In September, 2003, representatives of the 5,500 families who make up St. William the Abbot Parish gathered together to discuss being part of the Pastoral Council of St. William the Abbot Parish.  The recently promulgated diocesan Guidelines for Pastoral Councils served as the focus of the discussion.  The role of the Council, as articulated in this document, “is, through ongoing long range pastoral planning, to maintain the integrity of the parish mission and the objectives and goals related to it, not to run the day-to-day activities of the parish.  Within this model, the events and programs that take place in the course of a year through the efforts of many dedicated parishioners and pastoral staff continue, but always in the context of the parish mission and its pastoral plan.”  In the subsequent months after that initial meeting, several more meetings have taken place and ten parishioners have agreed to serve the parish in this capacity. 

As the months unfold, the policies, procedures and practices of the Council will be further refined.  The opportunity is taken at this time, however, to introduce the Council members to the Parish.  The sentiment among the Council Members is very strong in wanting parishioners to know that they should feel free to get in touch with any of them when there are concerns, comments or suggestions.  And while the role of the council, as indicated already, is not to run the day-to-day activities of the parish, their desire is help the parish to grow and knowing the thoughts of fellow parishioners will be of greatest importance in that regard.

You can contact the Parish Council via e-mail by CLICKING HERE.

CLICK HERE TO obtain the ST. WILLIAM THE ABBOT PASTORAL COUNCIL GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES

The current members of the Council are the following people:

 

My name is Rosemary Cain and I’ve been in the parish for 40 years.  I have raised four children.  I am retired from an Insurance Company.  My parish involvement includes working of the Parish Census and Family Festival.  This is my second term on the Pastoral Council.

 

 

My name is Catherine DeCesare and I have been a parishioner in St. Williams for fifty years.  My late husband and I raised four children, Donna, Margaret, Mark, and Louise.  My parish involvement includes Nocturnal Adoration Society, Catholic Ministries Appeal, and Family Festival.  This is my second term on the Pastoral Council.

My name is Debra Eannel.  My husband and I married, moved to Seaford, and became a part of St. William’s parish in 1996.  I am the VP of Loan Operations & Residential Lending at Signature Bank in NYC.  Currently, my parish involvement includes:  Lector, Eucharist Minister, Blood Drive, and a cake baker for the Ministry of Consolation.

 

My name is Wilbur “Bill” Erb and I have been a member of the parish for 50 years.  My wife, Maureen, and I have raised five children, Patricia, Kenneth, Terrence, Barbara, and William; four graduated from St. William the Abbot School, and we now have twelve grandchildren.  I am a retired Insurance Claims Rep. after a career as a N.Y.C. Police Officer.  My present parish involvement includes Eucharistic Minister, Nocturnal Adoration, Catholic Ministries Appeal, Outreach Transportation, General Office Helper and Abbot Inkeeper

 

 

 

 

My name is Tom Lazicky and I’ve been a member of the parish since 1996.  My wife, Karen, and I have five children; John, Christy, Mark, Taylor, and Grace.  I am a systems engineer at Computer Associates.  I am a member of Antioch and a small Christian Community group, as well as a Eucharistic Minister and Religious Education Teacher.  This is my second term on the Pastoral Council.

 

My name is Arlene Martin.  My husband and I have been parishioners for 47 years.  Our grown children were involved in the youth activities at St. Williams for many years.  I am a retired educator from the Massapequa School District but continue my involvement in education by teaching at Molloy College and being on the Massapequa School Board.  I have actively participated at St. Williams in the Religious Education Program, the Wedding Ministry and the Bell Choir.

 

 

 

 

My name is Jeanne O’Donnell and I’ve been in the parish for 44 years.  My husband, James, and I have four children; James, Edward, Joni, and Terrence, and eight grandchildren.  I enjoy working on the St. William’s Family Festival each year.  I am an RN and work as a school nurse at Blessed Sacrament in Valley Stream and Pat-Kam School in Uniondale.  This is my second term on the Pastoral Council.

 

 

My name is Patrick Rooney.  My wife, Patricia, and I joined St. William’s Parish in 2003 because we found it to be a wonderful place to worship.  We have two grown children and hope to make involvement in the parish family a meaningful part of our retirement.  I am a Eucharistic Minister and Patricia is a volunteer in the Religious Education Office.

 

 

 

 

 

My name is Gail Tomczyk.  I was born and raised in St. William’s parish, am a graduate of St. William’s School, and have been a parishioner all my life.  My husband Ed and I were married at St. Williams and have been actively involved in parish and school life.  Our eight children are also graduates of St. Williams School and two of our five grandchildren attend St. Williams now.  Thru the years I  was a member of the School and HSA Boards, a Girl Scout Leader and Den Mother, Class Mother and Lunch Mother, coordinator of the school BINGO program, and a volunteer and coordinator on numerous school fund raisers.  I am also involved with the Auction, Family Festival, Golf Outing, Ministry of Consolation, Parish Census, and Building Campaign Committee.  It is my privilege to now serve on the Pastoral Council

 

 

 

My name is Chris Wilson and I have been a member of our parish all my life, as well as a graduate of St. William’s School Class of 1972.  My husband, Randy, and I have been married for 26 years.  We have two children, Kimberly and Ryan, and one grand-daughter, Kaitlyn.   My parish involvement includes teaching Religious Ed, Lector, and Eucharistic Minister.  This is my second term on the Pastoral Council.