Constitution & Bylaws
Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, Parish Pastoral Council
Constitution and Bylaws
** Approved June 13, 2011 **
Constitution:
We, the members of Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church have been erected as a parish since October, 1960. We are a portion of the People of God within the Diocese of Lexington, Kentucky, entrusted by our Bishop to the care of a Pastor. In accord with Canon Law and the norms of our local Church, our Pastor will establish a Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) to advise him in the Pastoral care of our parish. Canon 536 §1 If, after consulting the council of priests, the diocesan Bishop considers it opportune, a pastoral council is to be established in each parish. In this council, which is presided over by the parish priest, Christ's faithful, together with those who by virtue of their office are engaged in pastoral care in the parish, give their help in fostering pastoral action. §2 The pastoral council has only a consultative vote, and it is regulated by the norms laid down by the diocesan Bishop.
We, in faith, promise to be good stewards of the privileges and duties that arise from our initiation into the Catholic Church. Furthermore, those of our parish called to serve on the PPC will commit themselves to that particular share in the mission of Jesus, Our Saving Lord, by putting their time, talent, and treasure at the service of God through the mission of this particular parish. We call every parishioner to this stewardship. The specific operations and obligations of the Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish Pastoral Council will be enumerated within our bylaws. Following them, the members of the PPC will give their cooperation and advice to our Pastor. Together, the Pastor and the PPC will encourage and guide our whole community to support of our mission as good stewards.
BYLAWS:
Article I: Name
This organization, henceforth, will be called Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish Pastoral Council (herein referred to as PPC).
Article II: Purpose and Function
Pastoral decisions are the role and prerogative of the Pastor. In accord with the spirit of Vatican II, the Code of Canon Law, and the norms of our local Church, our Pastor and the members of our parish recognize the value for consultation and dialogue in the process of making sound Pastoral decisions. The members of our PPC, as a consultative body, will make themselves available to our Pastor to offer their prudent advice to accomplish the Parish Mission, to wit, to proclaim Christ and to teach the Good News, to bear witness in the community, to serve as Jesus commanded, to celebrate the realities of faith, and to be Christ to one another. The fundamental purpose and function of the PPC is to lead the parish community in the discernment and expression of its Mission. The PPC shall serve as the parish visionaries and planners, who as a body, through prayer, discussion and discernment, offer insight and advice to the Pastor regarding the near and long term goals of the parish and implementing plans to achieve such goals. This encompasses investigating, contemplating, discussing and proposing Pastoral matters in a manner, which ideally, generates a consensus. To those ends, the PPC may establish such subcommittees, as needed, regarding the fundamental needs and expectations of the parishioners. The PPC seeks to achieve its purpose and function by:
a) Praying that with the grace of God, they may discern the voice of the Holy Spirit;
b) Building a community through faith sharing;
c) Learning more about the Church and the needs of the parish - including its Pastoral, spiritual, social, economic, financial, religious and other needs;
d) Annually establishing prioritized goals and objectives for the parish, based on the Parish Mission;
e) Coordinating all parish activities to ensure that the goals and objectives are being addressed faithfully as they are implemented by Committees;
f) Evaluating existing programs for efficacy as to the goals and objectives, and recommending actions for their improvement; and
g) Serving as a forum for constructive dialogue and communication within the parish community.
Article III: Eligible Members
All PPC Members are to be:
a) Fully initiated Catholics who actively practice the Faith, and are in good standing with the Church and participate in the ongoing parish life, particularly Sunday Eucharist;
b) Registered parishioners of Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish;
c) At least eighteen years of age, with the exception of the Youth Representative who is preferably at least entering his or her junior year of high school; and
d) Committed to preparing for and participating in PPC meetings to accomplish the Mission and goals of the parish.
Article IV: Composition and Terms
The PPC shall be comprised of three (3) types of Members: Parochial/Staff Members, At Large Members and Ministry Members.
1. Parochial/Staff Members. The PPC shall have at least two (2) Parochial/Staff Members.
Presider. The PPC Presider:
a) Is the Priest assigned as our Pastor or as our Parish Priest;
b) Makes the ultimate decision on all matters brought before the PPC;
c) Participates in PPC deliberations and setting of agenda; and
d) Has the right to dissolve the PPC and to appoint a new one.
