Parish Pastoral Council Nomination/Election Committee
Divine Infant Catholic Church (Orléans ON)
Final Report - December 2nd, 2023
Dear Parishioners,
We completed the task that our pastor, Fr. Waldermar, entrusted to us last September. All your ballots from last
weekend’s election have been counted, each nominee has been contacted and thanked, and the parish priests have
been informed of the results.
These are the five members elected to the Parish Pastoral Council:
Having gone through this unique parish experience, we have a few pearls that we would like to share with you as our final report.
First, we were edified by the willingness of eleven parishioners to put their names forward, participate in an election, and
invest their time and resources in a very concrete way for this parish’s ongoing pastoral life. It was noted by clergy and parishioners
alike, how difficult the choice of only 5 candidates would be from these very gifted eleven nominees.
Also, for many of us, we were able to put names to the faces of people who have been seated with us at Mass and learn a bit about their
lives, their talents, and their desires for this parish. The nomination and election process seemed to rally and unite us in a manner
that helped us move away from the isolation we experienced as Catholics during the COVID lockdown. This trend is well worth
continuing – getting to know those seated around us at Mass and not waiting for a future election for it to occur.
And finally, we were blown away by your response! From each and every Mass, we received a high num-ber of ballots. At some Masses,
we noted as many as 45% of parishioners voted. In total, 255 parishioners voted in this parish election!
These voting numbers are telling. We are a strong parish, invested and interested in parish life, supportive of our pastors and
focused on ensuring continued pastoral activities here at Divine Infant Catholic Church. Seeing the laity involved in this way in parish
life, we were filled with a sense of Christian fellowship, of being part of the “living stones” that are building Christ’s Church. This
is a lifelong journey and we know it will not stop now!
We thank God for the many blessings received throughout this nomination and election process. We pray that God will continue to guide and
grow this parish community through the works of our Clergy, the Parish Pastoral Council and its Ministries, and all Divine Infant parishioners.
Respectfully submitted,
Victoria Puziak, Dcn Philip Richards, and Michèle Clermont