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

Saint Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Community

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

a.    Work together with the Pastor to form a community of leadership in service to the larger parish and Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

b.    To create, inspire and demonstrate leadership, in, and for all matters relating to liturgical ministry of Saint Charles Borromeo Church and its parochial school, hereinafter called “the parish.”

c.     To serve as a medium, whereby all members of the parish may make known their views of all liturgical matters of the parish.

d.    To promote the best interests of the parish and to take positive action to ensure its good worship and proper development.

e.    To implement the parish mission statement.

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

3. The Commission shall be composed of the following members:

a.    Pastor  (ex-officio)

b.    Deacon(s) (when able to be present)

c.     Music Minister (ex-officio)

d.    Lector Coordinator (ex-officio)

e.    Communion Minister Coordinator (ex-officio)

f.      Altar Server Coordinator (ex-officio)

g.    Environment & Art Coordinator (ex-officio)

h.    Catechumentate (RCIA) Worship Coordinator (ex-officio)

i.       Other members representing the variety of parish members and Masses

4. An executive committee shall consist of the pastor, commission chair, vice chair, and secretary.  The executive committee shall develop the agenda for regularly scheduled meetings of the commission with the pastor, a week before the meeting.

5. The members of the commission shall be discerned and vacancies filled according to the procedures described in these guidelines.  Commission members serve for a three-year term, with a renewal term of 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 commission members, to fill the three positions on the commission.

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

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

9.  Terms are to be staggered in order that one half of all members of the commission be discerned each year.  The commission shall determine the method of establishing terms.  Present and future members of the commission shall hold office until successors are discerned or until a resignation, or disqualification by unexcused absences from three consecutive commission meetings.  No member may serve more than two (2) full terms in succession (six years).

10.  All members are eligible for election to the following commission positions: chair, vice-chair, and secretary.  Nominations for officers shall come from discerned commission 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 commission 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 commission, 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 commission are in conformance with guidelines established in the Liturgy Commission Handbook of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

13.  The vice-chair, at the request, or in the absence of the chair, shall perform duties and exercise the function of the chairperson, and shall perform other duties as delegated by the commission. 

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

15.  Regular meetings of the Commission shall be held at least once each month in the calendar year, with a special annual Leadership Day with the other parish groups.  This meeting is usually held in August and 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 by the pastor.  There are no meetings in July or December.

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 commission reserves the right to adjourn to closed session at any regular or special meeting so that confidential matters may be discussed and the observers may exit.

18.  Special meetings of the Commission 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 commission.  Special meetings may be open to parish members; or restricted to commission members, depending on the purpose.

19.  The chair of the commission will give notice of all regular meetings of the commission at the end of meeting.  In the case of special meetings, the chair shall notify commission members at least 24 hours before the meeting.

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

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

22.  The Commission shall strive to make all decisions by consensus.  The Commission is advisory to the Pastor and Principal. 

23. The Commission may establish and appoint such other committees for specific financial needs and for a limited time.  Ad-hoc Committee(s) are formed from time to time to assist the commission and the pastor in particular projects.  Ad-hoc Committee(s) make regular reports at council meetings.

24.  The Commission will collaborate with the Pastoral Staff and the Finance Council in the parish budget process, beginning in March of each year.

25.  Amendments to these guidelines may be introduced by Commission members at a regular meeting of the Commission; 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 guidelines will require a two-thirds majority vote of the membership to pass.  Amendments are subject to the approval of the Pastor.

Proposed:  November 12, 2007

Updated: November 26, 2007

Approved:  January 7, 2008