Saint Robert's Catholic Church PARISH COUNCIL BY-LAWS Bylaws as of Fall 2003 ARTICLE I - Name The name of the Council shall be: St. Robert's Pastoral Council.   ARTICLE II - Purpose and Functions Our Parish Community is centered in the worship of God the Father through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. This worship leads to the gospel works of peace, justice and love which are shown by our service of God for one another. The purpose of the Council is to nourish the continual development and growth of our Parish Community. The Pastor has called forth this Council to share the responsibility of leadership in our Parish.   SECTION 1. The Council shall be the ministerial vehicle through which a representative body of the Parish shall meet to pray, discern, deliberate and decide in common agreement, those matters for which they share responsibility as part of the parish leadership and which affect the well-being of the entire parish community.   SECTION 2. As a unifying force, the Council shall endeavor to guide and promote the mutual coordination of all the ministries and organizations of the Parish and to facilitate consistently good communications among them. The Council shall attempt to determine and to utilize the talents of all members of the Parish.   SECTION 3. The Council shall continually survey and assess the needs, both spiritual and temporal, of the individual, the family and the Parish. The Council shall address these needs, prioritize them, set goals and plan and execute ways of meeting these goals.   SECTION 4. The Council shall regularly evaluate the effectiveness of adopted policies.   ARTICLE III - Membership   SECTION 1. The Council shall consist of 12 members: nine elected members and three members appointed by the Pastor, with a view toward providing balanced representation or needed skills.   SECTION 2. The Pastor is ex-officio President of the Council. One Associate Pastor and one Pastoral Associate shall also be members of the Council.   SECTION 3. A member of the Council who misses three consecutive meetings without an excuse shall be ineligible to remain a member of the Council. The Secretary shall inform the members accordingly and the member shall be notified in writing by the Secretary.   SECTION 4. A member who shows little or no interest in the affairs of the Council or who is derelict in the performance of duties shall be advised by the Chairperson. If the member persists in this dereliction of duty, the said member shall be dismissed by Council consensus. The Secretary will advise the member of dismissal in writing.   SECTION 5. A member who finds that the press of business, personal reasons, or change of residence, prevent fulfillment of Council service, may resign after giving the Chairperson at least one month's notice.   SECTION 6. No member shall be a paid staff member or full-time employee of the parish. If a Council member accepts paid employment in the Parish, resignation from the Council shall be mandatory.   SECTION 7. A member who is unable to attend a scheduled Council meeting shall make every effort to inform the Parish Secretary in advance.   SECTION 8. The outgoing Chairperson whose term on the Council has not expired shall also serve, at the discretion of the Pastor, on the Executive Committee as Advisor.   SECTION 9. An outgoing Chairperson of the Council, whose term on the Council has expired and is not reappointed, may at the discretion of the Pastor, be appointed as a member of the Council for one year and serve on the Executive Committee as an Advisor.   ARTICLE IV - Nominations-Elections   SECTION 1. A Nominations-Elections Committee shall consist of the Pastor and members of the Executive Committee of the Council.   SECTION 2. The functions of the Nominations-Elections Committee are as follows: to invite and elicit nominees from among the parishioners. to provide a questionnaire to candidates. to compile a slate of candidates that has no more than two nominees per vacancy and that is representative of the demographics of the Parish. to submit the names of the proposed candidates to the Council for approval no later than the March meeting. to make available to all members of the Parish a list of the eligible nominees. This should be done 2 weeks prior to the elections. to post the candidates' questionnaires. to conduct the elections in accordance with the following provisions: A. Parishioners 18 years and older are eligible for the ballot. B. Ballots will be distributed and collected after all the Masses of the chosen weekend. C. Ballots may be filled out at the Rectory during the week prior to the election weekend to facilitate absentee ballots.   SECTION 3. All (18 years and over) who are participating in the Parish will be eligible for membership on the Council.   SECTION 4. A vacancy of those elected or appointed shall be filled by an appointment by the pastor. This person shall complete the unexpired term of the member replaced.   SECTION 5. No member elected to their position on the Council may serve consecutive terms. A member who is appointed to fill a vacated position on the Council may not run for a consecutive term if the vacancy they filled was longer than one year.   SECTION 6. The term of office shall be for three years commencing on the first day of July and terminating on the last day of June. The term of office for those appointed by the Pastor shall also commence on the first day of July and shall be for one year with an option for the Pastor of up to two one-year reappointments.   