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ARTICLE I

1. The name of this organization shall be:"Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council."

2. Any change to this name shall take a two-thirds vote in favor of approving.

1. The purpose of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council (SHPPC) is to function as a consultative body to the Pastor and Pastoral Team. It is an instrument of common counsel for the definition of Sacred Heart Parish goals, the determination of Parish policies, and for the execution of programs and activities in all matters pertaining to the spiritual and temporal affairs of the Parish and shall:

a. Promote the fullest possible participation of all members of the Sacred Heart Parish, Notre Dame, Indiana, in the extension of Christ's mission, and act as the unifying structure for and among the local Christian Community.

b. Serve as the direct oversight representative of all of the Parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish in matters pertaining to the administration, financial operations, and facilities management of the Parish and Parish properties and assets.

c. Analyze, plan, direct, coordinate, promote, and implement programs for all age groups designed to foster the spiritual, educational, social, financial, and physical needs of the Parish.

d. Approve and promulgate an annual Parish Budget and quarterly reports for the operation, function, and management of the Parish and to approve and coordinate all fund-raising projects.

1. Pursuant to Cannon Law 536, #s1 and 2 and the norms of the Bishop of Fort Wayne - South Bend, the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall be a consultative body to assist the Pastor and Pastoral Team to administer programs and to operate, maintain, manage, and control all facilities, finances, and properties of the Sacred Heart Parish. (The Pastoral Team is defined as those who share in the Pastoral care of the Parish in virtue of their office.) The Council will operate within the limits and constraints established by the American Catholic Hierarchy, the Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne - South Bend, the Priests of Holy Cross - Indiana Province, and the University of Notre Dame.

2 From time-to-time, the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council may establish either permanent or temporary auxiliary Boards to assist the Council in the management of certain Parish facilities. Such Boards, when appointed, shall have routine day-to-day oversight authority and strong advisory weight in Council proceedings and decisions.

a. Establishment of said Boards shall be in writing and will have a clear mission and duration statement with all of its functions being expressly delineated by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

b. The stated term of the Board and its purpose must be agreed to by a two-thirds vote of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council and a written charter must be issued to the Chairperson setting forth both the Board's mandate (objectives, timeframes, and goals) and its reporting responsibilities.

1. The Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall be composed of 11 Regular Members who are voting. Nine of these are elected from the Parish, eight are elected from the Parish as a whole and one is elected from the Parish Youth Ministry. The nine elected members plus the Pastor and Parochial Vicar who are ex officio voting members will constitute the Council. The Council will have seven non-voting Associate Members who are Commission/Committee Chairs. The Regular Members, save Pastor and Parochial Vicar, are elected annually by the Parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish, in one-third increments, for a three-year term. At the time of their election, they must be at least 16 years of age, practicing Catholics, contributors of record, and members of this Parish for at least two years. Each Regular Member of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall have a vote in all matters considered by the Council. Regular Members, and must be present to vote. Proxies are not permitted.

2. After the first election of Regular Members under this Constitution, and each year thereafter, three Parishioners shall be elected for a three-year term commencing with the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council meeting in May of each year. The members of the initial Council shall be divided into three class years of three members each. The seats of members of the first class year shall be vacated at the end of the first year. The second class year will vacate at the end of the second year, and the third class year will run through the third year so that thereafter one-third of the elected members of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council may be chosen each year for a full three-year term.

a. Election of members of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall occur annually each April. A nominating committee selected by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council will publish a proposed slate of nominees for vacant positions in the Parish Sunday Bulletin for the first Sunday in April. This notice must include a general reminder that each adult Parishioner may nominate an alternate nominee, provided it is in writing and delivered to the Parish Office within seven days of the Bulletin appearing.

b. If no alternate nominee is put forth, the President of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall declare the complete slate proposed by the nominating committee to have been elected by general consent.

c. If, however, written alternate nominations are received within the above proscribed timeframe and location, the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council Nominating Committee shall verify that the nominee(s) meet all of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council membership prerequisites, including intent to accept all duties of the office if elected. Any qualified alternate nominee will then be listed equally with the Nominating Committee's proposed slate on any subsequent ballot standing for election.

d. Election of members to the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall then be by a secret ballot during the month of April, with the winners taking office at the first Council meeting in May. Rules for the marking of ballots will be the same as those commonly used for governmental elections. Each adult Parishioner will be entitled to vote for not more than three nominees. All ties shall be decided by the drawing of lots. The three candidates receiving the largest number of votes shall be considered elected to the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. The Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall prescribe the procedures for absentee balloting. An election committee of three members shall be selected by the President of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council for the purpose of counting ballots. The election results shall then be published in the next issue of the Sacred Heart Parish Sunday Bulletin.

