Pastoral Council

                     february 2025 Pastoral Council Meeting Summary

Financial Report: Both November and December were strong months. The December collections were the highest ever. There was no single big gift or anomaly involved. It’s just been a continuing trend.

New Council Members: David Hambuchen and Paul Young were welcomed as the newest Pastoral Council members replacing the two former members whose terms expired in December.

Finance and Administration Commission: Adult Faith Formation Director Christy Trantina is set to retire at the end of the March and a search for her replacement has begun. (Tyler Jones was subsequently chosen in March)

Education and Formation Commission: The Healing the Whole Person Retreat originally scheduled for January was postponed because of weather. It was reset for mid-February with 25 pre-registered. The St. Joseph Men’s Retreat was held at Subiaco Abbey in mid-February. Debbie Eckert and Fr. John Marconi are offering a “Pilgrims of Hope” retreat April 4-5. It’s aligned with Lent and Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Hope. The Bible Timeline will be completed April 1 & 8. St. Joseph School Parent-Teacher Conferences were held February 14. Father Daniel continues to visit all campuses and does adoration for grades K-6. Each grade was challenged to find a service project related to a work of mercy. SJES Family Night was held which incorporated literacy, STEM, and social-emotional booths. Math standards are under review and teachers attended a Diocesan meeting in this regard. NWEA Testing was conducted for 7^th and 8^th graders February 2-4. The budgeted student enrollment for this school year is for a student enrollment of 445. Grades PK-3-12 ranging 541/800 max are at present at 68% capacity.

Parish Life Commission: Lenten Dinners were discussed. They were to be held March 12, 19, and April 2. The beneficiaries of these dinners were to be the Missions Committee/Bethlehem House, HAVEN, and AR Alzheimer’s /Joe Bear Apparel. Future events include a St. Joseph Day at an Arkansas Travelers baseball game. A farewell for Deacon Joel Brackett will be held in May. Specifics will be decided at the April meeting.

Stewardship Commission: Future focus will be on a fundraising campaign for a new K-6 St. Joseph School building. There is much planning needed beforehand. Questions about size, classroom numbers, other space, including a safe-room, have to be worked through. Rough outlines have been discussed with the architect before, but specifics need to be ironed out along with determining what fundraising entity to partner with. A cost-figure will need to be determined and presented. The Diocese is involved with all this, and 80% of the proposed budget has to be pledged before any work can get underway.

Hispanic Commission: It continues with leadership formation with assistance from Sister Mickey Espinoza at the Diocese. A retreat is planned for May with the guest speaker being Jose Gomez from California. The Charismatic Renewal group held a workshop on February 22^nd. Marriages for three couples are being prepared. The Commission has received “Know Your Rights” cards which explain what immigrants’ rights are should they be approached or questioned by federal agents. The Diocese has also circulated an 18-page document on the subject.

Old Business: Father John talked about the listening sessions held that took place in the Fall and some of the themes that were emerging from these various meetings as to what a vision for St. Joseph Church should look like. Some of these included being more welcoming, inclusive, mentoring, reaching out to the poor, how we communicate to the world and other suggestions. Father asked that the Pastoral Council members read over documents prepared for them detailing what came out of those sessions. He also requested when the Council meets again in April to have narrowed down what they absorbed into their top three choices of what possible steps might be taken. Father said this comes down to “Action, Spirituality and Formation.”

Pastor’s Report: Father John has been at St. Joseph for 19 months and feels “greatly blessed” to be here. He admits his life is “a little complicated” right now by helping reorganize the structure of the Diocese and moderating the Curia. He’s essentially here now for five days a week and at the Diocese for two, but he hopes things will settle down somewhat by June or July.  

February 2025

January 2025

October 2024

August 2024

June 2024

May 2024