767 ELM STREET * ROCKY HILL * CONNECTICUT 06067
|
767 ELM STREET * ROCKY HILL * CONNECTICUT 06067 |
           
|
767 Elm Street Rocky Hill, Connecticut 06067 PASTORAL COUNCIL CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE We, the People of God, in the Parish of St. James, Rocky Hill, Connecticut in union with each other, with our Pastor, with the chief shepherd of our Archdiocese and with the Apostolic Church founded by Christ governed by His Vicar, the Bishop of Rome and successor of St. Peter, do hereby unite to form a pastoral council. We do so conscious of the fact that every one of us is a member of the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27) and that in this body there are different gifts but the same Spirit, different ministries but the same Lord (ibid. vv4-5). We acknowledge that each of us is called upon to offer their particular gift of ministry for the service of the whole body, so that in everything God may receive the glory through Jesus Christ (1 Pt 4:11). We do so in response to the recommendations of the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, who after urging that councils be formed in dioceses "to assist the apostolic work of the Church either in the field of making the gospel known and making men holy, or in the charitable, social or other spheres," added that so far as is possible similar councils should be established in parishes also (Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity - #26). Finally, aware that Christ has told us that without Him we can do nothing (Jn 15:5); we ask for the guidance of His Holy Spirit so that all our words may be spoken and all our works done in His charity and all our efforts may contribute to the establishment of His reign. ARTICLE I. Name the name of this body shall be the St. James Pastoral Council, hereinafter referred to as the "Council". Mission Statement: St. James Pastoral Council recognizes God's gifts in all his people. We seek to listen, influence and guide St. James Parish. ARTICLE II. Purpose and Objective Section l: The Pastoral Council is a shared effort of the clergy and laity to collaborate in the ministry of the parish community. The Pastoral Council advises the pastor and ceases to exist when that pastor terminates his parish assignment or withdraws approval of the Council. Section 2: The Pastoral Council is a consultative body of the parish. The goal of the Council is to provide wisdom, to give direction, to serve and to be a catalyst for development. To accomplish this goal the Pastoral Council we seek: - to advise the pastor on present and future needs of the parish community, based on the mission of Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit; - to assist the pastor as an instrument for sharing the mission of Jesus, proclaiming His Gospel, building His Community, celebrating His liturgy, and serving His people; - to set an example of unity and cooperation as a Christian community to the parish and the Church. Section 3 The purpose of the Council shall be: a. To accept responsibility with the Pastor for the life and mission of the Church in the parish. b. To act as an authentic representative voice of the Parish community People of God - to the Pastor. c. To provide an open and honest forum of communication and dialogue regarding parish affairs among the Pastor, Deacon, parish staff and the parish community. d. To assist the Pastor in the administration of the parish through recommendations and active cooperation. e. To encourage by all available means a vigorous and effective lay apostolate. f. To collaborate with other religious bodies and with civic, business and professional organizations in working for the common good of the community. g. To participate, by active cooperation with other Councils, in the total life and mission of the Church within the Archdiocese. h. To be a visible witness to all of the message and service of our Lord Jesus Christ. i. To discern the needs, temporal and spiritual, of the parish, its people, and the wider community of which the parish is a part, and to find the resources to meet those needs. j. To encourage coordination and mutual assistance in the integration of the ministries of the various parish committees and groups. k. To develop itself into a praying unified Christian community. ARTICLE III. Relationship of Council and Pastor Section 1 - Role of Pastor The Pastor is to provide a ministry of spiritual leadership and pastoral supervision to the parish community (as contained in Canon Law revised 1983). He bears the ultimate responsibility for the development of the faith community. Pastors must sincerely acknowledge and promote the dignity of the laity and the role which is proper to them in the mission of the Church. They should scrupulously honor that just freedom which is due to everyone in the earthly city. They should listen willingly to the laity, consider their wishes in a trusting spirit and recognize their experience and competence in the different areas of human activity, so that together with them they will be able to read the signs of the times. (Decree on the Ministry of Priests #9). Priests are to be sincere in their appreciation and promotion of lay peoples dignity and of the special role the laity has to play in the Church's mission. They also should have an unfailing respect for the just liberty which belongs to everybody in civil society. They should be willing to listen to lay people, give brotherly consideration to their wishes, and recognize their experience and competence in the different fields of human activity. In this way they will be able to recognize along with them the signs of the times. While trying the spirits if they be of God, they must discover with faith, recognize with joy and foster with diligence the many and varied charismatic gifts of the laity whether these are of a humble or more exalted kind. Finally, priests have been placed in the midst of the laity so that they may lead them all to the unity of charity, "loving one another with brotherly affection; outdoing one another in sharing honor (Rom. 12:10). Theirs is the task, then, of bringing about agreement among divergent outlooks in such a way that nobody may feel a stranger in this Christian community. (Decree on the Ministry of Priest #9) Section 2 - Role of Laity Vatican II defined the role and obligation of the laity in the ministry of Christian leadership; challenging them to develop and utilize their gifts and leadership in the service of Christian community. The ministry is a conversion of heart and acceptance of Christ's call