Parish Pastoral and Finance Council Training Programme at Derebail

Derebail Parish organized a Parish Pastoral and Finance Council Meeting and Training Programme on Sunday, 18th January, from 6.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. at the Jubilee Hall.

The programme began with a prayer and welcome address by Fr Nelson Peris, the Associate Priest. He then warmly welcomed the resource person, Fr Santhosh Rodrigues, Director of the Pastoral Centre, Bajjodi, Mangalore.

Through a well-prepared PowerPoint presentation, Fr Santhosh clearly explained the role, ministry, and responsibilities of the Parish Pastoral Council. Using the biblical image of the Good Shepherd, he highlighted the essential qualities of a shepherd—one who loves, cares, seeks out, corrects, guides, and nourishes the flock. In the same manner, a Gurkars and Pratinidhis are called to care for the people of their ward. Though the task is demanding and challenging, it must be carried out with love, commitment, and devotion.

In the second part of his session, Fr Santhosh spoke on the Pastoral Plan through the Pastoral Commissions. He explained the roles and responsibilities of the various commissions and emphasized that pastoral associations and commissions must work together, organizing joint programmes for effective pastoral ministry. The ultimate goal, he said, is to build a happy, vibrant, and joyful parish community.

After the talk, Fr Joseph Martis, the Parish Priest, expressed his gratitude to the speaker. He then presented a brief overview of the parish financial status, clearly explaining the income and expenditure of the Parish. He stressed the importance of transparency in parish finances so that there is no confusion among the faithful. He also reiterated that the primary responsibility for financial management lies with the Parish Finance Council.

Fr Joseph further spoke about the Pastoral Commissions, stating that there will be 18 commissions, each consisting of at least 10 members—five from the Parish Council and five from the parish community. Each commission is expected to prepare a yearly action plan, coordinated by the Coordinator of all Commissions, Mrs Pramilla Furtado.

Suggestions were then invited for the “Year of the Children.” The following proposals emerged from the participants:

• Holiday camps

• Visits to orphanages

• Retreats for children

• Children’s talent display programmes

• Ward meetings conducted by children

Besides other suggestions during the Lenten season included:

• Lenten retreat

• Lenten pilgrimages: Harihar and Karkal

• 24 hours of Eucharistic adoration

• Ward wise Way of the Cross

Finally, the parish priest informed the gathering about the annual house blessings.