What is unique with this committee vs the pastoral council and Bishop Neary listening presentation committee? 

  In its early stages, the Holy Saints ACC Pastoral Council had a clear focus derived from diocesan guidelines & accomplished important objectives , e.g. a joint ACC bulletin, shared ministry responsibilities among priests, hiring a singular Faith Formation coordinator & creating a unified program.

Addition of Eden Valley (Assumption parish) to clergy assignment significantly disrupted our ACC in many ways. Most notably,* requiring one priest (Fr. Don) to collaborate within two ACCs simultaneously. The Holy Saints ACC Pastoral Council took a hiatus so Fr. Don could discern a manageable governance structure for his unique situation (i.e. working in 2 ACCs). The diocese provided no further direction and thus our ACC council became dormant.                                                       

*Another immediate requirement was the cancelation of a weekend Mass – SMHOC lost its Saturday 6pm Mass.

Bishop Neary’s “ACC Pastoral Visits” in 2023-24 required each ACC to create a new committee whose members would offer a presentation of the different ministries, activities, and parish histories within our ACC. This committee drew heavily from the membership and absorbed the work of the dormant HSACC Pastoral Council. Our Pastoral Visit and presentation to Bishop Neary took place in June 2024 along with several other ACCs.

The All Things New (ATN) planning initiative required pastors to create an “ATN planning committee” for each ACC in fall/winter 24-25. Members had to be selected by pastors based on specific new parameters with accompanying job descriptions & commitment expectations of members. As much as possible, our ATN planning committee included members of the still dormant ACC pastoral council. The purpose of the ATN planning committee submit a proposal to Bishop Neary no later than December 2025 of how the structure of our ACC will conform to the “design parameters” laid out by the diocesan planning office.