June 22, 2022

Pastoral Council Meeting

Members Present: Brook Gleason, Cookie Dunham, Claude Pilon, Fr. John, Fr. Brendan, Karen Markoff, Tom Griffith, Linda Cadaret, Lola Gualtieri, Carl Thomas

New Members to be Inducted: Beth Schafer, Bill Leiker, Kay Sgargata, Margaret Ingraham, Ron DeLuca

Members Absent: Kira Reed, Mark Bentz, Ken Kirkman

Present: Nina Walters, Holy Cross School Principal

Opening Prayer

  • Brook led the opening prayer.

  • Meeting was called to order by Brook at 5:32

New Council Members

Welcome to:

  • Beth Schafer

  • Bill Leiker

  • Kay Sgarlata

  • Margaret Ingraham

  • Ron DeLuca

Transitioning Out: Brook Gleasman and Kira Reed.

(12 voting members- 3 usually go off each year for new blood and transitioning; in addition, school principal is invited to attend all meetings. Trustees are also not voting members, although they are in attendance.)

Minutes of May 12, 2022

  • Karen moved to accept the May 12, 2022 minutes of our last meeting with correction of Cookie’s last name.

  • Linda seconded.

  • No discussion,

  • All in favor- passed unanimously by voting members.

Old Business:

Council Membership

  • Elections completed. Steve should have a senior for membership in July, representing students and the youth of the parish.

Parish Survey - Father Kurgan

  • The tentative timeline for the survey of June 19 did not happen

  • Ron asked if the survey came from Father or the Council. Karen overviewed the process to date and intent of the survey for new membership. She explained she and Linda reviewed other church surveys and identified themes that occurred, putting them on a Likert Scale for rating 1-5. The intent is to hear the voices of the parishioners about what they see as strengths or areas for improvement in the parish for the Council to use to guide their work in support of Holy Cross and our priests. Father John added that he had collected some additional surveys that the committee could review.

  • Father recommends we look over the survey in the summer and then conduct it in the fall, first week in October. The new Communications Committee will be Bill, Margaret, Beth, Ron, Lola. This committee is to set date(s) in July and August to work on the survey. Karen will send the draft that Linda and she completed.

Communication:

  • Karen drafted a letter which was read and signed by all members, thanking Bob McCrone for his two years as Holy Cross School Principal.

  • Karen will work with Nina to draft a letter from the Pastoral Council, welcoming all new school students and their families to Holy Cross School- to be distributed in September.

  • As suggested at a previous meeting, we will continue to reach out to families at all special sacraments and events, welcoming them to our parish family.

New Business:

Installation of New Council Members - Brook

  • Members officially start July 1

  • Vote conducted for new President and Vice-President

  • Claude reviewed the Preamble and bylaws that Father and Claude reviewed before this meeting. There are a couple of changes that they propose we look over and vote on at our next meeting, July 28. We will keep a 12-member council with the high school student maintaining his/her term once appointed until graduation. Claude shared the Constitution and read responsibilities and election of officers. Election of officers will always be in June, and we will appoint new members in June.

  • Request for anyone interested in presidency- Karen volunteered. Lola moved Karen be elected as president. Linda seconded. Unanimous vote.

  • Request for vice-president- Bill volunteered. Karen moved Bill be elected vice-president. Linda seconded. Unanimously approved.

  • Karen has been secretary and said she would continue to also take the minutes of the meeting if the Council desired. Discussion that they liked the minutes, but perhaps it would be easier if someone else would take on this responsibility. Beth volunteered. Bill moved that Beth be secretary. Carl seconded the motion. Unanimously approved.

  • Discussion about progression- not there anymore.

Introduction of new Holy Cross Principal

  • Nina Walters

Committee Reports:

Brook: When Kira and Brook came in as officers, they met with Father John and came up with three committees to get the work done: School Relations; Hospitality; Communication.  Brook suggested council members continue to reach out to parishioners, introducing themselves. Father suggested we have a large picture frame and names of Council members under it, for easy identification and communication with the Council. Karen moved Father look into purchasing the frame. Bill seconded it. Kate said she did not even know everyone on the Council. Everyone introduced themselves, and Karen previously distributed the name tags to members. New members already sent pictures into the office. If you have a picture, please send that to Peg Olson in the office or Dan Littlepage. If anyone needs Dan to take a picture, let Father or Karen know.

Father John

  • Young people Totus Tuus group- will be working with us July 25- will be working on summer programming for youth in the next few weeks.

  • Father has estimate for carpeting in classrooms- looking at Sept. Ron asked if parishioner has bid. Father said no and that he is not aware of a parishioner who is in the carpeting business. Father John was asked if the Council has a say in the carpeting. Father explained that the role of the Pastoral Council is advisory to the priests. Father further explained the trustees and their roles: by law you must have at least two trustees. Claude and Tom are trustees for Holy Cross, and Claude and Cookie are trustees for St. Mary’s in Jamesville.

