The Pastoral Council is an advisory body for the Pastor on issues related to the parish community, the Archdiocese and Universal Church, always keeping in mind the message of Christ and the mission of evangelization.  The Pastoral Council, under the authority and leadership of the Pastor, shares responsibility for the pastoral life of the parish, and helps the Pastor to develop the vision and direction for the parish community.

The Pastoral Council has 8 to 10 members, consisting of:

• 4 to 6 At-Large Members whose term of office is 2 years,
• the Finance Council Chairperson during his/her term of as chairperson,
• the School Council Chairperson during his/her term of as chairperson,
• the Ministry Council Chairperson during his/her term of as chairperson,
• the Planning Implementation Team (PIT) Chairperson during his/her term of as chairperson.

Pastoral Council members also listen to the issues and needs of the parish community, and bring them to the attention of the Pastor and Council.

The Pastoral Council members are diverse in age, ethnicity and background, and are representative of the parish community.  Membership interviews are conducted in November for seats that will become vacant at the beginning of the next year. 

By Laws

1. NATURE – The Pastoral Council is an advisory body for the Pastor on issues related to the parish community, the Archdiocese and Universal Church, always keeping in mind the message of Christ and the mission of evangelization.
2. PURPOSE – The Pastoral Council, under the authority and leadership of the Pastor, shares responsibility for the pastoral life of the parish.
3. AUTHORITY – The Pastoral Council acts under the leadership and authority of the Pastor.  The Pastor presides at all meetings of the Council, and is the final decision maker.  In his pastoral role he:
1. Ensures that the scope of the Council’s concerns reflects the mission of the Church;
2. Serves as the spiritual leader among Council members;
3. Ensures that Council members receive adequate resources, formation and information;
4. Determines the Council agenda;
5. Participates in the dialogue that leads to the development of pastoral ministries in the parish; and
6. Oversees the implementation of decisions he has made based on recommendations of the Council.
4. FUNCTIONS – The Pastor, in consultation with the Pastoral Council, develops the vision for the parish community.  Through prayer, the assessment of needs, the development of priorities, and planning, the Pastoral Council seeks to:
1. Unify the parish community by promoting communication and understanding;
2. Invigorate the parish community by exercising leadership, inviting broad participation in ministry, involving parishioners more intimately in parish life, and bearing witness to their faith in all circumstances and situations.
5. CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP – Pastoral Council members must be St. Mel parishioners who are faithful Catholics.  They should reflect the diversity of the parish community in age, ethnicity, gender, economic and educational backgrounds.  Members should:
1. Participate in parish activities;
2. Understand and endorse the mission of the parish;
3. Have the ability to listen openly, to present a point of view, to engage in constructive discussion, and to work collaboratively; and
4. Be committed to the work of the Council, be prepared for and present at Council meetings and Council retreats, and be able to serve on committees as needed to carry out the work of the Council.
6. REMOVAL PROCESS – Pastoral Council members who fail to uphold their responsibilities as outlined in Section 5 above, Criteria for Membership, may be asked to resign, or may be terminated from the Pastoral Council by decision of the Pastor.  The position may be filled as provided above in these bylaws.
7. SIZE OF COUNCIL AND MEMBERS’ TERM OF OFFICE – St. Mel Pastoral Council is made up of the Pastor and ten (10) to twelve (12) members, consisting of:
1. Six (6) to eight (8) At-Large Members selected from the parish community.  The term of office is three years.  However, in extraordinary circumstances, a member’s term may be renewed once at the request of the Pastor.  Should an At-Large Member resign during his or her term, a replacement may be selected from among nominees on the most recent endorsement list or by recommendation by the current Pastoral Council or Pastor with a final decision by the Pastor;
2. The Finance Council Chairperson during his or her term as Finance Council Chairperson;
3. The School Council Chairperson during his or her term as School Council Chairperson;
4. The Justice and Peace Council Chairperson during his or her term as Justice and Peace Council Chairperson.
8. INTER-RELATIONSHIPS – The Pastoral Council may make recommendations to the Staff, the Finance Council, the School Council, and the Justice and Peace Council.  Since the Pastoral Council sets direction and priorities for the parish community, cooperation between the Councils is imperative.
1. Staff – A positive relationship between staff and Council is paramount.  Staff members may be invited on occasion to Council meetings, and they participate in the implementation of objectives.  The Director of Administration shall be present ex officio at all meetings of the Pastoral Council in a non-voting capacity. 
2. Finance Council – The Finance Council is a separate entity in the parish organization mandated by Canon Law (Canon 537).  The Chairperson of the Finance Council also serves ex officio as a member of the Pastoral Council during his or her term of office on the Finance Council.  The Pastor may designate a lay person as Finance Council Chairperson if none exists.  Financial information is shared and discussed with the Pastoral Council.
3. School Council – The School Council is a separate parish entity.  The Chairperson of the School Council also serves ex officio as a member of the Pastoral Council during his or her term of office on the School Council.  The Pastor may designate a lay person as School Council Chairperson if none exists.  The School Council sets their own goals in unison and in light of the parish mission and parish goals.
4. Justice and Peace Council - The Justice and Peace Council is a separate parish entity.  The Chairperson of the Justice and Peace Council also serves ex officio as a member of the Pastoral Council during his or her term of office on the Justice and Peace Council.  The Pastor may designate a lay person as Justice and Peace Council Chairperson if none exists. The Justice and Peace Council sets its own goals in unison with and in light of the parish mission and parish goals. 
9. FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS – Generally the Pastoral Council meets monthly.
10. ATTENDANCE – Dates of regular meetings shall be published by the Chairperson in January of each year.  Council members commit themselves to attend all regular Council meetings as well as other Council-sponsored events.  Any member who regularly misses meetings will be contacted by the Chairperson to discuss his or her continued membership on the Council and, if deemed appropriate, his or her resignation may be requested, subject—as with all matters—to the Pastor’s approval.
11. GUIDELINES FOR ESTABLISHING AGENDA – The agenda flows from the mission of evangelization and the strategic goals and objectives of the parish community.  Typically, the Pastor (or any parish member or group) submits proposed agenda items to the Pastoral Council Chairperson. Proposals are submitted as early in advance of a scheduled meeting as possible.
1. The Pastor in consultation with the Council Chairperson considers matters submitted and may take one of three actions:
1. Place the item on a meeting’s agenda.
2. Forward the item to an appropriate group or person for action.
3. Decide not to act on the item, in which instance the Council Chairperson or other designated Council member will notify the person who proposed the idea and give an explanation.
2. Agenda items are limited to a number that can be reasonably covered during a given meeting.
3. The Pastoral Council Chairperson plans the meetings and communicates in advance to all Pastoral Council members the agenda items to be discussed.  Each Council member must come prepared to participate and contribute at each meeting.
12. SELECTION PROCESS FOR AT-LARGE MEMBERS:
1. Nominations for prospective At-Large Council Members are invited from the parish community.
2. To involve the community and generate awareness of their role in the process, Council members speak at all the Masses about the role of the Council, the qualities needed by candidates, and the duties and responsibilities of the Council members.  They also publish announcements in the parish and school bulletins, and on the parish website.
3. Pastoral Council members meet with candidates who have been nominated for the Pastoral Council, and subsequently  make their recommendations to the Pastor.
4. The Pastor reviews the Council recommendations for At-Large Members, and chooses who will serve on the Pastoral Council.
13. REMUNERATION – Pastoral Council members serve without pay.
14. PASTORAL COUNCIL OFFICERS – Pastoral Council officers consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and a Recording Secretary, all of whom are designated by the Pastor.
1. The term of office for Pastoral Council Officers is one year, renewable once, except in extraordinary circumstances, in which case the Pastor may request a given officer to serve past a two-year term.

