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The Seeker of Souls Area Faith Community |
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What do I need to know about the parish becoming a faith community?What does Canon law say about parish administration? How does Canon Law relate to Area Faith Communities? What is the relationship of a parish to civil law? What is the structure of a parish corporation? What happens to the corporation what an AFC is established? What are the levels parish management?What are the day to day responsibilities of an Area Faith Community? What are the annual responsibilities? Are there strategic responsibilities? What happens to the Parish Pastoral Council? Who is responsible for pastoral activity? What happens to the parish committees? What area committees are established? Who is on the Area Pastoral Committee? Who is on the area committees? What is the Area Word Committee responsible for? What are the responsibilities of the Area Worship Committee? How about the Area Service Committee? What does the Area stewardship Committee do? Who pays for the Area Faith Activities? What is the Parish Administrative Council? Who is on the Parish Administrative Council? What are some of the possible problems that may come up. What is necessary to have an effective Area Faith Council? What are the first things that need to be done? What are the final steps to becoming an Area Faith Community?
Becoming an Area Faith Community Understanding the church structure canon law, civil law, system operation Area Pastoral Council Area Committees Parish Administrative CouncilCanon Law Canon 515 Pastor is entrusted with pastoral care by bishop: responsible for pastoral activity and administration of goods Canon 517.2 Bishop can entrust someone as pastoral administrator to exercise pastoral care Canon 536 Pastoral Councils, if opportune, can be established by bishop after listening to Priests Council to assist with pastoral activity Canon 537 Finance Councils are required to assist with the administration of parish goods
The Area Faith Community and Canon Law Pastor or pastoral administrator shepherds a particular parish and collaborates in the shepherding of the pastoral activity of the area Parish Pastoral Councils merge into an Area Pastoral Council Parish committees merge into Area Committees Finance Councils become Parish Administrative Councils with additional responsibilitiesCivil Law Parishes are subject to federal and state law, particularly corporation law Any major transactions involving property, borrowing or major investment of funds, the status of the corporation itself would involve official action Required to maintain records of financial accounts and minutes of corporate meetings and activity committees and councils share in this activityStructure of the Corporation President Bishop Vice-President Pastor or Pastoral Administrator Secretary Trustee Treasurer Trustee Member Vicar General of the dioceseArea Faith Community and the Civil Corporation The Area Faith Community is not a legal entity Civil corporations of each parish continue to function in collaboration with the Parish Administrative Committee Any monetary activity is done under the auspices of a parish or parishesOrganization or System OperationThere are three levels of planning and management in a parish Day-to-day or operational responsibility of pastoral leader(s) and staff Annual pastoral leaders, staff in consultation with Councils and Committees Long-range or strategic councils and committees projecting, adapting, maintaining and initiatingArea Faith Community Day-to-Day Tasks are managed at individual sites by Pastoral leaders Pastoral leaders may divide ministries and specialize in or share certain ministries Sharing of personnel, ministries and resourcesArea Faith Community AnnuallyArea Pastoral Council and Area Committees Plans, monitors, and evaluates programs, ministries and activities Responds to challenges and opportunities (crisis plans)Parish Administrative Council Prepares budgets and financial reports Facilities, furnishings, groundsArea Faith Community StrategicallyArea Faith Community and Area Committees Project ongoing ministerial needs Introduce and adapt ministries Study those things that support ministriesParish Administrative Council Project financial needs Develop stewardship approaches Promote legacy giftsArea Pastoral Council Parish Pastoral Councils will be replaced by a single Area Pastoral Council Area Pastoral Council is responsible for the pastoral activity in the area Parish Committees will be replaced by Area Committees Area Committees are: Word, Worship, Service and StewardshipArea Pastoral Council Membership Ex-officio members pastoral leaders Appointed parish representatives at least two per parish or proportionate to size; total of at least six, no more than ten Area committee representatives one from each committee for a total of four Follow the guidelines in the Plan addendaArea Committees Word, Worship, Service and Stewardship Minimum of two members from each parish on each committee or maximum of three Pastoral leader or staff serve as ex officio Other committees or sub-committees may be neededArea Word Committee Committee guides religious education, Catholic schools, youth ministry, and adult formation Develops plans for sharing programs and activities Explores new ministerial opportunitiesArea Worship Committee Committee prepares liturgies, sacramental celebrations, devotions, and prayer services for the area Coordinates liturgical ministries and seasonal environments at worship sites Explores possibilities for common celebrations and prayer experiencesArea Service Committee Committee coordinates outreach, advocacy, and social justice education Assesses and responds to the human needs in the area Explores possibilities for common projects and social actionArea Stewardship Committee Committee helps prepare area budget and monitors area finances established through an area assessment Develops plans for the sharing or resources and facilities Explores the potential for a common stewardship approach in the areaArea Assessment Some funds are pooled to pay for shared personnel, programs, and activities Based on a proportionate formula, similar to that used for the Diocesan United Fund Guidelines for the assessment can be found in the Plan addendaParish Administrative Council The Finance Council in each parish will become the Administrative Council Council continues to be responsible for finances and properties Additionally concerned with some parish activities formerly the responsibility of Parish Council elections, festival, picnic, membership issues May have subcommittees such as: cemetery and buildings and grounds,Parish Administrative Council Membership Pastoral leader is ex-officio Minimum of five and no more than ten members Half of the members should be skilled in financial or legal matters At least one member should be a member of the Area Pastoral CouncilPotential Conflicts in the Area Faith Community Domination by one parish over the others Some parish not pulling their weight Attitude that were not getting our moneys worth Breakdown in communications Power struggles between Area Pastoral Council and Administrative Council(s)Tips for Effective Council Collaboration Recognize complementary roles Share minutes and make communication a high priority Encourage mutual respect Promote a collaborative spirit Respond to conflict and criticism openly and honestlyFirst Steps to Implement the Area Faith Community Model Pastoral Councils monitor plan goals Each Pastoral Council chooses two members for a task group to develop preliminary Area Pastoral Council guidelines Each Finance Council formulates Administrative Council guidelines, discusses transition with parish council, selects two members for stewardship Committees select representatives and begin meeting as Area CommitteesOther Steps to Become an Area Faith Community Area Pastoral Council guidelines are approved by all parishes A date is set when Area Council will meet and Pastoral Councils will be dissolved Finance Council approves guidelines and sets a date to meet as Administrative Council A date is set when Area Committees will meet and parish committees will be dissolved |
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Bringing parishes together in the four essential elements: Word, Worship, Service, and Stewardship |