Parish Pastoral Councils By-laws

 

ARTICLE 1 - NAME

 

The name of this organization shall be: "The Parish Pastoral Council of Saint Peter The Rock Catholic Church".

 

 

ARTICLE 2 -  NATURE AND PURPOSE

 

Section 1: The Parish Pastoral Council is a consultative body of the pastor which unites laity and clergy in a community of prayer, leadership, service and pastoral planning. Guided by the pastor, the councilors work together as they seek to listen to the Holy Spirit in discerning what is best for the parish in light of the Gospel, the Church's teaching and the experiences and needs of the parishioners and the surrounding community.

 

Section 2: The Parish Pastoral Council represents the interests and needs of the entire parish.

 

Section 3: The purpose of the Parish Pastoral Council is to promote the spiritual growth of the parish community and to plan ways for the parish to carry out the mission of the church.

  

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ARTICLE 3 - FUNCTION

 

The functions of the Parish Pastoral Council are:

 

• To advise the pastor on major pastoral concerns which affect the life and mission of the parish;

• To develop and frequently review the Parish Mission Statement;

• To listen to and evaluate the overall experience and quality of life of the parish community;

• To identify key needs and concerns of the parish;

• To review and refine the proposals made by the parish commissions;

• To evaluate progress in achieving parish goals;

• To encourage a more prominent lay involvement in the parish community;

• To communicate regularly with the parish community;

• To support and encourage communication and cooperation with the parish community and with the local civic community;

• To educate prospective members and to determine the leadership of the Parish Pastoral Council.

 

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ARTICLE 4 - MEMBERSHIP

 

Section 1: By virtue of his office, the pastor fully participates in the deliberations of the Parish Pastoral Council. The pastor is responsible for the final approval of council recommendations and for implementation by parish staff and other groups.

 

Section 2: Parish Pastoral Council shall consist of the parish leaders commissions and four-six (4-6) persons nominated by the parish community and selected through a discernment process which will guarantee a truly representative group. The pastor shall make the final determination of the membership.

 

Section 3: Membership is open to all registered and confirmed parishioners eighteen years of age or older.

 

Section 4: The term of office for new members nominated by the parish community and selected by the pastor shall be for two years. Council members may serve two consecutive terms. A period of one year must elapse before an individual is once again eligible for membership on the Parish Pastoral Council.

 

Section 5: The qualities for potential members include the following:

 

• Dedication of the mission and spiritual welfare of the parish;

• Commitment and ability to give time to attend meetings and to prepare sufficiently;

• Willingness to listen and to be open-minded to the ideas of others and the good of the whole parish;

• Willingness to work with the pastor who is the spiritual leader of the parish;

• Commitment to work in a group process of prayer, consensus building and planning.

 

Section 6: Membership on the Parish Pastoral Council requires attendance at all regularly scheduled meetings and retreats. A member who is unable to attend a council meeting should notify the chairperson prior to the meeting. If member misses three meetings within a calendar year without notifying the chairperson, it will be the responsibility of the chair person to contact the member concerning continuing membership on the council. After consultation with the member, the chairperson, with the approval of the pastor, may request the resignation of the member. The council will recommend the replacement after consulting with each other and final approval by the pastor for the remainder of the term. The new member is eligible to seek two additional terms.

 

Section 7: The Grand Knight of the KoC and the President of the CCW are invited by the pastor to be the Ad hoc members of the Parish Pastoral Council.

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ARTICLE 5 - NOMINATION AND DISCERNMENT OF MEMBERS

 

Section 1: Nomination and discernment of prospective Parish Pastoral Council members will take place in the following manner:

 

• The one of the last two weekends of September each year the chairperson of the council will report to the parish at each mass the status and progress of the Parish Pastoral Council. During the report the chairperson shall announce the upcoming nomination process in the appropriate election cycle. The announcement will be publicized in the parish bulletin.

• The first two weekends in October parishioners (sixteen years of age or older) shall be invited to nominate registered and confirmed members eighteen years of age or older of
  St. Peter The Rock Parish for membership on the Parish Pastoral Council.

• All those nominated shall receive a phone call or email from the chairperson inviting them to a discernment session to be held the third weekend in October.

• During the discernment session, prospective Parish Pastoral Council members will receive the Parish Pastoral Council Bylaws with detailed instructions concerning the nature, purpose and function of the Parish Pastoral Council.

• Those who attend this session will be invited to consider their personal gifts and charisms and the needs of the parish. They will be asked to fill out discernment sheets naming these gifts charisms and their ideas/thoughts/plans. These sheets will be used by the selection committee in choosing the new members.

• The pastor and the selection committee shall meet to choose the new members. Their selection shall be presented to the Parish Pastoral Council at the November meeting for the approval of the council.

• The whole council will meet for formation and preparation for their ministry on the Parish Pastoral Council. The formation and preparation of council members will be determined by the pastor and the leadership of the Parish Pastoral Council.

• The newly elected members will be commissioned for ministry on the Parish Pastoral Council in January during one of the Sunday Masses.

