Preface
For many years, St. Mary’s has been supported by a Parish Council composed of nine elected members and representatives of all staff functions and ministries within our church. That organization functions smoothly and has been responsible for conceiving and supporting many important improvements and refinements.
In the Fall of 2002, at the request of our pastor, the elected members of the Parish Council undertook the task of defining a Pastoral Council – a smaller group dedicated specifically to fulfilling the objectives defined in Article II of these bylaws – and comprised of both elected and appointed members.
The existing Parish Council is to be replaced by two groups: The Pastoral Council and the Council of ministries. The Council of Ministries will seek to involve actively as many parishioners as possible in parish life, worship, and its ministries. It will also take on all functions of the previous Parish Council with the exception of those defined in these bylaws. While the Pastoral Council and council of Ministries will function as distinct groups, they will interact on a regular basis to assure that the lay work of the Parish continues to be conducted in an effective and fully coordinated manner.
Article I – Name
St. Mary’s Pastoral Council
Article II – Objectives
The specific objectives of the Pastoral Council are:
- To seek and document the opinions, attitudes, and ideas of the total parish community;
- To do pastoral planning for the good of the entire parish by appraising its spiritual and Physical needs;
- To develop goals, objectives, and assign priorities; and,
- To engage in on-going consultation with the Pastor.
Article III – Membership
The Pastoral Council shall be composed of twelve councilors who are representative of the entire parish.
- The Parish will initially elect nine councilors; thereafter, three new councilors are to be elected each year.
- Three councilors shall be appointed by the Pastor.
The normal-term-of membership for all councilors is three years, beginning on July first of the year they are elected.
Elected councilors may serve for no more than two consecutive terms; appointed councilors may serve for mo more than three consecutive terms.
Article IV – Elections
Each April, the Pastoral Council will create a nominating committee whose purpose will be to solicit parish members interested in serving on the Pastoral Council. The existence and composition of the nominating committee will be published in the parish bulletin along with a contact point.
All confirmed parishioners are welcome to propose themselves for consideration.
Elections will be held by ballot during masses on a designated weekend in June.
Article V – Officers
The Officers of the Pastoral Council are the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson, and the Secretary.
The Chairperson shall be designated from the elected and appointed councilors through the annual election process.
The Vice Chair and the Secretary shall be elected by the Pastoral Council from its membership each year at the meeting following the parish election.
Article IV – Meetings
The Pastoral Council meets at least nine times a year, six of which will include the Council of Ministries.
The Pastor or Chairperson may call additional meetings whenever necessary.
The location and time of all regularly scheduled meetings will be published in the Parish Bulletin and posted on the Parish Web Site.
All meetings of the Pastoral Council, as well as its joint meetings with the Council of Ministries, are open to all parishioners and members of the church staff.
The minutes of a previous meeting will be distributed to all members of the Pastoral Council at least one week prior to the next meeting. In addition, once the minutes are approved, a summary will be prepared for the web site and the parish bulletin.
Article VII – Amendments to the Bylaws
Modification of any portion of these bylaws shall be accomplished by the following sequential process:
- First, the proposed change must be recommended and discussed at meeting of the Pastoral Council;
- Second, the proposed change must then be published in the Parish Bulletin and posted on the Parish Web Site; and
- Finally, the proposed change will be read and voted upon by the Pastoral Council at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
September 2009
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