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PARISH PASTORAL COUNCILS

Dear People of God,

This year, 2004, all parishes of the Diocese of Johannesburg are expected to hold elections for Parish Pastoral Councils and so it is not surprising that this handbook setting out the Statutes of PPC's for the Diocese is again in great demand. Everyone who accepts nomination for the PPC should not only have a copy but also know its contents.

Every confirmed Catholic should be involved in some way in the mission of the Church and there are very many ways of doing so. However, being a member, either by election or by appointment, to the Pastoral Council of the parish where you have resided for a number of years is demanding on the one hand but on the other, rewarding in that a PPC member is able to help many others to be part of the Church's Mission of Evangelisation.

The Bible, therfore, and especially the Gospels are the indispensable handbook for the PPC member; but the Statutes, being the fruit of over thirty years experience of the pastoral councils in Johannesburg, are necessary if the PPC is to carry out its task of helping the Pastor and representing the parishioners as together they animate the parish and implement the Pastoral Plan for the Church in Southern Africa.

All this is the work of the Holy Spirit alive and active in the hearts of us all. We must therefore, pray that all our Parishes will be led by the Spririt in this whole process of bringing together a Pastoral Council in every parish that is truly committed to extending the Reign of God in the Diocese.

Sincerely yours in Christ.

Signed: John Finlayson
VICAR GENERAL

PREAMBLE:

"Let the spiritual shepherds recognise and promote the dignity as well as the responsibility of the laity in the Church. Let them willingly employ their prudent advice. Let them confidently assign duties to them in the service of the Church, allowing them freedom and room for action. Further, let them encourage lay people so that they may undertake tasks on their own initiatives. Attentively in Christ, let them consider with fatherly love the projects, suggestions and desires proposed by the laity. However, let the shepherds respectfully acknowledge that just freedom which belongs to everyone in this earthly city" (Vatican II: Lumen Gentium par. 37).

Immediately before the above lines, the same Constitution on the Church declared:

"(The laity are, by reason of the knowledge, competence or outstanding ability which they enjoy, permitted and sometimes even obliged to express their opinions on those things which concern the good of the Church. When occasion arises, let this be done through the organs erected by the Church for this purpose)".

In order to implement this teaching, parish councils were quickly set up in parishes and missions in this Diocese and elsewhere, guidelines were requested and issued with good results so that lay people became involved in the decision-making processes in different areas of parish life.

The Code of Canon Law, promulgated in 1983, has seen fit to give effect to Vatican II's teaching on the participation of the laity in the decision-making processes of the Church at the level of parish life.

Canon 536:

STATUTES

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL (PPC)

  1. PURPOSE FUNCTION AND COMPETENCE
    1. Each parish shall have a PPC to facilitate proper consultation and common action in matters concerning religious formation and pastoral action in the parish. Matters connected with the administration of the goods of the parish do not fall within the competence of the PPC but are the concern of the Parish Finance Committee.
      The overriding concern of the PPC is the renewal of the People of God in the parish according to the mind of the Second Vatican Council.
    2. It shall be the function of the PPC:
      1. promote diocesan pastoral policy in the parish and in other pastoral communities represented on it;
      2. make proposals to the Pastor for the implementation of the diocesan pastoral policy

    3. The PPC functions as a consultative body in the pastoral development of the parish. Its competence shall be in these areas:
      1. the promotion of liturgy;
      2. Catechetics;
      3. consistent policy and practice in regard to sacramental participation;
      4. the youth apostolate;
      5. lay ministries;
      6. lay participation in pastoral responsibilities;
      7. marriage and the family apostolate;
      8. vocations to the priesthood and religious life;
      9. Christian witness in regard to social concerns, particularly as evidenced in justice, reconciliation and peace;
      10. Ecumenism.

    4. Parish Pastoral Councils are part of a broader structure agreed upon in the diocese. Accordingly, the PPC-chairperson or his/her designate plus one other member of the PPC shall be members of the RPC.

  2. MEMBERSHIP
    1. The Pastor and all Assistant Pastors (priests or deacons), duly appointed to the parish, shall be members of the PPC.
    2. To ensure that membership of the PPC is truly representative of the parish seen as a geographic entity and as a community of believers of varying interest groups:

      1. Each APPROVED pastoral committee will be represented by two (2) of their committee members who are designated by that committee (See EXPLANATORY NOTES: 2.3).
      2. At least the general should elect 50% of the members of the PPC body of parishioners - if feasible. Those elected should obtain at least a simple majority of votes.
      3. Each of the APPROVED lay confraternities, sodalities, societies or groups in the parish should designate ONE (1) adult representative as a member of the PPC (See EXPLANATORY NOTES: 2.3).
      4. Religious communities active within the parish boundaries may choose from among themselves a representative. Should the number of such communities require it, the PPC may suggest two or more representatives.
      5. Catholic institutions in the parish, e.g. Catholic Schools, Hospitals, may each have one representative on the PPC.
      6. The Pastor freely appoints members to the PPC at his discretion provided that the Pastor's appointments do not number more than 25% of the total number of PPC members.
      7. The Parish Finance Committee shall appoint from among its members a representative as a member of the PPC to ensure that the PPC is fully informed of the financial situation of the parish.

