Pastoral Council & Commissions
The Pastoral Council is a vehicle for the parish members to share in the pastoral mission of Jesus Christ and the Church in a specific location in the Archdiocese. It does this by developing Catholic identity, promoting evangelization, and fostering stewardship. It strives to build a community of disciples who recognize their baptismal calls to lives of holiness, witness and service and engages in a continual process of pastoral planning, which takes into account the needs and priorities of its parishioners, the Archdiocese, the broader community, and the world.
The Pastoral Council advises and consults with the pastor about the overall direction of our church to fulfill the mission of Jesus and meet the needs of our parishioners & beyond. The Council consists of 13 members. Our members serve as liaisons, exchanging ideas with the St. Eugene standing committees(all listed and described below), the Finance Council, and the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. In addition to attending the Common Meeting Night, the Pastoral Council meets 6 times every other month.
Pastoral Council Members
James Wawrzyn - Chairman
Kathleen Roling - Vice Chairman
Amy Fussman - School Commission Liaison
Kathleen Kirchner - Worship Commission Liaison
Sally Lautmann - Human Concerns Commission Liaison
Preston MacQueen - Stewardship Commission Liaison
Tim Lambert - Finance Commission Liaison
Bill Hudson - Parish Trustee
Eileen Placek - Parish Trustee
Parish Commissions
Human Concerns Commission:
The Human Concerns Committee strives to make a difference in the lives of many throughout our community and beyond. This committee is the helping hands of Christ, working with great passion to touch, care and share Christ’s love in meaningful ways through a variety of programs and ministries, some of which include Service Saturday, Food Pantry Ministry, Grant Allocations to charities and Sandwich Saturday. Additionally, we look for ways to incorporate the principles of Catholic Social Teachings into parish related activities. We love to welcome new volunteers to help with the numerous ministries we pursue and support.
Formation Commission:
The Formation Committee is a sounding board for our parish staff on all aspects of Catholic formation. Committee members are in a unique position to have a positive impact on all parishioners through programs that form and enhance our daily lives to understand the teachings of Christ that we might grow spiritually and in knowledge and faith. Some programs include children's catechism, confirmation, RCIA, BOOYA, Book Clubs, Women's Ministry, The Man Cave and the Parish Mission. As Formation is a shared ministry between St. Eugene and St. Monica Parishes, the Formation Committee is a joint committee serving both parishes. Our Committee meets six times a year, alternating meeting locations between St. Eugene and St. Monica's Common Meeting Night. It is an excellent opportunity to give back to the parish without taking on a significant time commitment.
School Commission:
This group serves in an advisory capacity to the Principal and School Leadership on the issues of policy, finance, public relations, and the North Shore Catholic Schools committee. It is an important sounding board for the trends and challenges facing all catholic schools today. Members become well-informed, invested participants in the current and future direction of our award-winning school. Each term lasts 3 years.
Stewardship Commission:
What is stewardship? Simply put, stewardship is recognizing that all we have is a gift from God, belongs to God and is to be used to serve God. At St. Eugene Parish the stewardship committee incorporates this belief in it’s overall goal of leading people into a deeper spiritual formation as disciples of Christ. As our personal relationship with Jesus increases, so too our willingness to share our gifts with others. The Stewardship Committee guides the parishioners to move beyond the concept of “stewardship equals money” to “stewardship equals mission”. Stewardship then becomes a chosen lifestyle to follow the mission of sharing our time, talent and treasure for the betterment of our parish and the greater glory of God.
The Committee is composed of parishioners who assist in a variety of the activities designed to help the parish flourish evangelically, spiritually, socially, and financially. These activities include the Committed to Christ series, the annual Parish Mission, the promotion of outreach ministries, the Parish picnic, collaboration with St. Eugene School events, the annual Dinner/Auction and the annual renewals of time, talent and financial support.
The work of the Stewardship Committee has never been more important or urgently needed in the life of the Church. As faithful stewards, we trust in God, and trust that through prayer, planning, and perseverance, stewardship will become the spark that lights the fire of passion in a parish. Once ignited, that fire will burn brightly as good and faithful stewards share their gifts and work together to build up God’s kingdom.
Becoming a member of the Stewardship Committee offers one the joyful opportunity of truly living out Christ’s call to spread the gospel and to foster growth of His Church.
“As with all things pertaining to the Gospel, stewardship is fundamentally the work of the Spirit in our lives… Wherever the Spirit works, there is joy.” STEWARDSHIP: A DISCIPLE’S RESPONSE U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter
Worship Commission:
The Worship Committee is a committed group of individuals who love the Mass and making it the best it can be at St. Eugene! The committee is responsible for recruiting and training new ministers, and coordinating and scheduling all of the liturgical ministries at the parish- altar server, sacristan, ushers, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and lectors. We also work closely with the pastoral staff and our Director of Liturgy to coordinate any and all liturgical celebrations we have at St. Eugene. If you’ve ever loved our Masses at St. Eugene and wanted to get more involved, Worship is a great choice for you!
Finance Council:
Working together with the parish Chief Financial Officer, Director of Administrative Services and Trustees, members of the council provide advice and guidance to the Pastor in a number of areas, including: the administration of parish assets, preparation of the parish budget, regular financial statement reviews, monitoring the overall financial condition of the parish, formulation and communication of the parish’s annual financial report.