Charter for the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
Revised April 13, 2016
Article I | Introduction
I have come to set the world on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!
— Luke 12:49[1]
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Peter 2:9
In response to the priorities established by the Archdiocesan Synod of 2003, and adopted by the Archbishop, An Archdiocesan council is hereby created as envisioned by the Second Vatican Council’s Christus Dominus, Decree Concerning The Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church, and encouraged as ideal in the Congregation of Bishops’ Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Apostolorum Successores (2004). Through the Archdiocesan Council, we specifically acknowledge the role of the laity and the requirement to exercise all ministry in a more communal and collaborative fashion.[2] Such involvement of the laity is consistent with those canonical directives proclaiming that all the faithful are free to make known their needs especially their spiritual needs and wishes to the pastors of the Church.[3] The faithful have the right, indeed at times the duty, in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position to manifest to their pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church.[4]
Therefore, the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council will continue to work in dialogue with the Archbishop for the good of the Church as a whole, assisting him in his role as a sign of unity. It is this unity, ablaze with the fire of the never-ending day of Pentecost, which empowers us to take the Gospel into our hearts and out to the world.
Article II | Purpose and Primary Areas of Responsibility
Section 1 | Purpose
The purpose of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council is to:
a. Under the authority of the Bishop, to investigate and consider matters relating to pastoral activity and to formulate practical conclusions concerning them.[5] In doing so, the Council is called upon to collaborate with the Archbishop and
b. Assist the Archbishop in other matters he may choose to bring before them. For example, the Council can give the Archbishop great help, such as presenting him with proposals and suggestions regarding catechetical and apostolic undertakings within the Archdiocese; concerning pastoral activities to help the priests in various social and territorial areas of the Archdiocese; concerning public opinion on matters pertaining to the Church as it is more likely to be fostered in the present time; etc.[6]
This collaborative vision, emphasized by the Archbishop in his pastoral priorities, is a call to lay, religious and ordained members of the Church to renew the structures by which decisions are made on all levels. Thus, the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council answers the call for greater religious and lay participation in decision-making and processes of accountability.[7] These purposes, viewed in the light of the Archbishop’s priorities,[8] should guide the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council as it sets out into the deep.[9]
In addition, because accountability has been a particular concern of the faithful overall, ensuring accountability is also an important aspect of the ministry of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council not only for itself, but for others in ministry as well.
Section 2 | Primary Areas of Responsibility
Taught by Jesus and encouraged by the Spirit to discern the signs of the times,[10] the Archbishop has announced five pastoral priorities. Recognizing the call to a New Evangelization, these are:
I. Education in the Faith;
II. Promoting Vocations to the Priesthood and to Religious and Consecrated Life;
III. Fostering our universal “catholic” Identity and diversity as the family of God;
IV. Proclaiming the Gospel of Life; and
V. Strengthening Marriage and Family[11]
Article III | Function
The primary function of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council is to study and reflect on matters that the Archbishop brings to its attention, and offer him its conclusions regarding them.[12] At times, the Archbishop may ask the Council to serve him in an advisory role on a particular matter. In conducting its own internal affairs, the Council functions in a collaborative/consultative manner.
The functions of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council are:
1. To support the ministry and authority of the Archbishop;
2. To help plan with the Archbishop for the future of the Church within the Archdiocese, recommending guidelines and the establishment of other advisory bodies as necessary;
3. To provide written recommendations, arrived at by consensus, to the Archbishop in matters pertaining to its areas of responsibility;
4. To plan for archdiocesan structures of accountability and recourse;[13] and
5. To work closely and collaboratively with the Office of New Evangelization, the Office of Pastoral Councils, and the Regional Pastoral Councils to promote and maintain a unity of mission and vision.[14]
Article IV | Membership
Section 1 | Composition
The Archbishop presides over the Council and therefore does not vote. The members of the Council shall include:
a. Two Priests from the Council of Priests to be elected or appointed through a process to be determined by the Council of Priests;
b. Two permanent deacons from the Deacon Council to be elected or appointed through a process to be determined by the Deacon Council;
c. Two women religious to be elected or appointed through a process to be determined by the Vicar for Women Religious;
d. One religious brother to be elected or appointed through a process to be determined by the Vice-Chancellor;
e. One Parish Life Director appointed in a manner to be determined by the Office of Parish Life.
