Diocesan Pastoral Council reactivated to advise bishop

With the DPC, the bishop, in his role as pastor and shepherd, benefits from the input and vision of the faithful, of the religious and the clergy that come together to discuss important issues the Church faces.”

Bishop Ralph B. O’Donnell

Many are familiar with the work of parish pastoral councils.

They provide invaluable consultation and practical advice to pastors on important aspects of carrying out the Church’s mission locally.

“Their importance for helping to shape and support the community life of a given parish community is essential,” said Bishop Ralph B. O’Donnell.

So, too, is the work of the Diocesan Pastoral Council (DPC), which assists the bishop in his governance of the whole diocese.

“With the DPC, the bishop, in his role as pastor and shepherd, benefits from the input and vision of the faithful, of the religious and the clergy that come together to discuss important issues the Church faces,” said Bishop O’Donnell.

The DPC’s mandate comes from the Second Vatican Council, which called for a pastoral commission to be established for each diocese, made up of specially chosen clergy, religious and lay people.

“The duty of this commission will be to investigate and weigh pastoral undertakings and to formulate practical conclusions regarding them.” (“Christus Dominus,” #27)

The council enables the laity and clergy together to assist the bishop in the ongoing discernment and implementation of an effective diocesan pastoral plan.

Its tasks include: investigating, considering and proposing practical conclusions about those things that pertain to pastoral works in the diocese; serving as a channel for communication from parish pastoral councils and deanery leadership for proposals that might benefit from the bishop’s consideration; helps and cooperates with the deans in their function, especially regarding the deanery parish leadership meetings.

The council includes two lay representatives from each of the five deaneries in the diocese — North, Central, Southeast, Southwest and the See City — as well as representatives of the permanent deacons in the diocese, religious sisters, immigrant communities, and the diocesan Chancery staff.

Bishop O’Donnell recently appointed representatives from all over the diocese to serve on the DPC and met with them for the first time on May 4.

Many of the current DPC members served on the council under the leadership of Archbishop Shawn Mc­Knight, who led this diocese from 2018-2025.

The bishop presides over the council’s quarterly meetings.

In keeping with Church law, all of Archbishop McKnight’s appointments to the various diocesan advisory councils ended when he was installed as the leader of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas last May.

Bishop O’Donnell said he’s looking forward to collaborating with the DPC to articulate and implement his pastoral vision more effectively and comprehensively for the diocese.

He’s grateful for the consultation for particular needs that come up in any given year, to have the insight of parishioners, parents, spouses, women religious and clergy.

“Their perspective helps shape the Church’s understanding,” the bishop stated.

The current members include:

• Ruth Hughes of Immaculate Conception Parish in Macon and Kevin DeHaan of St. Joseph Parish in Palmyra, North Deanery representatives;
• Kelly Wheeler of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Columbia and Sarah Robinson of St. Clement Parish in St. Clement, Central Deanery representatives;
• Elizabeth James of St. Martin Parish in St. Martins and Jonathan Pund of Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish in Jefferson City, See City Deanery representatives;
• Colleen Abbott of Our Lady of Snows Parish in Mary’s Home and Kent Korthas of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Pettis County, Southwest Deanery representatives;
• Patricia Butz of St. Patrick Parish in Rolla and Ed Gladden of St. Aloysius Parish in Argyle, Southeast Deanery representatives;
• Father Christopher Cordes, vicar for priests;
• Sister Ruth Ann Klauser of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Consecrated Religious representative;
• Deacon Ronald Deimeke of St. Joseph Parish in Martinsburg, Deacon Community representative;
• Deacon Enrique Castro of St. Peter Parish in Jefferson City, Hispanic Community representative;
• Barb Prasad, Women’s Ministry representative;
• Connor Souders, a student member of St. John Henry Newman Parish in Columbia, Newman Center representative;
• Patricia Lutz, director of Stewardship and Parish Vitality, staff liaison to the council for the bishop;
• Monsignor Robert A. Kurwicki, vicar general; Father Brad T. Berhorst JCL, judicial vicar; Benjamin Roodhouse JD JCL, chancellor; and Cassandra Atchison, executive director of communications, ex officio members.

Mrs. Abbott was reelected as DPC chair at the May 4 meeting. Sarah Robinson was reelected as vice chair.

To listen and advise

Mrs. Abbott said the DPC provides a structure for meaningful collaboration between the laity and the clergy of the diocese.

“When we look at the challenges the Church faces, such as ‘how do we bring the Church into the world?’ and ‘how do we bring the world into the Church in a positive way?’ — namely by drawing people back to church, it’s not that the bishop doesn’t have great ideas for how to do these things,” she said.

“But in order for him to make good decisions that impact the life of the people, he needs those voices of the laity,” she continued. “He needs them from a variety of different parishes, from a variety of different backgrounds and experiences of our faith and perspectives on what’s happening in the Church.”

The representatives of each deanery also hear what their fellow laypeople are saying in their parishes.

“We listen to what our fellow churchgoers have to say and bring that to our deliberations,” said Mrs. Abbott.

Bishop O’Donnell asks for all the faithful to join him in praying for the ongoing work of the DPC.

“Help us see God’s Spirit alive in the work before us,” he prayed, “and give us the grace to accomplish it, to the glory of God, the Father.”