Guidelines
Pastoral Council
Holy Spirit Parish, Newman Center at the University of Kentucky
Revised 9/09

OBJECTIVES

To prayerfully represent the parish community for the purpose of advising the Pastor on all matters pertaining to parish life in compliance with universal church law, diocesan statutes, and civil law.
To regularly review with the Pastor the Mission Statement of the Newman Center, as it guides development and functions of the Newman Apostolate and Holy Spirit Parish.
To review programs and activities of the Newman Center to assure they remain in accord with the Mission Statement.

MEMBERSHIP

Twelve selected members of the faith community, together with the Pastor as an ex-officio, non-voting member, shall comprise the Council.
The twelve selected members shall ordinarily consist of six women and six men.
There shall be seven resident parishioners and five full-time student parishioners.
Three of the student members shall be undergraduate, and two shall be graduate; all shall be parishioners, in good academic standing, and actively involved in the Newman Apostolate.
The seven registered parishioners shall be of various age groups: approximately ages 21-45 (three members); and over age 45 (four members).
One member should also be a member of the Finance Committee.

TERMS OF OFFICE

Resident parishioners shall serve staggered two-year terms, with eligibility for re-selection for one additional two-year term; that is, they may enter the selection pool for a succeeding term. Resident parishioners may serve for a maximum of two two-year terms in a particular membership category. Terms may be either consecutive or separate.
Student members shall serve one-year renewable terms not to exceed two consecutive terms.
Orientation for new Council members shall occur in early May.
The new Council’s active roles commence on August 15th and end the following August 14th. I thought these dates might line up better for the Council to help with welcoming UK students at the end of August.

SELECTION

Parishioners will be asked to submit names of nominees, including their own name, to be considered for selection to the Parish Pastoral Council.
The Pastor and a nominating committee, composed of at least three council members who will not be continuing as members the following year, will screen nominees for the new Council.
After prayers to the Holy Spirit, new council members will be selected by a lot drawing in mid-April each year.
Selected nominees will be notified by the Pastor and asked to accept or decline the nomination.

OFFICERS

Chair, Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect and Secretary shall be elected by the Council annually, after the seating of new members, and shall serve for a term of one year.
The Council officers shall serve as the Executive Committee and the Executive Committee shall serve in the role of “Ombudsman” for the parish.
The Vice-Chair shall assume the responsibilities of the president when the president is absent and shall record the minutes in the absence of the elected secretary. The secretary schedules the meeting room, notifies members of meetings by email, records minutes, sends minute highlights to the Newman Center Office for bulletin and website postings, and keeps council archives.

Council meetings shall be open to all. The schedule of meetings shall be noted in the bulletin.
In special circumstances, the president and/or pastor may designate special closed meetings for Council members only. This may only be done for discussion of sensitive or confidential issues.
Issues to be considered by the Council must be brought to a member not later than two weeks in advance of any meeting where the issue is to be considered.
Staff members who have been selected to the Council as resident parishioners, shall absent themselves whenever an activity under review involves their staff role. (This statement seemed to fit better here than earlier under Membership).
The newly elected council shall have a one-day retreat in the spring at which continuing members will orient the new members to functions of the council and to on-going issues standing before the council.
The Council shall have evening monthly meetings during September, October, November, February, March, and April.
Special meetings of the full council may be called by the Pastor or by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall act for the council during interim periods.
The council shall strive to reach consensus agreement on major issues through prayer and discussion. Alternatively, the council may vote on issues at the suggestion of the Pastor, the President, or a majority of the Council.
All expenses of Council activities shall be borne by the Newman Center/Holy Spirit Parish.