f. Fifteen laypersons, three per Pastoral Region, selected in a manner to be determined by each of the Regional Pastoral Councils and approved by their respective Regional Bishop;
g. Up to five persons appointed by the Archbishop to ensure comprehensive representation of the Archdiocese;
h. Consultors (including the director of the office of New Evangelization) appointed by the Archbishop, each of whom possesses expertise in one of the distinct areas identified by each of the Archbishop’s pastoral priorities, i.e., one consultor for each priority; (ex officio, non-voting);
i. The Moderator of the Curia/Vicar General of the Archdiocese (ex officio, non-voting);
j. The Chancellor of the Archdiocese (ex officio, non-voting);
Section 2 | Criteria for Lay Membership (voting members only)
The membership of the Council shall reflect the diversity of God’s people within the Archdiocese. Lay membership shall be balanced in terms of gender[15] and inclusive of the demographic realities of the community, drawing upon the gifts of the faithful of various ethnicities, ages, cultures, geographical areas, social conditions and professions, and the role which they have in the apostolate whether individually or jointly.[16] In addition, members shall be:
a. Sitting on a Regional Pastoral Council, unless a lay member is one of the five members directly appointed by the Archbishop, in which case this requirement shall not apply;
b. Individuals should have the ability to perform the essential functions of the council, that is, the ability to investigate, reflect, and reach conclusions with the other members;
c. Fully-initiated Roman Catholics in good standing with the Church, outstanding in firm faith, good morals and prudence;[17]
d. Registered and supporting members of a parish within the Archdiocese;
e. Active participants in the life of their parish; and
f. Committed to ongoing formation.
Section 3 | Terms of Office
All voting council members shall serve for a term of three years. Individuals may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. After a voting council member has served two consecutive terms, an intervening three-year period must elapse before that member may be eligible to serve another new term.
Section 4 | Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy, the group or individual responsible for the members election or appointment shall be responsible for identifying a replacement to serve during the unexpired portion of the term. The Moderator of the Archdiocesan Council shall notify the appropriate group, or the appropriate Regional Council Moderator in the case of a vacancy of a Regional Council layperson, of the vacancy and request that the appropriate steps be taken to fill the vacancy.
Article V | Executive Officers
The Executive Officers shall be the President, the Moderator, the Vice-Moderator, and the Secretary. The President shall be the Archbishop, ex officio. The Moderator, Vice-Moderator, and Secretary shall be nominated by the Council and then elected by secret ballot. The election of the Executive Officers shall be held during the June meeting of each year and shall be decided by a simple majority vote of the members present, a quorum having been obtained. The newly elected Executive Officers shall assume their duties and responsibilities on the July 1 following the June election.
The term of office for Executive Officers shall be two years, renewable for one additional year by vote of the Council. Candidates for Moderator shall have served at least one year on the Executive Committee.
Any one of the elected officers of the Council may be removed from office by a two-thirds majority vote of no confidence at any regular meeting or special meeting of the Council. Upon doing so, the Council shall immediately proceed to elect the replacement officer or officers. The new officer(s) shall serve for the unexpired portion of his/her predecessor’s term.
Article VI | Duties and Responsibilities of the Executive Officers
1. The President shall:
a. Preside at all Council meetings; and
b. Have over-all responsibility for the work of the Council.
2. The Moderator shall:
a. Work closely with the President and the Executive Committee in the preparation of the Council agenda;
b. Conduct all Council meetings;
c. Serve as liaison to Council Committees;
d. Report to the Archbishop the outcomes of meetings when the Archbishop is unable to attend.
3. The Vice-Moderator shall:
a. Serve in the absence of the Moderator; and
b. Assist the Moderator in carrying out the Moderator’s responsibilities.
4. The Secretary shall:
a. Maintain accurate and organized records of council proceedings and any documents it may issue, and to make all these Council papers publicly available (unless they involve matters undertaken in Executive Session), also posting them on the Council Web site.[18]In this way, transparency and accountability will be encouraged; and
b. Keep attendance records and inform the Moderator when a Council member has exceeded allowable absences, as specified in Article X, Section 2.
Article VII | Executive Committee
Section 1 | Composition
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the following:
a. President;
b. Moderator;
c. Vice-Moderator;
d. Secretary;
e. Immediate Past Moderator; and
f. Two at-large delegates elected from among the Council members for a one-year term by the Council at its June meeting. The at-large delegates shall be voting members in all Executive Committee Meetings and available to assist the Moderator in any business of the Council and its Committees.
Section 2 | Duties
The Executive Committee shall:
a. Coordinate and plan the activities of the Council;
b. Develop the agenda for Council meetings;
c. Select members for any committees or task forces it establishes, taking into account the interests and skills of those to be appointed;
d. Engage in on-going evaluation of the Council and all of its Committees;
e. Create an impartial Nominations/Elections Committee for Council elections; and
f. Follow directives of the Council regarding decisions made at meetings of the Council.
g. Determine if a voting member of the Council fails to meet the criteria for membership on the Council.
Section 3 | Removal from office
In the event that the Executive Committee determines that a voting-member of the Council fails to meet the criteria for membership in the Council as set forth in Article IV, Sections 1 and 2 above, the Committee shall have authority to remove that member as set forth below:
a. All members of the Council, including the member in question, shall be given notice and a reasonable opportunity to be heard on the issue;
b. The member in question shall be removed only if a majority of the Executive Committee members, through a process of prayerful discernment and a secret ballot, determine that the member in question fails to meet the criteria for membership on the Council.
