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St. Noel
Pastoral Council is committed to the use of a discernment
process both in the selection of its members and in its responsibility
to make recommendations.
By discernment
is meant the consciously Christian intention to reach decisions
which are in harmony (or more in harmony) with God's will.
As St. Paul writes "Do not be conformed to the world
but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you
may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable
and perfect." (ROM. 12.2)
Although
voting can be a part of the process, the commitment to discernment
discourages a decision-making process based simply on majority
rule. Rather the decision-making process provides adequate
time for education, persuasion, and attention to the minority
voices in the discussion. For lit is believed that it is precisely
in this process that God's will can emerge.
The aim
of discernment is always to reach a consensus among the group
members. To facilitate this consensus, adequate time should
be given for:
- each
individual to reach his or her own decision
- the
sharing of these individual decisions with the entire group
- reevaluation
of individual decisions in light of the group sharing and
especially the reasoning of the minority positions.
- attempting
to build a common consensus that the entire group can own.
Because
the Pastoral Council is a group built upon spiritual foundations,
it is appropriate for the Council to employ this spiritual
process of discernment in which members fully expect God's
will to be recognized. In order for discernment to function
effectively it will be necessary for the members of the Council
to:
- be
free from an excessive attachment to one's own opinions
and selfish goals, and from any prejudice or bias
- be
committed to develop a spiritual vision which will sense
the will of God
- be
desirous to decide an issue on the basis of what will promote
the spiritual good of the parish rather than what is most
efficient, profitable, or productive for public acclaim
or publicity.
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