1. The couincil recommends that the Mass for the Feast of the Assumption will be celebrated at 6:30 PM in order to enable  those working to be present and participate  at the Holy Mass.  Aug. 15 is a working day.                                                                                                                               2. A suggestion came up on the possibility of  two choirs at Mass.  The Assumption Choir will give 3 Marshallese Mass songs;  and the 6:30 PM Saturday choir will give 2 English songs.  In this way, the Saturday and the Sunday groups could come together in the great celebration of the parish feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary.                                                      3. At the party that follows the evening Mass,  each ethnic group will be requested to give one or two numbers  during the parish program.                                                                                           4. Other topics discussed were:                                                                                           a)Prefecture Pastoral Assembly (with representation from all parishes and chapels) in summer 2014.  There might be a need for a facilitator.                                                                                    b) Diaconate Program to be explored and resumed if possible . . .                                                 c) Try to put up a Prefecture Pastoral Council Newsletter (suggested: 3 of 4 times a year) to be edited by Ted Stepp.                                                                                                                              d. The issue of homelessness on Majuro, and  the needs of the poor, particularly children in the urban area (Uliga and neighboring areas)                                                                                 
e. A suggestion was made on the need for training and rehearsals of liturgy participants (readers, commentators)  to improve their contributions towards a meaningful liturgy.  This also includes the proper and effective use of microphones.

(Fr.) Ray Sabio, msc