Constitution

ARTICLE ONE:  NAME

The name of the Council shall be the “Parish Pastoral Council of the Church of Saint Bernard ”, hereinafter referred to as “the Pastoral Council”.  

ARICLE TWO:  PURPOSE

The purpose of the Pastoral Council shall be to provide and inspire leadership within the parish and to provide counsel to the Pastor on matters affecting the life and ministry of the parish community both as representatives and as leaders of the community.

ARTICLE THREE:  MEMBERSHIP

The Pastoral Council shall consist of twelve members, among them two lay trustees and the Pastor.  The remaining nine members shall be elected for a term of three years with one–third of the membership being elected each year. An elected member may serve two consecutive full terms.

A vacancy on the Pastoral Council occurs when a Pastoral Council member is no longer an active member of the parish, submits a letter of resignation to the Chairperson, or misses three consecutive excused or unexcused regular meetings. A vacancy will be filled through appointment by the Council for the remainder of the term at any duly called regular or special meeting with a quorum present.

ARTICLE FOUR:  OFFICERS  

The officers of the Pastoral Council shall be the Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson. They, together with a third elected member appointed by the Chairperson shall serve as the Executive Committee of the Pastoral Council. The officers shall be elected at the January meeting by a majority of the members. Each elected officer shall serve a term of one year. The Chairperson will conduct all meetings, using agenda developed by the Executive Committee and the Pastor (or his representative) one week prior to the meeting. The Vice-Chairperson will conduct the meeting in the absence of the Chairperson. The Parish Secretary will keep a book of the approved Minutes of the Pastoral Council meetings and will act as the official correspondent of the Pastoral Council.

ARTICLE FIVE:  MEETINGS   

The Pastoral Council regular meetings shall be once per month throughout the year. A quorum of six elected members must be present to make the meeting official.  All meetings are open to members of the Parish Community.  The Chairperson will rule whether visitors may address the Pastoral Council.  The voting members of the Pastoral Council may overrule the Chairperson on this issue by a simple majority vote. Special meetings of the Pastoral Council may be called by the Chairperson, Pastor, or by six elected council members. Special meetings are usually closed to visitors to allow the Council to discuss issues of a more sensitive or private nature.

ARTICLE SIX:  COMMITTEES

Standing committees as well as any ad hoc committees are subsections of the Parish Pastoral Council and share the consultative nature of the Council. One of the elected Council members may be assigned by the Pastor and Chairperson to serve as an

ex-officio member of a committee and will attend all meetings of that committee. The Council member shall then report to the Council at the next regularly scheduled meeting on the proceedings of their assigned committee. The Pastor or the Chairperson may invite selected members of committees to speak at regularly scheduled Council meetings to keep the Council up-to-date on proceedings.

ARTICLE SEVEN:  AMENDMENTS    

This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the elected members of the Council at any duly constituted meeting providing that all members of the council were informed as to the proposed amendment by written notice five days prior to the meeting. This constitution shall be reviewed and amended as necessary at least every third year.

ARTICLE EIGHT:  BY-LAWS 

The Pastoral Council may adopt By-Laws not contrary to public or Church law or this Constitution, and may repeal, amend, or re-enact those By-Laws.