to care for and serve others to accept and live the discipleship of Jesus. Participants in the function of Christ, Priest, Prophet and King, the laity have an active part of their own in the life and action of the Church. Their action within the Church communities is so necessary that without it the apostolate of the pastors will frequently be unable to obtain its full effect. Following in the footsteps of the men and women who assisted Paul in the proclamation of the Gospel (cf. Acts 18:18-26; Rom. 16:3), lay persons of a genuinely apostolic spirit supply the needs of their brothers and are a source of consolation no less to the pastors than to the rest of the faithful (cf 1 Cor. 16:17-18). Nourished by their active participation in the liturgical life of their community, they engage zealously in the apostolic works; they draw men towards the Church who had been perhaps very far away from it; they ardently cooperate in the spread of the Word of God, particularly by catechetical instruction; by their expert assistance they increase the efficacy of the care of souls as well as the administration of the goods of the Church. (Decree on the Laity Second Vatican Council #10) Section 3 - Role of Parish Trustees The Parish Trustees exercise a public ministry to the Church as "trustee" or "steward" and are accountable to it. They need to know the parish goals, priorities and decisions developed by the Council. Section 4 - Role of Parish Finance Council By a directive of the Revised Canon Law 1983, every parish must have a Finance Council. The Finance Council is responsible for advising the Pastor on financial matters. It is expected that there will be an ex-officio link between the Finance Council and Pastoral Council. The Pastoral Council, therefore, is not directly concerned with financial questions of the parish. Section 5 - Role of the Pastoral Council a. The Council shall, in the manner and to the extent set forth in this Constitution, act as an advisory body to the Pastor for all matters of the parish including, but not limited to the spiritual, educational, and social except to the extent limited by Church law, faith, morals, archdiocesan policy and civil law. b. The Council shall submit its recommendations to the Pastor in the form of conclusions. These recommendations will be the result of a process of consensus. It is the responsibility of the Pastoral Council Leadership that all members present have an opportunity to be heard before any final recommendations are made. At the end of this process, any member of the Pastoral Council may call for a vote to ensure that the consensus process has been met. The Parish Staff shall abstain from this vote. ARTICLE IV. Membership Section 1 The Council shall be comprised of a maximum of 24 members. There shall be four categories of Council membership. 1) Staff: Pastor, Deacon. Director of Religious Education/Formation, Director of Music and Pastoral Associate 2) Committee Representatives: Members of the Pastoral Standing Committees who act as liaisons between the Council and their respective committees. 3) At Large: Laity from the adult parishioners 4) Representative of the Finance Council (ex-officio) Section 2 All council members shall take office at the first regular meeting of the Council following their appointment and shall serve until their successors are appointed. Article V. Nominations, Appointments, Resignations, Removal SECTION 1. A. Eligibility Any person who has attained the age of 18, with the exception of the Youth representative; if any and who is a registered member of the parish in good standing shall be eligible to be a member. B. Qualifications The Council is established to further the faith, growth and mission of the parish community. Parishioners called to the ministry of membership in the Council should: 1) Be persons of prayer, of personal growth in their faith and living signs of Christ 2) Be knowledgeable concerning the Life of the Church 3) Offer time, talent, skill or knowledge to the Council 4) Have experience in parish activities/ministries. C. Responsibilities Being a member of the Council carries responsibilities: 1) Involvement in personal and parish spiritual growth 2) Participation in Pastoral Council meetings, goal setting and evaluation. Section 2. Nominating Committee The nominating committee shall look for interested parishioners to serve as members of the Pastoral Council's At Large category. a) Every member of the Council is an ex-officio member of the Nominating Committee. b) There shall be Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary shall be official members of the Nominating committee in addition to the Pastor. c) The Nominating Committee shall place a notice in the Parish bulletin before the end of March to make the parishioners aware that they are seeking members for the Pastoral Council. d) The Nominating Committee shall meet with the interested parishioners and make their recommendations to the pastor before the end of April. e) At the May Council meeting the Nominating Committee shall introduce the new members. f) The new Council members shall be introduced to the Parish by having an installation ceremony of all members in September. The names shall be listed in bulletin. Section 3. Term of Office a) All members, excluding the category of staff members, shall serve a term of two years. b) Members shall not serve more than three consecutive terms. c) During the first year after the Council Constitution is approved ,one half of the Standing Committee representatives and at large laity shall have a one year term. This is meant to provide a staggered rotation of Council membership. d) In the event that an At Large member resigns prior to the expiration of his/her term, the Nominating Committee will recommend someone to serve the remainder of the term. Section 4 - Orientation It is vital that all new Council members attend an orientation program before September of the year that they become members. Section 5. Resignation and Removal a) Resignation: Any member of the Council may resign by submitting a written resignation b) Removal: the Chairperson or Pastor shall request the resignation of one or more members for just cause after consultation with the remaining Council members. Just cause shall include missing three consecutive meetings without excuse, physical or mental incapacity, conviction of a felony and/or losing good reputation in the parish community. Any member shall be given the opportunity to be heard prior to the decision of the Council. ARTICLE VI. Officers Section 1 The officers of the Council