In living out the mission of the church, every person of God is involved. Pastoral activities and policies are implemented to enact the mission of the local church. Such pastoral duties and policies are best developed through participation and collaboration. These actions are rooted in the responsibility of all the baptized to respond to their baptismal call to the common good of the Church and the larger community of which it is a part.
The Parish Pastoral Council is representative of the parish and is involved in the whole ministerial life of the parish.It counsels with the pastor in ministerial areas and thereby shares with him the responsibility for the life and mission of the Church.
We will strive to ensure a collaborative and collegial relationship between the staff and the consultative structure in the assessment, development and delivery of high quality ministry to the parish, local community and beyond.
TITLE
The name of this body will be the Parish Pastoral Council of the Church of Saint Edward, herein after referred to as the Council.
2.PURPOSE
The Council is a consultative body, which advises the Pastor by providing input through discernment of pastoral needs on the direction setting and vision realization of the parish.The purpose of the Council shall be to collaborate with and assist the Pastor in building a sense of community within the parish and furthering the mission of the parish to the broader church and to our global human family.Recommendations to the Pastor on issues are provided by consensus.
3.MEMBERSHIP
The Council shall consist of the Pastor and approximately Sixteen (16) members. All members of the council will have the same status except the Pastor and the Trustee, who are non-decision making.Members will include:
·Pastor
·One member chosen by each of the parish’s six (6) Commissions
·One member of the Finance Committee
·One Trustee
·The Director of Stewardship & Administration
·One member of the ministry staff
·Six (6) members from the parish community
·At the discretion of the Pastor, up to three (3) additional members may be chosen as knowledge members.
4.OFFICERS
The Pastor, by virtue of his canonical office, presides over the Council.This presidency is rooted in his presidency over the parish community, which is liturgically expressed in the celebration of the Eucharistic liturgy.For the sake of accountability to the diocesan bishop whom he represents and to the people of God whom he serves, the Pastor must assure that decisions and actions of the Council are in conformity withchurch and civil law.
The Council of the Church of St. Edward will have the Pastor's presiding presence and complete involvement in the process; however each year the Council will elect from its own non-staff membership a chairperson who conducts the meetings and a vice chairperson.
Council members in their second and third year of membership are eligible to serve as officers.
5.MEETINGS
The Council meets on a regular basis, including an annual budget meeting. All meetings are open to the parish community except those expressly designated as Special Sessions by the Pastor.
6.COMMISSIONS
The Pastor and/or the Council shall establish Commissions and Committees as required to fulfill the ministries of the parish. At Saint Edward’s, the standing Commissions are:
·Spiritual Life and Worship
·Pastoral Care
·Social Justice and Charity
·Faith Formation
·Parish and Community Life
·Stewardship and Administration
7.AMENDMENTS
The consensual decision-making process will be used by the Council to recommend adoption of a Constitutional amendment.A reasonable period of time shall be given for feedback on such proposed amendment from the parish at large.Upon approval by the Council and the Pastor, the amendment will be adopted.
8.BY-LAWS
By-laws of the Council and amendments to the by-laws may be adopted by consensus at any regular meeting of the Council with approval by the Pastor.
ADOPTION
This constitution shall be effective upon:
a.Consensus of the council
b.Approval by the Pastor
Submission to the Archdiocese for review
CHURCH OF SAINT EDWARD
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
BY-LAWS
Revised November 2006
ROLE OF A MEMBER
Each Parish Pastoral Council (“Council”) member’s primary role is to identify:
The pastoral needs of the parish.
The descriptors of high quality ministry to meet the pastoral needs.
The barriers to high quality ministry for all parishioners.
To fulfill this role, Council members may engage in the following:
Engage parishioners in substantive conversations regarding needs and satisfaction.
Scan local, regional and denominational environments for key trends and influences.
Guide parish-level processes of visioning and participation in decision making with input from parishioners.
Assess alignment of the parish vision, pastoral needs, ministry, and resources across the Commissions and Committees.