3. Members of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall serve no more than two consecutive, elected, three-year terms.

4. Resignations from the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council must be made in writing and submitted to the Council President, who will formally acknowledge the resignation on behalf of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

5. A vacancy on the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council, either by resignation or otherwise, shall be filled by appointment of a Council nominee and by a majority vote of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. In this case, the Appointee shall serve the remainder of the term vacated and this period does not count toward the time limits specified in Article IV, section 3 above.

6. Any member of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the elected members for reasons of either absence or misconduct. Absence from three consecutive regular meetings of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council, without just cause, shall be sufficient reason for removal of a member from the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

7. Associate Members are non-voting and are the individual Parish Commission/Committee Chairpersons, or their direct representative. The seven separate Parish Commission/Committee Chairs are (a) Christian Service, (b) Christian Education, (c) Liturgy, (d) Parish Life, (e) Senior Life, (f) Health Ministry, plus (g) the Chairperson of the standing Finance Committee. All of these are advising on various aspects of Pastoral Life and are therefore afforded Associate Member status, which means their voiced opinions carry heavy weight.

a. Elected Regular Members of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council are expected to serve on at least one of the above-cited Parish Commissions, except that the President of the Sacred Heart Parish Council shall instead serve on the Parish Center Board. Per Diocesan norms, the Finance Committee is also excepted for additional service of a Board Member. Each Member shall freely choose which individual Parish Commission he/she desires to serve on, in addition to their Pastoral Council duties. Their function is to be a Commission resource and an additional bridge between the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council and their respective Commissions. Council Members may not be Commission Chairs. In the event of the absence of any Commission Chairperson from a regularly scheduled Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council meeting, the senior SHPPC Member/respective Commission Member who was present at the previous Commission meeting shall serve to report to the Council concerning that individual Commission's plans and meeting results.

b. In this regard, elected Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council members are encouraged to select Commissions not only on the basis of their personal preferences, but also with an view toward ensuring complete Council member coverage on each of the four Commissions.

c. As time and circumstances change, the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council may with a two-thirds vote increase, consolidate, change, and or delete the various Commissions.

1. Officers of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The President, Vice President and Secretary shall be elected by the Council at their annual May meeting for a term of one year. They may be re-elected for the same period for as long as they are Council members. The Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish shall, ex officio, be the Treasurer.

2. The Pastor and/or his delegate, usually the Parish Pastoral Council President, shall preside at all meetings of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council and shall prepare an advance agenda for each meeting. The President of the Council will ensure appropriate minutes are taken and subsequently published to all Council members, whether a quorum existed or not. The President shall appoint the Committees and Commissions of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council, annually, subject to the approval of the Parish Pastoral Council.

a. The Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall also make available and publish an annual report for Sacred Heart Parish which shall include the annual Financial Statement. To assist in this matter, the Parish Manager shall provide the Council with monthly financial updates and reports on the status of Parish finances and obligations.

b. The President shall advise the Vice President on all matters on the agenda for all meetings of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council prior to the meeting.

c. The President shall assume the responsibility for the direction of all policy matters determined by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

3. The Vice President shall assume the responsibilities of the President when the President is absent. The Vice President shall record the minutes in the absence of the elected Secretary.

4. The Secretary shall take and keep minutes of all meetings of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council, maintain accurate and complete records of all Council meetings, issue notices of all meetings, and perform such other duties as may be delegated by the Council. The Secretary's Minutes Book shall be passed from Secretary to Secretary and represent the Council's Official Diary. As an accommodation, the Parish Administrative Office will assist the President and Secretary by supporting all Council agenda and minutes typing, other preparation work, duplicating sufficient copies, and mailing all necessary material to Council members.

5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the custody and control of all funds and securities of the Sacred Heart Parish and the maintenance of complete records of its income, expenses. All checks must be signed by either the Treasurer or his authorized designee. Except for emergency maintenance, any commitment of funds, in excess of $5,000.00, which have not been included in the Annual Budget, must receive prior approval of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. All monies must be deposited in the banks or institutions designated by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. The Treasurer is responsible for preparing (1) the Annual Budget for the operations and maintenance of the Parish; (2) a quarterly Financial Statement for presentation to the Council; and (3) a complete Annual Report to the Parish-at-Large. The Treasurer is also an ex officio member of the Parish Finance Committee.

