Today, pastors oversee a variety of parish ministries. While they have ultimate responsibility, they are not the authority in every ministry. The relationship among pastors, principals and heads of other parish ministries is a peer relationship. Each person has expertise in the particular ministry but each works as part of a team. Pastors and principals have come to rely on the talents of competent parishioners.
Education committees develop the budget, approve policy and offer advice.
In today s complex society, no pastor or principal is expected to know all the answers. The parishioners support the parish by the gift of their talents, which is a form of stewardship. Changes in funding. Forty years ago, Catholic schools did not charge tuition or, if they did, it was very modest. The expenses of the schools were minimal largely because the sisters and brothers worked for a modest stipend.