SECTION 7. All members shall be commissioned at a Sunday Mass in June.   ARTICLE V - Officers   SECTION 1. Election of the new officers shall be held at the May meeting. Incoming and retiring Council members shall attend this meeting. Incoming Council members shall not participate in the election. The elections shall be by secret ballot.   SECTION 2. The officers of the Parish Council shall form an Executive Committee and consist of: 1) Chairperson 2) Vice-Chairperson 3) Secretary 4) Outgoing Chairperson (Advisor)   SECTION 3. The officers shall be elected for a term of one year (July through June). The person selected for Chairperson shall have served at least one year on the Council. The outgoing Chairperson shall be an Advisor to the new Executive Committee.   SECTION 4. The Chairperson shall: 1) preside over and conduct Council meetings. 2) appoint temporary committees. 3) appoint members to serve as liaisons to permanent commissions and boards, with regard to the personal choice of the members whenever possible.   SECTION 5. The Vice-Chairperson shall: 1) act in the absence of the Chairperson. 2) tally written ballots at the Council meetings. 3) maintain an up-to-date written copy of the by-laws and standing rules.   SECTION 6. The Secretary shall: 1) be responsible for the minutes of the meeting. 2) call the roll. 3) post the minutes of the last meeting in the vestibule of the Church after review by the Pastor and the Chairperson. 4) keep an accurate record of Council member attendance. 5) send an agenda packet prepared by the Executive Board to all Council members at least one week prior to the meetings. The agenda packet shall include the minutes of the last meeting.   SECTION 7. A vacancy of the officers shall be filled by: 1) Chairperson vacancy - Vice-Chairperson will assume the office, if the Vice-Chairperson is unable to assume the office an election shall be held at the next regular meeting. 2) Vice-Chairperson or Secretary - an election shall be held at the next regular meeting.   ARTICLE VI - Meetings   SECTION 1. The Council shall meet bimonthly except during July and August unless decided otherwise by the Executive Committee. All meetings are open meetings unless the Council votes by simple majority to enter the executive session.   SECTION 2. Special meeting may be called at any time by the Chairperson in consultation with the Pastor. Notices of special meeting will be delivered. The notices shall specify the general nature of the business to be conducted.   SECTION 3. Each member of the Council has the responsibility to voice his/her own opinion.   SECTION 4. If there are no questions, corrections or amendments to the minutes as mailed, they will be automatically approved by the Council.   SECTION 5. At the discretion of the Pastor or Chairperson, if they do not feel enough members are present at any meeting to conduct business adequately then the meeting shall adjourn to a time and place specified by the Chairperson / Pastor.   SECTION 6. The agenda for each regular meeting shall be prepared by the Executive Committee, in consultation with the Pastor. The Secretary shall forward a copy to each member at least one week before the meeting. Any member of the Council may submit an item to be included on the agenda, this must be done in writing and presented to the Chairperson prior to the Executive Board meeting.   SECTION 7. The Chairperson shall facilitate the meetings, striving for a consensus.   SECTION 8. The order of business for regular meetings may include, but not limited to the following: 1) Opening prayer 2) Roll 3) Minutes: changes/approval 4) Agenda: additions/approval 5) Open forum, if indicated 6) Standing Committee reports 7) Announcements by Chairperson 8) Old business 9) New business 10) Counselors round-table 11) Pastor's time 12) Closing prayer   SECTION 9. Members of the parish community are encouraged to attend and to participate in all meetings.   SECTION 10. A limitation of 5 minutes per speaker during discussions at open meetings shall be imposed by leave of chair.   ARTICLE VII - Commissions and Boards   SECTION 1. The Council shall consult the following Committees and boards: 1) Liturgy Committee 2) Peace and Justice Committee 3) Finance Committee 4) Parish Planning Committee 5) Religious Education Board 6) School Board 7) Youth Committee 8) Ecumenical Committee 9) Vocation Committee   SECTION 2. Temporary or Ad Hoc committees may be established from time to time by the Council to meet specific objectives.   SECTION 3. Committees and boards are invited to present any new, changed or special policies to the Council, by contacting the Council Chairperson and requesting to be placed on the agenda.   ARTICLE VIII - Consensus The Parish Council shall function by consensus. Consensus is the process by which the Council considers all aspects of the issue, hears all possible alternatives and comes to a recommendation that is acceptable to and has the support of all members.   ARTICLE IX - Amendment of Bylaws These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Council by consensus, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting.   ARTICLE X - Pastor's Approval All actions of the Parish Council are subject to the approval of the Pastor.