AMDG
WHEAT Family Pastoral Council
24 September 2025
Fr. Bernard Nowak, Pastor; Fr. Karl Loeb, Sr. Parochial Vicar; Tom Di Scipio, Chair, Annunciation Parish (AP); Tama Gresco-Sauers, Trustee, St. Vincent de Paul Parish (SVdP); Bob Hasselbach, Stacey Robasse, Immaculate Conception Parish; Chas Sauers and Dave Squire, (SVdP); Greg Wiltrout (AP); Karen Wojtowicz (AP); Ed Bukowski, Recording Secretary (SVdP).
The meeting convened at 6:37 PM.
Fr. Karl led a prayer.
- Di Scipio read the mission statement. (Copy attached.)
Update from Fr. Bernie: “We’re on the ‘red list’ for (Road to) Renewal. There are 3 categories; we’re in (number) 3 (the lowest) … The Diocese is not seeing (a realistic) increase in receipts (as the Family Parishes have budgeted). … Money is being taken out of savings (by the Parishes) to meet expenses. … I’ve no problem with any of the bookkeepers in our houses. … Faith formation in all three houses would put us in Category 1. … I think after the meeting (of Families) on the 30th, we’ll be alright.” We’ll be in Category1 after the meeting. Fr. Karl: The Pillars are having meetings. Fr. Bernie: From the 30th on, we’ll jumpstart. There are to be four representatives from each Family.
- Direction for the Council: The Family Pastoral Council should help the Parishes. Each Parish Council reviews what’s recommended. Grasca-Sauers: We need a list of how we’re falling short and what we need to do. Fr. Bernie: Each Parish will have a finance committee; the corporation for each Parish will remain in existence.
- Mass schedule: There will be no 7:00 AM Mass at AP, but a 9:00 AM Mass daily, beginning 29 Sep. The 8:00 AM Mass at SVdP will return, because of parking problems, beginning the first Sunday of Nov. Fr. Bernie: “Don’t need Bishop’s exemption (from Mass attendance) in the event of a driving ban (because of weather”. The Thanksgiving Mass schedule was confirmed.
- New Pillar approach by the Diocese (upcoming meeting): The Diocese has called the Sep 30th meeting on RtR progress. Bernie: “The Pillars are not going away. … Buildings & Grounds (B&G) falls under the Administration Pillar. … (B&G) should be in each Parish because those people know what’s needed.” Security ideas should be shared. Fr. Bernie: “We don’t want a student opening a locked door because someone’s knocking on it.”
- Robasse: We assembled a schedule of fund-raisers in the Family Parishes and eliminated conflicts.
Secretary-Uploading minutes to the website and summary to bulletin: To upload FPC minutes to the Family website, the minutes should be e-mailed to T. Di Scipio / D. Cahill Family Business Manager.
Other Business (open suggestions and discussion):
Fr. Karl: “Life in the Spirit” apparently is modular. It’s scheduled for the month after Easter. T. Gresco-Sauers: We had Mission at SVdP, then LitS at AP. Should there be an interval? All the Family1st Communions are in April. Fr. Karl: Young people are coming to SVdP for10:00 AM Mass, and also Tuesday and Thursday Masses, and Confession. Fr Bernie: There are new Parishioners at all three Parishes, from St. George’s and St. John Vianney. All Soul’s Day, Nov 2nd, is on a Sunday this year. “The Liturgy talks to us, we don’t talk to the liturgy.”
Chas: “What happens to the “WHEAT” name? (When we are only a single Parish)”. It will be replaced by a new name, to be determined.
Regularly scheduled meetings. The FPC will routinely meet the 3rd Wednesday of each month, ‘at least for a while”. T. Di Scipio: We will invite one or two Pillars to attend each meeting.
Reflection on the week’s Gospel Reading: The Gospel for the 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Sep 21, was read. Fr .Karl: Deacon Jim Jaworski preached that the steward “took care of others so that they would take care of him”. The steward was prudent.
Fr Karl led the Lord’s Prayer as a closing prayer and, with Fr. Bernie, blessed the attendees.
The September meeting adjourned at 7:52 PM.
WHEAT Family Pastoral Council Mission
The Family Pastoral Council serves as a visionary body, guiding our Parish community toward a future rooted in faith and service. We inspire and empower our members to work together, leveraging our collective strengths to enrich the spiritual lives of our Parishioners and strengthen our community bonds.