Parish Councils

The book treats pastoral and finance councils from the standpoint of canon law.

The book treats pastoral and finance councils from the standpoint of parish practice and canon law.

The first in a series of Pastoral Resources published and promoted by the Canon Law Society of America, Parish Councils: Pastoral and Finance examines consultation through parish councils in the wake of Vatican II, as a result of the Council’s emphasis on active participation of the laity in the life of the Church. It offers an in-depth vision of the origins and development of these councils, including the theological and canonical reasoning behind them, as well as a detailed look at their functions, operations, and relationships to other elements of the parish.

Written by James A. Coriden and Mark F. Fischer, this book reflects the experience of consultation on the parish level and the official documents of the Church.  It includes eight chapters on pastoral councils and seven on finance councils.

  1. The Theological Framework for Pastoral Councils
  2. The Canonical Framework for Pastoral Councils
  3. Roots in the Second Vatican Council and Subsequent Documents
  4. Functions of the Parish Pastoral council
  5. Parish Pastoral Council Relationships
  6. Membership in the Parish Pastoral Council
  7. Operation of the Parish Pastoral Council
  8. The Process for Pastoral Planning
  9. The Theological Framework of Finance Councils
  10. Canonical Framework of Finance Councils
  11. Roots in the Second Vatican Council and Other Documents
  12. Functions of the Parish Finance Council
  13. Parish Finance Council Relationships
  14. Parish Finance Council Membership
  15. Operations of the Parish Finance Council

With an extensive bibliography, Parish Councils offers pastoral practitioners a thorough understanding of parochial church consultation.  The book is available from the online bookstore of the Canon Law Society of America.  ISBN 978-1-932-208-43-6.  $15.00.