1. Chairperson: The Chairperson will perform the following duties on behalf of the Pastoral Council:

1. Prepare a workable agenda and send it to the other Pastoral Council members.
2. Ensure that all reference or resource materials are available for the Council meeting.
3. Chair all Council meetings and ensure that the Vice-Chairperson, or in their absence an alternate Pastoral Council member, is adequately informed and able to chair in the Chairperson’s absence.
4. Ensure that all Council members faithfully carry out their responsibilities.
5. Ensure that an annual planning retreat is held.
6. Arrange a meeting room for the Council’s meetings.

2. Vice-Chairperson: The Vice-Chairperson will perform the following duties on behalf of the Pastoral Council:

1. Assist the Chairperson in all the duties performed by the Chairperson on behalf of the Pastoral Council.
2. Perform all the duties of the Chairperson in his or her absence.

3. Recording Secretary: The Recording Secretary is the keeper of all records of Council business, and will perform the following duties on behalf of the Pastoral Council:

A) Record, transcribe and distribute minutes of regular Council meetings.

B)  Update and maintain the Pastoral Council roster with addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of all members.

D)  Copy and distribute any information needed for Council meetings.

E) Collect and maintain written reports from various Council committees.

F)  Assist the Chairperson in scheduling meetings of other specialized committees.

G)  Maintain a calendar of Council events and remind members of important upcoming dates

H)  Assist the Chairperson as needed with special projects and reports.

15. COMMITTEES – The Council forms committees, as needed, in collaboration with appropriate bodies or groups, both within the parish community and outside it.
1. Committees are groups formed to study and evaluate a particular topic.  A committee may be ongoing, or it may be organized for a specific purpose or task.
2. On formation, and with recommendations from the Council, a committee clarifies its mission, delineates responsibilities, suggests a timeline, and defines reporting and evaluative procedures.  Upon completion of its work, the committee is dissolved by the Council.
3. The Council periodically evaluates each of its committees in light of new circumstances and changing priorities in the parish.  If, after a period of time, a committee is no longer relevant, it may be dissolved.
16. BYLAWS – Documentation:  When the bylaws are to be amended in full or in part, the Chairperson will appoint a committee to draft proposed changes.  The changes are to be presented at a regular meeting for consideration and discussion.  A majority vote of the members is required for approval, providing that a quorum is present.  A quorum is one-half of the Council membership plus one.  The final approval on whether to adopt any and all changes belongs to the Pastor.

Meetings
Please call if you have a question, topic or issue that should be brought to our attention.

Contact
Leslie Welther
818-887-0112
coripie@sbcglobal.net