Article VIII: Council Meetings
Section 1 | Regular meetings
Council meetings shall be held at least three times a year. A written or electronic notice stating the date, time, place, and agenda for each meeting shall be sent to each Council member at least 10 days prior to the meeting. Ordinarily, the Council shall function from September through June, and be adjourned through July and August of any given year.
Section 2 | Special Meetings
Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Archbishop or by petition (written or oral) of 25% of the membership, with the consent of the Archbishop. Members shall receive written or electronic notice of such a meeting not less than 10 days before the meeting date. The notice shall specify the date, time, place, and purpose of the meeting.
Section 3 | Quorum
At all regular and special meetings of the Council, a quorum shall consist of the Archbishop or his delegate and simple majority of the membership. A quorum shall be required for the transaction of official business in the name of the Council.
Article IX | Other Committees
Section 1 | Ad Hoc Committees and Task Forces
From time to time it may be necessary for ad hoc committees and task forces to be created. The members of ad hoc committees and task forces shall serve until their charge is completed. When the members of these ad hoc committee or task forces have, in their judgment, fulfilled their mandate, they shall prepare a written report for submission to the Council. The ad hoc committee or task force shall cease to exist once their mandate has been fulfilled as recognized by the Council.
Article X | Attendance
Section 1 | Commitment
It is recognized that before accepting nomination for election or appointment to the Council, to any committee of the Council, or to any task force, a member will understand the nature and duration of their responsibility and commitment. It is further understood that members shall attend meetings on a regular basis.
Section 2 | Absences
When a member is unable to attend a meeting, the upcoming absence shall be reported to the Council Secretary. In the event of two consecutive unexcused absences, the Moderator shall consult with the Executive Committee to determine the continuation or termination of this member of the Council. The decision on continuation or termination shall be communicated to the member in writing by the Moderator.
Article XI | Amendments
Amendments to Council Charter and procedures may be proposed by any member of the Council at any regular meeting provided they have been distributed in writing to all Council members at least two weeks prior to the meeting at which they will be discussed. Final action on the proposed amendment(s) shall be taken at the next regular meeting following the discussion. Approval of the amendment(s) by a 2/3 majority vote of the members present shall be required for adoption. Unless otherwise specified, the changes shall have immediate effect.
Appendix
The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council has its authority from the Archbishop. Together with the Archbishop, the Council functions as an essential component of the institutional structure of the Archdiocese. Therefore, its actions and recommendations, when the Archbishop concurs, should not be considered merely another form of input at the curial level, but proper weight must be attributed to its actions and recommendations in pastoral deliberations. Where necessary, policies and procedures at the curial, regional and parochial levels should be revised to assign appropriate weight to the Archbishop and the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council so that it may have the authority and resources to accomplish its mission.[19]
[1] As contained in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Go and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in the United States, 1990.
[2] Cardinal Roger Mahony and the Priests of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, As I Have Done for You: A Pastoral Letter on Ministry, 2000, no. 77
[3] Canon 212, ‘2
[4] Canon 212, no. 3
[5] Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Pastoral Office of the Bishops in the Church (Christus Dominus, 6 August 1965), no. 27.
[6] Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, Private Letter on Pastoral Councils (Omnes Christifideles), 1/25/73, no. 9
[7] Cardinal Roger Mahony and the People of God of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Gathered and Sent: Documents of the Synod of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (Chicago: LTP, 2003), pp. 24-25 (Pastoral Initiative II, Priority 1).
[8] Most Rev. José H. Gomez, Witness to the New World of Faith: A Pastoral Letter to the Family of God in Los Angeles on the New Evangelization and our Missionary Call (10/2/2012), pp. 7-12.
[9] See Luke 5:1-11.
[10] See Matthew 16:1-4.
[11] See footnote 8.
[12] Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Pastoral Office of the Bishops in the Church (Christus Dominus, 6 August 1965), no. 27.
[13] See Second Vatican Council, Christus Dominus, no. 27: “It will be the function of this [pastoral] council to investigate and consider matters relating to pastoral activity and to formulate practical conclusions concerning them”, and Code of Canon Law, Canon 212, Sections 2 and 3, and Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Apostolorum Successores, no. 184.
[14] See Gathered And Sent, Introduction to Pastoral Initiative II.
[15] See Gathered And Sent, Pastoral Initiative IV, Pastoral Strategy 3.
[16] Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Apostolorum Successores, no. 184.
[17] Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops, Apostolorum Successores, no. 184.
[18] See Pontifical Council for Social Communication, Communio et Progressio (1971), nos. 12, 33, 119 and 120.
[19] See As I Have Done For You, no. 38; Gathered and Sent, Pastoral Initiative II, Priority 2.