1. Regular meetings of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall be held monthly, the exact date, time, and place are to be determined by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. The Secretary shall notify each Council Member at least five days prior to all such meetings. The normal date, time, and place shall be on the 4th Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM in the Main Dining Room of the Sacred Heart Parish Center.

2. Special meetings of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council may be called by either the Pastor, President, or Vice President, with the approval of the majority of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council members polled in advance by telephone/fax. All members must be notified of Special Meetings at least three days in advance. A Special Meeting may also be called at the written request of any six members of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

3. Except for Executive Sessions, all meetings of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall be open to the members of the Sacred Heart Parish. The Council President and the Pastor shall meet at least ten days prior to the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council meeting to agree on the agenda for the meeting.

4. Robert's Rules of Order, as from time-to-time revised, shall govern all meetings of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council in all cases to which they are applicable and not inconsistent with this Constitution.

5. A simple majority (six) of the eleven Regular Members of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall constitute a quorum. All actions of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council are to be determined by a majority vote of the Regular Members in quorum, present and voting.

1. Standing Committees of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall be the Executive Committee and the Finance Committee, each of which shall have the powers and functions set forth in Article VII, and such additional powers as may from time-to-time be delegated by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

2. The President shall, with the approval of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council, appoint Standing Committee Members for a term of one year, as soon after the May organizational meeting as possible, but no later than the second monthly meeting following. The Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall name the Chairperson of each Standing Committee and shall also fill vacancies as they may occur.

3. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Pastor, Parochial Vicar, and Officers of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council and shall be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. All actions of the Executive Committee must be reported to the next regular meeting of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council for ratification.

4. The Finance Committee shall include the Pastor and a minimum of five other members of the Parish, as selected by the Pastor, with the advice and consent of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. The members of the Finance Committee shall be outstanding in integrity and skilled in financial management affairs. The members are appointed for five years, but when this period has expired, they may be reappointed for a further term of five years. Persons related to the Pastor, up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity are excluded from eligibility for the Finance Committee. The duties of the Finance Committee include:

a. Assisting the Treasurer in carrying out his responsibilities as set forth in Article V, section 5, including the preparation of the Annual Parish Budget;

b. Advising the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council on matters relating to the budget, financial statements, investment policy, insurance coverage, salary and wage policy, and any other items requested by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council;

c. Acting as an independent body in ascertaining that the provisions of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council Constitution relating to financial concerns are being carried out, and in safeguarding the proprietary interests of Sacred Heart Parish with regard to all its assets.

5. The Nominating Committee shall be an ad hoc committee and shall consist of three members of Sacred Heart Parish, one of whom shall be a member of the Sacred Heart Pastoral Council. This ad hoc committee shall be selected no later than the 15th of March by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. The Nominating Committee will submit a list of three nominees for the three expected vacancies on the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council no later than the 15th of April of each year.

6. Other standing or ad hoc committees may be created and appointed by the President, when necessary and advisable, subject to the approval of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

7. A simple majority of the members of the respective committees shall constitute a quorum.

1. The President, with the approval of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council, shall annually appoint members of the following Commissions:

a. Christian Service
b. Christian Education
c. Liturgy
d. Parish Life
e. Health Ministry

f. Such other Commissions as from time-to-time the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council may deem appropriate. The stated term of each Commission and its purpose must be agreed to by a two-thirds vote of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council and a written charter must be issued to the respective Chairpersons setting forth both the Commission's mandate (objectives and goals) and its reporting responsibilities.

1. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council members present and voting at a regular meeting, provided that the notice of the proposed amendment has been given at the previous regular meeting of the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council and published one week before in the Sacred Heart Parish Sunday Bulletin. Ratification shall be by a similar two-thirds vote of the entire Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council.

1. This Constitution shall be in full force and effect on the first day following the ratification by the Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council. The Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall adopt necessary implementing resolutions.

Number 1. "The Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council shall before either hiring or entering into contractual negotiations with personnel to administer the Parish educational programs, consult with the Education Commission regarding the professional qualifications of such personnel and their suitability for the position in question."

Number 2. "The Parish Council must conduct business on a regular basis; therefore,

If a quorum is not present at the normally scheduled Parish Council Monthly Meeting for two consecutive months, then at the second regularly scheduled monthly meeting, a quorum will be deemed and assumed by those members present, and a majority vote will be binding."

Certification of Approval: (Sacred Heart Parish Pastoral Council Meeting of April 22, 1999.)

_________________________		________________________
Jose' M. Martelli, C.S.C		Richard E. Lochner
Pastor		President, SHPPC