The Presider shall serve on the PPC as long as he remains the Pastor or Parish Priest. The Presider may appoint a Parochial Vicar to act as Presider in his absence.
Parish Pastoral Staff. The Parish Staff Member(s):
a) Serve by appointment of the Presider;
b) Advise the PPC as to those matters within his or her knowledge and purview; and
c) Assume tasks assigned to them by the Presider and/or the Chair.
Parish Pastoral Staff Member(s) are non-voting Members. Staff Member(s) serve on the PPC at the pleasure of the Presider; thus their term is indefinite, often corresponding with their terms of employment.
2. At Large Members. The PPC shall have at least six (6) At-Large Members who shall constitute the Executive Committee of the PPC. The Executive Committee shall consist of five officers who are appointed annually by the PPC to serve as Chair, Vice Chair, Recorder, Liaison to the Parish Finance Council, Liaison to the Parish School Board, and one (1) Alternate. In addition to assisting the PPC in arriving at a consensus recommendation to the Presider, the Executive Committee appointees perform the following duties.
Chair.
The PPC Chair:
a) Participates in preparation of agenda with Presider and Recorder; and
b) Serves as facilitator of the meetings.
Vice Chair. The PPC Vice Chair:
a) Fills the role of the Chair if the Chair is absent.
Recorder. The PPC Recorder:
a) Records the business of all PPC meetings;
b) Submits written minutes to PPC Members;
c) Prepares agenda with Presider and Chair;
d) Notifies the members of all scheduled and specially called meetings; and
e) Disseminates pertinent information to PPC between meetings.
Liaison to the Parish Finance Council. The Finance Council Liaison:
a) Attends meetings of the Parish Finance Council;
b) Reports the concerns and actions of the PPC to the Parish Finance Council; and
c) Reports the concerns and actions of Finance Council to the PPC.
Liaison to the Parish School Board. The School Board Liaison:
a) Attends meetings of Parish School Board;
b) Reports the actions and concerns of the PPC to the Parish School Board.
c) Reports the actions and concerns of the Parish School Board to the PPC.
Alternate. The PPC Alternate:
a) Fills an Executive Committee vacancy as needed.
At Large Members of the PPC (and thus its Executive Committee) serve three-year terms; and they may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. After two consecutive terms, At Large Members are eligible to re-serve on the Executive Committee following a one-year absence or upon approval of the Presider with consultation of the PPC.
At Large Members ideally are elected to serve on the PPC through parish-wide elections. Eligible and available candidates will be made known to the parish and a vote will be conducted by written ballot. The candidate or candidates receiving the most votes shall serve as At Large Members. In the event there are insufficient eligible candidates to fill At Large vacancies, or where time or circumstances require, At-Large Members may be appointed by the Presider, with the consultation of the PPC. To provide for continual rotation within the Executive Committee, two (2) At Large Members should be elected and/or appointed every year.
3. Ministry Members. The PPC shall have a member from each of the following committees deemed essential to the PPC and a Youth Representative.
Evangelization. The Evangelization Committee is responsible to “bring the Good News of Jesus into every human situation, seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel itself” (Paul VI, On Evangelization in the Modern World). The essential mission of the Church is to evangelize. Specific responsibilities include:
a. Bringing about in all Catholics such an enthusiasm for their faith that, in living their faith in Jesus, they freely share it with others. The evangelization of our parishioners is one of its primary goals;
b. Inviting all people, whatever their social or cultural background, to hear the message of salvation in Jesus Christ so they may come to join us in the fullness of the Catholic faith; and
c. Fostering gospel values in our society, promoting the dignity of the human person, the importance of the family, and the common good of our society, so that we may continue to be transformed by the saving power of Jesus Christ.
