The Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Council was established in February 2001.  It meets approximately 6 times a year.

It is a representative body of the faithful which works in close partnership with the Bishop to further the mission of the Church.

It is concerned primarily with people and with building up the faith, hope and love that cements them into a real, living and caring Christian community. 

 Aims

The purpose of the Diocesan Pastoral is described in Canon Law as follows:

'Its function, under the authority of the Bishop, is to study and weigh those matters which concern the pastoral works in the diocese and to propose practical conclusions concerning them'. [Can. 511].

Membership

The Pastoral Council will consist of not more than 20 people including:

One of the lay representatives form each deanery should be a youth representative (i.e. between the ages of 18 and 25).

The Bishop may, in consultation with the Pastoral Council, co-opt an individual or individuals onto the Pastoral Council if in a particular situation this is deemed necessary.

The three representatives from each deanery and the three representatives form the religious communities are to be electd by their respective bodies.

The Chairperson of the Council is Sr. Suzie Duffy and the Secretary is Mr. Seán Coll.

 General Functioning

The Bishop, or in his absence, the Vicar General of the Diocese will preside over the meetings of the Pastoral Council. 

The Chairperson is to be electd by the Pastoral Council.  His/her main function will be to faciliate the smooth running of the meetings.

The Pastoral Council will meet a minimum of 4 times each year.

The secretary will send notification of and an agenda for each meeting to the members of the Pastoral Council at least seven days in advance of each meeting.

The minutes of each meeting will be sent to each parish priest and to the secretary of each Parish Pastoral Council.

Each meeting will begin with a period of reflective Scripture based prayer and each meeting will conclude with a brief prayer.

The Pastoral Council will last for three years, after which new elections must take place.  A member may serve for two consecutive terms.

Any member failing to attend four consecutive meetings without a reasonable explanation will be deemed to have resigned.  Any vacancy will be filled by co-opting a new member.

A quority will consist of half the members of the Pastoral Council.  The role of the Pastoral Council is consultative and advisiory.

Please click links below to find out about other pastoral developments in Kilmore.

The Diocesan Focus Group    The Diocesan Pastoral Centre