St. Charles Borromeo Parish at 1818 Coal Pl SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106 US - Pastoral Council Guidelines

 

1. The Pastoral Council is a consultative body, representing the members of Saint Charles Borromeo Church whose mission is to:

2. The Council shall consist of appointed, elected, and ex-officio members. Only registered and contributing parishioners (time, talents, and treasure) are eligible to hold office as a Council members.

3. The Council shall be composed of the followed members:

a.      Pastor (ex-officio)

b.      Deacons (when able to be present) (ex-officio)

c.      Nine (9) members discerned from the parish, representing the variety of parish members.

4. An executive committee shall consist of the Pastor, Council Chair, Vice Chairperson, and Secretary. The executive committee shall develop the agenda for regularly scheduled meetings of the Council with the pastor, a week before the meeting.

 

5. The members of the Council shall be elected and vacancies filled according to the procedures described in these guidelines. Council members serve for a three-year term, with a possible renewal for three more years.

6. During the Ministry Fair of the parish, new members will be recruited. If there are more than three members, recruited from the Ministry Fair, a discernment meeting is held shortly after the Ministry Fair, with all the Council members, to fill the three positions on the Council.

7. Any member desiring to resign from the council shall submit his/her resignation in writing to the council after discussion with the chairperson and the pastor.

8. Any member of the Council, who is absent from three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the Council shall, unless an excused absence, cease to be a Council member.

9. Terms are to be staggered in order that one third of all members of the Council will be discerned each year. The method of establishing terms shall be determined by the Council. Present and future members of the Council shall hold office until successors be discerned or until prior resignation, or disqualifications by unexcused absence from three consecutive Council meetings. No member may serve more than two (2) full year terms in succession.

10. All members are eligible for election to the following Council positions: Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary. Nominations for officers shall come from discerned Council Members.

11. Elected officers shall hold office until a replacement has been elected at the next annual election. Each fall, the executive officers shall be discerned among the nine council members. No member shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms.

12. The Chair shall preside at all regular and special meetings of the Council, so as to maintain an open, cooperative working relationship; shall coordinate with the executive committee and the Pastor, in drawing up the regular meeting agenda; shall ensure that activities of the Council are in conformity with guidelines established in the Pastoral Council Handbook.

13. The Vice-Chair, at the request or in the absence of the Chairperson, shall perform duties and exercise the function of the Chairperson, and shall perform other duties as delegated by the Council. 

14. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping minutes of the Council; receiving and disposing all correspondence as directed; preserve all reports and documents committed to his/her care; shall perform such duties other as the Council may require of the secretary from time to time.

15. Regular meetings of the Council shall be held at least once each month in the calendar year, with a special annual Leadership Day with the other parish councils and committees. This meeting is usually held in August Meetings shall normally take the form of regular business meetings. The date, time and place of each regular meeting shall be published in the parish bulletin.

16. All parishioners may attend regular meetings as observers and may speak when recognized by the chair at the appointed time reserved on the agenda.

17. The Council reserves the right to adjourn to closed session at any regular or special meeting so as to discuss confidential matters.

18. Special meetings of the Council may be held at any time at the call of the Pastor or Chair, or at the request of a quorum of the members of the Council. Special meetings may be open to parish members; or restricted to Council members depending on their purpose.

19. Notice of all regular meetings of the Council shall be made by the Chair to each member of the Council at least seven (7) days prior to the date of the meeting. In the case of special meetings, the Chair shall notify Council members at least 24 hours before the meeting.

20. At all meetings of the Council, a simple majority of the elected members shall constitute a quorum.

21. A two-thirds majority vote of the Council membership is required for discernment of officers.

22. The Council shall strive to make all decisions by consensus.

23. The Council may establish and appoint such other committees for specific pastoral needs and for a limited time. Ad-hoc Committee(s) make regular reports at Council Meetings.

24. The Council will invite regular parish organizations/committees to meetings to present reports given about the ministry and assist in the work of the organization. Each year, during the goal setting process, ministries/organizations will be identified and a schedule created to invite parish groups to Council Meetings.

25. Amendments to these guidelines may be introduced by Council members at a regular meeting of the Council; the amendments are to be submitted in writing and voting on the amendments shall take place at the next regular meeting of the Council or at a meeting specified for such purpose. Each amendment to the guideline will require a two -thirds majority vote of the membership to pass. Amendments are subject to the approval of the Pastor.

26. Minutes will be given to council members within two weeks of a meeting.