Formation/Education. The Formation/Education Committee is responsible for identifying and meeting the educational and formational needs of the entire parish community—families, adults, young persons, children, single, divorced and widowed—and to meet those needs by working collaboratively with parish staff and volunteers with the goal of continually improving the effectiveness of the religious formation program. Specific responsibilities include:
a. Looking ahead to our parish’s educational needs and to how they will be addressed;
b. Planning and recommending policies to help the parish respond to the formation and educational needs of all parishioners;
c. Reviewing formation ministry requests for funding and submitting a budget to the Finance Council for approval and monitoring how funds are spent; and
d. Evaluating the quality and effectiveness of parish educational programs.
Youth Ministry. The Youth Ministry Committee prepares our Catholic youth for Christian life and mission by fostering a deeper sense of Catholic identity in an environment where their talents and gifts are utilized for the development of self, church and the wider community.
Specific responsibilities include:
a. Developing an environment where the talents and gifts of our young people are explored and affirmed for the further development of the Church and the wider community;
b. Empowering our young people to actively promote the Church among the youth;
c. Developing in our young people a deeper sense of their Catholic identity and a greater appreciation for prayer; and
d. Consulting with the Presider to appoint of a Youth Representative on the PPC.
The Youth Ministry Committee in consultation with the Presider shall appoint one individual, who is preferably at least entering his or her junior year of high school, to serve on the PPC as the Youth Representative. Ideally, the appointee should be selected by the majority vote by his or her peers; however, appointment of a Youth Representative to the PPC without an election is permissible.
Liturgy. The Liturgy Committee plans and provides for the spiritual development of the parish community through meaningful liturgies and other forms of parish worship. The committee should include individuals who represent all aspects of the parish in terms of age, gender, race, education, etc., as well as the Pastor, Parochial Vicars, Deacons, music director and worship coordinator. Specific responsibilities include:
a. Establishing short-range and long-range goals for the liturgical life of the parish based on the vision of the Church shaped by the documents of Vatican II, the Bishop and the PPC;
b. Planning and preparing for celebrations of worship in the parish;
c. Coordinating and overseeing the recruiting, training, and renewal of liturgical ministers;
d. Providing for the ongoing liturgical formation of parishioners, as well as the committee itself, in order to promote full, conscious and active participation of the faithful;
e. Communicating and collaborating with the Pastor and other staff members to
establish parish policies concerning various rites and liturgical matters, e.g. weddings, funerals, baptisms, first communions, and confirmations, in accord with diocesan norms; and
f. Providing for a regular process of evaluation in all of the above areas.
Stewardship. The Stewardship Committee is to help parishioners realize that all we have, and all we are, comes from God. Stewardship is a way of life, a way of thanking God for all his blessings. The Stewardship Committee supports the theology and practice of stewardship by identifying opportunities and inviting parishioners to make commitments of time, talent, and treasure to our parish. Specific responsibilities include:
a. Helping to provide a sense of stewardship or discipleship for each parish member and ministry area;
b. Developing and implementing strategies to enhance the effectiveness of efforts relating to cultivating and nurturing the sacrificial giving of our time, talent, and treasure; and
c. Communicating with the parish regarding the human, operational, and capital needs for ministries and service.
Christian Service/Social Concerns. The Committee on Christian Service/Social Concerns makes efforts to provide service to others. The Committee works to change the social conditions that create needs both within our parish and in the larger community. The mission to which Christ calls the Church clearly includes works of charity and justice. Jesus’ own mission was characterized from the beginning by what the Church has come to call social ministry— outreach and service to others. Specific responsibilities include:
a. Identifying needs to be addressed;
b. Establishing short-range and long-range goals that are measurable;
c. Providing opportunities for parishioners to become involved;
d. Providing educational resources for faithful citizenship in the parish; and
e. Evaluating the quality and effectiveness of established goals.
Parish Life. The Parish Life Committee is to emphasize the importance of human relationships in the parish. The Committee strives to provide fun and wholesome opportunities for parishioners to get to know one another at a deeper level, reinforcing the sense of community and family, and helping us understand the true meaning of hospitality. Specific responsibilities include:
a. Promoting family life;
b. Providing social opportunities for parishioners to meet and interact; and
c. Developing an awareness of the needs of singles, couples, parents and retired members of our community.