 

 

ARTICLE 6 - OFFICERS

 

Section 1: The Officers of the Parish Pastoral Council are the Chairperson,
Vice Chairperson and the Secretary.

 

Section 2: The selection of officers shall take place in January at the first meeting following the commissioning of the new members of the Council and shall be determined by consensus. The term of office is for two (2) years and is renewable and may serve two consecutive terms.

 

Section 3: Only those members who have served for one year or more are eligible for the office of chairperson. All members are eligible for the offices of vice chairperson and secretary.

 

Section 4: The duties of the chairperson are as follows:

 

• Provide significant time for prayer and reflection so each meeting may be conducted in a climate of faith;

• Develop unity and stability within the Parish Pastoral Council by promoting an atmosphere of trust and open communications;

• Preside at all regular and special meetings of the Parish Pastoral Council;

• Solicit topics for discussion at meetings from the Council members and develop the agenda for all meetings;

• Facilitate discussion during the meetings and make certain everyone has input into the consensus process;

• Act as spokesperson for the Parish Pastoral Council when appropriate;

• Encourage and support communication between the Parish Pastoral Council and the parishioners;

• Insure that the Parish Pastoral Council fulfills its duties and sets up a process for evaluation of the council’s effectiveness;

• Notify members of special meetings at least three days in advance.

 

Section 5: The duties of the vice chairperson are as follows:

 

• Perform the duties of the chairperson in his or her absence;

• Serve as an aid to the chairperson in conducting the work of the Parish Pastoral Council;

• Serve in anticipation of succeeding the current chairperson at the end of his or her term.

 

Section 6: The duties of the secretary are as follows:

 

• Provide for the recording of the minutes of all meetings of the Parish Pastoral Council. The assistance of a person who is not a member of the Parish Pastoral Council may be requested. This will insure that the secretary's ability to participate in council discussions will not be limited.

• Maintain a roster of the members and records of attendance;

• Notify the chairperson of those members and records of attendance;

• Email agenda and past meeting minutes to council members prior to the meeting;

• Keep on file careful records of the council's historical development, minutes and decisions.

 

 

ARTICLE 7 - COMMUNITIES, COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES

 

Section 1: In order to promote the spiritual growth of the parish and to foster the Mission of the Church, the Parish Pastoral Council collaborates with the parish communities, commissions and/or committees and other parish groups which exist in the parish. When necessary, the Parish Pastoral Council may recommend to the pastor the establishment of new communities, commissions and/or committees.

 

Section 2: The communities, commissions and/or committees of the Parish Pastoral Council of St. Peter The Rock Church are to insure spiritual life, social justice, education, cultural, community life, and evangelization.

 

Section 3: There are a Spanish Community and five Parish Commissions:

1. the Worship Commission

2. the Christian Education Commission

3. the Christian Service & Parish Life Commission

4. the Planning & Development Commission

5. the Stewardship Commission.

 

Section 4: The purpose and function of the community and each commission and/or committee is as follows:

• To build a faith community among members through prayer and sharing;

• To identify needs and challenges and recommend proposals for presentation at the Parish Pastoral Council meeting;

• To provide a forum for communication and the sharing of ideas in order to foster an awareness of the purpose, mission and activities of the committee;

• To coordinate activities and share resources when possible;

• To maintain ongoing communication with parish staff, organizations and the parish community at large;

• In addition to this meetings should be publicized.

 

Section 5: The term of the parish leaders on communities and commissions shall be for two years and is renewable. They may serve two consecutive terms. 

 

 

ARTICLE 8 - MEETINGS

 

Section 1: The Parish Pastoral Council shall meet a minimum of six times per year as scheduled by the members. Parishioners are encouraged to voice their needs and concerns to members of the Council who, in turn, shall present these needs and concerns to the Council.

 

Section 2: All meetings shall be conducted in a spirit of prayer, reflection and deliberation. Every effort should be made to reach decisions by consensus. Consensus is defined as the process of arriving at a decision through open discussion and resolution of major discrepancies.

 

Section 3: If, after a reasonable amount of time, the pastor and/or chairperson feel that consensus on a particular issue is not possible, one or both may call for a simple majority vote. The pastor and/or the chairperson may also determine that a matter is of such importance that a two-thirds majority is required. Each member of the Council shall be entitled to one vote.

 

Section 4: The pastor is expected to give due consideration to the advice and recommendation of the Parish Pastoral Council and not act contrary to such advise without reasonable and justifiable cause.

 

Section 5: The pastor is not bound by any act of the Parish Pastoral Council.

 

ARTICLE 9 - AMENDMENTS

 

The Bylaws of the Parish Pastoral Council may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Council by consensus of the members and the approval of the pastor. Proposed amendments may be submitted in writing to the chairperson of the council by any member. The chairperson will then present the amendment at the next meeting. Copies of the amendment should be distributed to members at least one week prior to the meeting during which the amendment will be considered.
 

 

 

 

 

Prepared by the Steering Committee

and approved by Fr. Liem Nguyen, Pastor, and the Finance Council.        

 

 

Date: February 09th, 2017

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Chairman: Dr. Richard Schmude                   Pastor: Rev. Liem Nguyen     

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