  • Reorganization in Diocese-have not made a lot of progress yet. Need new mediator; hired a new person for mediation. Will move us to within year and year and a half of conclusion. What does Reorganization mean Kate asked: diocese entered Chapter 11. There are three sides: creditors’ committee (12 people who have been abused), insurers from parishes, and diocese (Lloyd’s of London, Travelers, etc. Diocese has all parishes in diocese represented by two attorneys. All claims brought against the diocese and parishes are being resolved. Difficult mediation.

  • Ron brought up concern that parishioners at 10:30 Mass do not have the opportunity to know Father Foley. Father John explained that Father Foley says the Spanish Mass at St. Anthony’s at 11:00, but that he is trying to get sub coverage for Father Foley, so he can attend the 10:30 Mass. Father John also explained that Father Foley says Mass during the other Mass times, so there is opportunity for parishioners to meet him during those Masses.

  • Ron also asked why Holy Cross is not in the Catholic Sun more often as he is proud of the many things we do and have at Holy Cross. There was discussion. Father John said we must invite them if we have something going on in parish which they want to be covered. We do send pictures in, and Father explained that additional pictures from the diocese are on the website. The Catholic Sun newspaper will be every published every other week in the future and will be going to a magazine format about every quarter- 4 times a year.

  • Father John mentioned the steps on the end of the building which need repair have 3 quotes. Canal Landscaping will be doing this- hoping to start in next couple of weeks.

  • Deacon James is here through August.

Communications Committee

  • Karen sends Council minute summary to Josh, Dan, and Peg to put into the bulletin and for records.

School Committee

  • Linda and Nina said the auction was successful; glitches in greater giving- about 60,000 raised- 3,000 more than last year. Winner- Kate Eberline. Peg is going to get information about other winners for the bulletin. Some of the money is earmarked for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) lab. Nina said they have been working on this over the year- redesigning it other than one day a week for art.

  • PK3 program - Nina to work on trying to build more applications.

  • Kate said she wants to hear how the money is used and who wins. If the parish is supporting the auction, she said we need to know the success.

  • Karen explained the greatest goal of this committee is to the bridge gap between the parish and the school. We have been working to unify the two. Steve comes down often and works with the students and families. Nina supports building this Catholic unity, and Linda suggested we start highlighting grades in the bulletin as we did before Covid.

Hospitality Committee

  • Cookie and Mary have really taken charge of the 10:30 Mass which Cookie says has taken a life of its own- welcoming people and building rapport with seniors. Claude does the 4:00 Mass greeting. Karen asked Council members if anyone could cover 7:30 and 5:00 Masses. Margret volunteered to be a greeter- for 7:30 Mass. She asked when to arrive- around 7:10. Margaret expressed that many people are suffering that walk through this Church right now, and she suggested asking, “Do you need me to pray for you?” Margaret has started to say good morning, and says parishioners need the smiles. Kate said during the summer she goes to 7:30 and would help Margaret. Karen asked Father Joh to see if Steve can get 5:00 covered by students. Father reminded greeters to hand out or ask others to hand out bulletins.

Finance Committee

  • Two parts of financial reports- Collections every week- salaries, money from youth, faith formation, maintenance of church and rectory- general operation. $170,00 to $200,000 in the hole currently. We are about $100,000-$125,000 in hole from collections. Our expenditures for school support averages about $250,000 year to support the school. This year we are down only about $150,000- in this area. Total picture is we need to get more students in Holy Cross School, so we do not have to make up the difference by taking from our investments The fiscal year ends in June. We issue a summary to parishioners.

  • Margaret suggested we reach out and invite people who were past parishioners to return.

  • Claude said even $2.00 by parishioners who contribute nothing would help. Tom said $19,000 is needed and is published every week in the bulletin. Karen mentioned the previous discussion about reaching out to those who are not giving and for more from those who are. Father John said this would have to come from the pulpit.

  • Claude said we met our Hope Appeal goal this year $97,000, and 100% of our extra $90,000 came back to the parish. We are not projected to get as much back next year. He also said that people who pay by the month or electronically has helped.

  • We are going back to passing the basket as well as keeping the stands at the entrance of the Church.

  • Ron mentioned he lit a candle, and it was tough to get money in the opening. Claude said we get about $400 per week from this, but the cost of candles costs about $300.

Meeting Schedule

Pastoral Council meetings will be the last Thursday of the month at 5:30 PM unless there are conflicting holidays. The Council will meet every other month. The 2022-2023 pastoral council meetings are scheduled for:

  • July 28

  • September 29

  • December 1

  • January 26

  • March 30

  • May 25

If needed, the President and Pastor may call an additional meeting.

Closing prayer

  • Brook led closing prayer.

  • Margaret motioned to adjourn. Linda seconded.

  • Vote unanimous. Meeting adjourned at 6:40

Next Meeting: July 28 at 5:30 in Yeazel Hall.

Holy Cross