    3. EXPLANATORY NOTES
      1. Pastoral Committees: represent migrants, immigrants, or other special groups in the parish. They may only be formed with the APPROVAL of the Bishop after he has consulted with the Pastor and the PPC.
      2. Lay Confraternities, Sodalities, Societies: are referred to in the Code as Associations of the Christian Faithful (Canons 298 - 329).
        APPROVED Associations are those approved by the Bishop for the Diocese as from January 1st, 1997.
      3. Lay Groups: Ad hoc informal groups of the laity, which are not Associations of the Christian Faithful as per Canons 298 - 329. APPROVED groups are those approved by the Pastor as eligible to designate to the PPC.

  3. TERM OF OFFICE
    1. The term of off ice of all members of the PPC shall be three (3) years.
    2. In the event of any member of the PPC relinquishing membership before the end of the term of office, a replacement will be elected or designated, as the case may be, for the remaining period of that term of office.
    3. No person may serve as a member of the PPC for more than two (2) consecutive terms of office after which he/she is not eligible for one term of office.
    4. If in the reasonable opinion of the PPC a member of the PPC is no longer able to carry out his/her PPC duties satisfactorily or adequately, such member shall be asked to relinquish his/her membership of the PPC. In such a case the pastor must be consulted and a formal vote must be taken.
    5. A Parish Pastoral Council cannot be suspended or dismissed without prior consultation with the Bishop or his representative and the approval of the Bishop.

  4. OFFICE BEARERS
    1. The President of the PPC will be the Pastor of the Parish.
    2. The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary of the PPC will be elected by the members of the PPC and ratified by the President. They will hold office for the three-year term of the PPC. The Chairperson and the Vice-Chairperson may not be elected for a third term of office to the same position.

  5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
    1. The President Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary of the PPC together with a maximum of three f3J other members of the PPC elected by the PPC will be the Executive Committee of the PPC.
    2. The Executive Committee shall ensure that urgent matters are attended to between meetings. The full PPC must be kept informed of such matters, and where possible their approval must be obtained. Regular communication with the parish community is to be maintained.

  6. COMMITTEES
    1. The PPC shall be entitled to set up Commissions, Committees, Sub-committees and Wording Groups for various purposes and aims of the PPC and to appoint members of the PPC to them. The PPC may also appoint some members who ore not members of the PPC to these groups. These members are appointed to these groups for not longer than the three-year term.
    2. It shall be at the discretion of the PPC to appoint Office-Bearers for these groups or to authorise their election by the members of the groups themselves.

  7. VISION STATEMENT
    The Parish Pastoral Council shall draw up, in consultation with the Parish Community, a Vision Statement for the parish and report thereon at regular intervals, at least annually.
  8. MEETINGS
    1. The PPC shall meet at least once a quarter.
    2. Minutes shall be kept of all meetings and copies submitted to all members of the PPC and be available to parishioners on request.
    3. For the purposes of a formal vote a quorum shall be the personal presence of 50% of the members of the PPC.
    4. Absences must be by apology to the relevant Chairperson. Anyone who is not present at three (3) consecutive meetings without an apology will be deemed to have resigned.
    5. Each meeting of the PPC should be preceded by a discussion and drawing up of the Agenda by the president and the chairperson. This agenda should be received by all members of the PPC at least three (3) days before the meeting of the PPC.
    6. With the agreement of the President and the Chairperson, the PPC may invite parishioners or other observers to be present during part or all of a PPC meeting. Such invitation may be general or for particular meetings only.

  9. AMENDMENTS
    After consulting the Diocesan Council of Priests, the Diocesan Bishop or Diocesan Administrator may at any time amend any of the provisions of these statutes excepting the provisions of General Law.

    10. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny
    fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is
    GodÂ’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which
    is another way or saying that the Kingdom
    always lies beyond us...

    W e cannot do everything and there is a sense
    ofi liberation in realising that. This enables us
    to do something and to do it very well.
    It may be incomplete, but it is an opportunity
    for the Lords grace to enter and do the rest.

    We may never see the end results, but that is
    the difference between the master builder and
    the worker. We are the workers, not the Master
    Builder, the ministers, not the Messiah. We are
    prophets of a future that is not our own.

    Archbishop Oscar Romero

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