Transcript ROLE OF PARISH TRUSTEES AND PARISH FINANCE COUNCILS

ROLE OF PARISH TRUSTEES AND
PARISH FINANCE COUNCILS
THE PARISH FINANCE COUNCIL IS
GOVERNED BY:
• CANON LAW
• CIVIL LAW (as it relates to Trustees only)
• DIOCESAN NORMS ISSUED BY THE BISHOP
CANON LAW – (UNIVERSAL LAW)
• Canon 537 – In each parish there is to be a
finance council which is governed , in addition to
universal law, by norms issued by the diocesan
bishop and in which the Christian faithful, selected
according to these same norms, are to assist the
pastor in the administration of the goods of the
parish.
• “Universal law” i.e. Canon Law, states that the
parish must have a finance council. “Norms issued
by the diocesan bishop” takes the form of a booklet
which has been issued to each parish entitled Norms
for the Parish Finance Council and The Statutes of
the Fourth Synod of the Diocese of Trenton”.
CIVIL LAW
Revised Statutes of New Jersey – Title 16–The
Roman Catholic Church
• Title 16, Chapter 15 deals exclusively with the
Roman Catholic Church. This chapters states the
following:
▫ For the Diocese, the officers/trustees of the
corporation are as follows:
Bishop of Trenton
President/Treasurer
Vicar General
Vice President
Chancellor
Secretary
Priest of Diocese
Trustee
Priest of Diocese
Trustee
Revised Statutes of New Jersey – Title 16–The
Roman Catholic Church - Continued
▫ For all Parishes, the officers/trustees of the
corporation are as follows:
Bishop of Trenton
President
Vicar General
Vice President
Pastor
Secretary/Treasurer
Lay Parishioner
Trustee
Lay Parishioner
Trustee
DIOCESAN NORMS ISSUED BY THE
BISHOP – (LOCAL LAW)
• NORMS FOR THE PARISH FINANCE
COUNCIL
• STATUTES OF THE FOURTH SYNOD OF THE
DIOCESE OF TRENTON (1991)
• GUIDELINES FOR PARISH BOARD OF
TRUSTEES
NORMS FOR THE PARISH FINANCE
COUNCIL
• STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP
• CONSULTATIVE ROLE
• CLEAR DISTINCTION
STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP
• Members are selected by the pastor and are
accountable and advisory to him.
• Members must have a special competence in finance.
• Minimum of three members exclusive of the pastor.
• A Pastor may dissolve a Parish Finance Council which
does not perform its function appropriately with the
requirement that it be reestablished within 30 days.
• The parish finance council is consultative in nature,
requiring the presence of the pastor for the validity of
the proceedings.
• The parish finance council is the only parish body which
survives the reassignment, removal or retirement of the
pastor. However, the parish finance council may only
meet when the pastor is present.
STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP CONTINUED
• For an appointment to the Finance Council to be
valid, a Letter of Appointment is necessary for each
member which states the term of the appointment.
• A Business Managers should attend all meetings
but is not members of the Finance Council.
• Term of appointment is three years with the option
of one additional three year term at the discretion
of the pastor.
• Finance Council members must not be involved in
the day to day affairs of the parish.
CONSULTATIVE ROLE
• Pastor must consult with Finance Council
concerning any major unbudgeted commitment of
parish resources in excess of $10,000 and acts of
extraordinary administration. This excludes
normal recurring expense.
• Extraordinary administration includes: making
long term investments; acts of alienation;
accepting or refusing a bequest; land purchases;
construction projects; extensive building repairs;
establishing a cemetery or school;
CONSULTATIVE ROLE - CONTINUED
• Expenditures, whether budgeted or unbudgeted, in
the amount of $30,000 or over ($50,000 for
parishes with ordinary collections of $1 million a
year or more) must be discussed with the Finance
Council and then approved by the Diocesan Bishop.
• The Finance Council must review and approve the
budget prior to the pastor’s review and approval
• The Finance Council must have complete and total
access to all records and documents which will
enable them to fulfill their responsibilities.
CLEAR DISTINCTION
• At all times, there must be a clear distinction
between consulting and advising the pastor on
financial policy formation, which is the proper
work of the Parish Finance Council, and
administration which is the proper work of the
pastor and his staff.
STATUTES OF THE FOURTH SYNOD OF
THE DIOCESE OF TRENTON (1991)
• Statute 158 – Each parish shall have a parish
finance council composed of qualified members of
the parish to assist the Pastor in his responsibility
to administer the parish’s temporal goods. This
council will be governed by norms provided by the
diocesan Bishop.
GUIDELINES FOR PARISH BOARD OF
TRUSTEES
• Lay Trustees are elected by the ex-officio trustees
(Bishop, Vicar General, Pastor). Typically, the
pastor selects a lay trustee followed by a Resolution
of Election.
• Trustees must have financial competence.
• Trustees must serve on the parish finance council.
• Term is one year with no more than six consecutive
terms.