Commit to deep and broad faith dialogue and development regarding key issues within the church and society.
2.TERMS OF OFFICE
·The term for each officer of the Parish Pastoral Council shall be for one year or until their successors are elected.
·The At-large council members may serve a three year term with a maximum of two consecutive three-year terms.
·Council members representing parish commissions serve a one-to-three year term with a maximum of 6 years.
·The Finance Committee member serves a one-year term and a maximum of 6 consecutive years.
·The Trustee serves as long as s/he holds the position.
·The Director of Stewardship & Administration serves as long as s/he holds the position.
·A staff member representative will serve a one-month term.
·A knowledge member serves at the discretion of the Pastor.
SELECTION
·A process of discernment is used to choose the At-large council members.
·A consensual process is used to choose Commission representatives from their respective Commission.
·A consensual process is used to choose the staff member by the entire staff.
·A consensual process is used to choose the Finance Committee member by this Committee.
·The Pastor chooses knowledge members.
AT- LARGE MEMBER NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS
·Criteria for membership to the Council are:
oBe a baptized Roman Catholic 18 years of age or over
oBe a registered and active member of the parish for a minimum of one year
oBe committed to prayer, study, listening and dialogue
oBe committed to giving the time needed for participation
oWillingness to abide by the constitution and by-laws including the process of consensual decision making
·The nominating process will include:
oAllowing adequate time before Pentecost for communication to all parishioners announcing the Council vacancies, providing information of the position description for a council member and outlining the nomination process;
oA general call for nominees that will encourage the broadest possible participation by the parish;
oNotification of nominees and confirmation of their interest in serving
oA discernment process that will include an informational meeting on the purpose of the Council and the role of its members
·The selection of new members will take place by lot on Pentecost Sunday.
·The commissioning and presentation of the new Council to the parish will take place in the first quarter of the new fiscal year.
5.DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Council.The Vice Chairperson shall perform all the duties of the Chairperson when the Chairperson is absent or unable to act.They, together with input from the Pastor and Director of Stewardship and Administration, shall prepare meeting agendas.
VACANCIES
Vacancies on the Council can happen in a number of ways, including:
·Resignation.
·Inability to fulfill the criteria for membership on the Council
·Discretion of the Pastor
When a vacancy occurs, replacements are handled by:
·At-large member: at the discretion of the Pastor with input from the Council
·Commission representative: by the Commission.
·Finance Committee representative: by the Finance Committee.
·Trustee: by the Pastor.
·Director of Stewardship & Administration: by new person in the position
·Staff representative: by the Staff
MEETINGS
·Council meetings shall be open to all Parishioners except those meetings expressly designated as Special Sessions by the Pastor.Time is available at each meeting for Parishioners to address the Council
·Only members of the Council will participate in the consensual process.A quorum will consist of a simple majority of the members.
·Regular meetings of the Council shall be held at least nine times per year with the day, time and place to be specified by the Council.
·Special meetings may be held at any time at the call of the Pastor, the Chairperson, or at the request of the Council as a body by consensus.
·Notice of all regular meetings shall be made in parish communications prior to the meeting.Minutes of Council meetings shall be made available in a timely manner.
8.COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES
A.The standing Commissions of the Council shall be:
·Spiritual Life and Worship
·Pastoral Care
·Social Justice and Charity
·Christian Faith Formation
·Parish and Community Life
·Stewardship
B.The Commissions' purpose is to collaborate with the council on vision realization and to fulfill the mission of the Parish.They empower and encourage parishioners at all levels of ministry.They serve as a conduit for communication between the Council and the Committees and parishioners.They foster decision-making within the group most impacted by the change.
C.The Commissions may establish Committees to fulfill the vision and goals of the parish and to carry out the Commission activities and functions.
·Committees shall establish guidelines in collaboration with the Commission.
·Each Commission is responsible for the establishment of its own operating Committees.
The Council shall establish ad hoc Committees as necessary.