Ministry Members are appointed by the Presider upon recommendation of the respective Ministry and each serves at the pleasure of the Presider and their respective Ministry Committee members. The Ministry Members will assist the PPC Executive Committee in arriving at a consensus recommendation to the Presider by:
a) Periodically meeting with their Ministry teams;
b) Submitting a written report of its activities and concerns to the Recorder for each PPC meeting;
c) Annually evaluating the activities and operations of their respective Ministry and reporting to the PPC as to how such activities and operations coincide with the near and long term goals of the parish; and
d) Annually preparing a proposed budget for their respective Ministry for the Finance Council.
Additional Members. In addition to the PPC Members named above, the Presider, in consultation with the PPC, may appoint one or more Additional Member(s) from time to time as may be necessary to address any parish need or goal. The Additional Member(s) serve at the pleasure of the Presider in consultation with the PPC.
Resignation and Removal of Members.
PPC Members have the right to resign at any time. Membership on the PPC may be terminated by the Presider for:
a) Failure to perform PPC duties; or
b) Upon written request of two-thirds of the PPC’s Membership.
Vacancies created by removal or resignation will be filled by election, or appointment by the Presider after consultation with the remaining PPC Members.
Article V: Meetings
The PPC will normally meet monthly, but the schedule may be altered. All regular meetings of the PPC shall be open and meeting dates should be published in the parish weekly bulletin and/or by such other means reasonably calculated to give notice to parish. In the event, the meeting agenda contain matters of sensitivity and privacy, the PPC will go into private session, which is closed to non-Members. The Presider may authorize the presence of one or more non-Members or may remove a Member from a closed session as he deems appropriate under the circumstances. All parishioners have the right to bring business to the PPC provided she/he has submitted a detailed description of the said business to the Presider and/or Chair in sufficient time to address the matter prior to the next meeting.
Article VI: Modifications/Amendments of the Bylaws
These Bylaws may be amended in writing from time to time as deemed necessary by the
Presider upon consultation of the PPC.
Revisions
Date of Approval Section(s) Revised and Nature of Revision
13 June 2011 Complete Bylaw revisions per Diocesan Guidelines. Revisions include:
Identifying and defining types of PPC Members – Parochial/Staff Members, At Large Members, Ministry Members, and if necessary, Additional Members.
Revisions further clarified and defined the respective roles of the PPC Members and restated the fundamental role of the PPC as the parish visionary and planner which as a group reaches a consensus and makes recommendations to the Pastor/Presider to advance the Parish Mission. PPC Members’ terms, and the process of electing and/or appointing Members, were further clarified.
24 Mar 2009
Addition to Article IV: Composition, Section 3. Executive Committee, Membership Requirements
l) In the event of no candidates or not enough candidates running for the PPC, the Pastor will appoint parishioners to the executive committee of the PPC. These people will serve the normal two year term on the council.
15 Oct 2007 Simplified Article IV: Composition, Section 2. Ex-Officio Parish Pastoral Staff
25 Sep 2007 Article IV: Composition:
1. Section 2. Ex-Officio Parish Pastoral Staff:
a. Change Parish Life Director to Community Life Coordinator (to align with Diocese)
b. Change Youth Ministry to Youth Ministry Coordinator (for consistency)
c. Add Music Director
2. Section 4. Ministry Committee Coordinators and Youth Representatives
a. Change Parish Life to Community Life (to align with Community Life Coordinator)
3. Revisions page added to track changes
01 May 2007 All: Major review and alignment
Document Maintained - The latest soft copy version of this document is located on the MQHR
Website (http://www.mqhr.org). Printed copies are to be used for reference only and are not controlled. The PPC Chair is the overall document contact and is responsible for coordinating updates to the document.
Approval – The MQHR Parish Pastoral Council voting members approve all revisions to this document with final ratification by the PPC Presider (Pastor).
Distribution / Notification - The primary users of this document are the individuals performing the roles as outlined in Article IV: Composition. Primary users of this document are notified of changes and are responsible for forwarding this notification to members of their extended teams.