Bishop Sahaya Thatheus Thomas Emphasises Communion and Co-responsibility: Strengthening Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) and Parish Finance Council (PFC)
In a significant step towards strengthening lay participation and co-responsibility in parish life, Most Rev. Dr. Sahaya Thatheus Thomas, Bishop of Simla-Chandigarh, has reaffirmed the importance of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) and Parish Finance Committee (PFC) as instruments of communion, participation and mission.
As per the Circular (Ref. DSC/Cir.06/2026) issued by the Bishop on 18 September 2026, all parishes are called to ensure the proper constitution, renewal and effective functioning of these bodies in accordance with the Diocesan Statutes. This also reflects a key objective of the Commission for Laity: promoting meaningful and responsible lay participation in parish life. (DPP, Commission for Laity, Objective 2, KPI 1, Activity 4, Page 113)
The PPC assists the Parish Priest in fostering pastoral participation, communion and mission, while the PFC supports responsible financial administration and stewardship. Both are more than administrative structures; they are expressions of synodal participation and co-responsibility, bringing priests, religious and lay faithful together in service of the Church.
The initiative seeks to ensure that parish councils are not merely structures, but living instruments of communion, participation and mission, strengthening the role of the laity in the life of the Church.
Mr. Arun Fredrick
Secretary, Commission for Laity
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