shall be Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary. Section 2 At the Annual Meeting, the members of the incoming Council shall select the officers. a. The officers shall be nominated and selected from those members of the Council seated as a result of appointment or as outlined in Section V of the Constitution. Section 3 The duties of the officers of the Council shall be: a. Chairperson: The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Council and shall have the authority to call such special meetings that in his/her judgment may be necessary. He/She shall render periodic reports to the Pastor and the parishioners on the completed and projected work of the Council and shall perform all other duties that customarily devolve upon the office of Chairperson. The Chairperson is responsible for setting an atmosphere of prayer, charity and unity; communication between council and parishioners; communication with the pastor, and communication with Committee chairs and parish staff. The Chairperson shall insure compliance with the constitution. b. Vice Chairperson: The Vice Chairperson, in the absence of the Chairperson or in the event of the latter's inability for any reason to carry out the functions of his/her office, shall assume during such absence or disability the duties of the Chairperson. He/She shall perform such other duties as may be delegated to him/her by the Chairperson. c. Secretary: The Secretary shall take minutes of all regular and special meetings of the Council, preserve them in a permanent record, and send copies of such minutes to all members of the Council at least one week prior to the next regular meeting, along with the agenda for that meeting. The Secretary shall prepare and send out all correspondence necessitated by the work of the Council and shall maintain permanent files of such correspondence. Section 4 - Vacancies in Office a. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall automatically succeed and fill out the unexpired portion of the term. b. In the event of a vacancy in any office except that of Chairperson, the Council shall select from among its own membership someone to fill that office. Section 5 Each officer shall, at the expiration of his/her term of office, turn over to his/her successor all books, papers, and other records and property pertaining to his/her office. ARTICLE VII. Committees Section 1 a. The Standing Committees of the Council shall be: Liturgy, Social Concerns, Community Life, Respect Life, Youth, Building and Grounds and Stewardship. (The standing committees can be reviewed at any time and shall be reviewed yearly at the annual meeting) b. Each Standing Committee shall appoint a representative of that committee to the Pastoral Council to act as liaison between the council and that committee. Section 2 The Chairperson of each Standing Committee shall call meetings as often and at such times as in his/her judgment may be necessary. The representative of the Standing Committees shall be prepared to render a report on the work of the committee at all meetings of the Council. Chairs of Standing Committees shall serve no more then two consecutive 2 years terms. Section 3 The responsibilities of each of the Standing Committees shall be as follows: a. Liturgy: The responsibility of the Liturgy Committee shall be to plan, facilitate and enrich the liturgical celebrations of the parish. b. Social Concerns: The responsibility of the Social Concerns Committee shall be to promote the Gospel message by addressing social and community needs through direct service and action for justice. c. Community Life: The responsibility of the Community Life Committee shall be to provide for the social and community life of the parish in order to strengthen the bonds among parishioners. d. Respect Life: The responsibility of the Respect Life Committee shall be to affirm the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death, through prayer and action, and by bringing awareness of Pro-Life issues to Saint James parishioners. e. Youth Group: The responsibility of the Youth Group shall be to provide an opportunity for high school students to meet and share their faith through various activities. f. Stewardship: The responsibility of the Stewardship committee shall be to promote the sharing of time, talents and resources with others. g. Building and Grounds: The responsibility of the Building and Grounds committee shall be the maintenance and care of the parish building and property, with attention to safety and upkeep. h. Publicity: The responsibility of Publicity shall be to promote Saint James Parish activity through any media available. ARTICLE VIII. Meetings Section 1 Pastoral Council shall meet every month (except July and August) for regular business meetings and once yearly for goal setting, reflection and assessment. A meeting can not be held without the Pastor in attendance. Section 2 The meeting held in the month of June shall be known as the Annual Meeting and shall be for the purpose of seating the new Council, selecting officers, receiving reports, and for any other business which may arise evaluating the past years accomplishments. Any matters left unfinished at the adjournment of the Annual Meeting shall constitute the first order of business at the next regular meeting. Section 3 Regular meetings of the Council shall be open to all parishioners as observers. Section 4 The order of business of the meeting may include: a. Prayer b. Introduction of any parishioners in attendance c. Approval of the minutes of the last regular meeting and any special meetings of the Council. d. Unfinished Business e. New Business f. Pastoral Staff members reports g. Standing committee reports h. Special committee reports i. Closing prayer j. Adjournment The time allotment for the meetings should be 1.5-- 2 hours. Section 5 Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson or at the written request of one-third of the members (excluding any ex-officio members) of the Council. The purpose of any special meeting shall be stated in the call. Except in cases of emergency, at least three days notice shall be given of any special meeting. ARTICLE IX This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the Council by a two-thirds vote of the council members present (excluding ex-officio members). A copy of the proposed amendment shall be provided to the council membership one month prior to the meeting at which a vote is to be taken, and such notice shall be included in that prior meeting's agenda. Adopted February 3, 2003 Amended January 2, 2006 |