Guidelines for Parish Pastoral Council.

I. In accord with Canon 536 of the Code of Canon Law, and as directed
by the Archbishop of Dublin.
Blessington Parish hereby establishes the following Guidelines for its Parish Pastoral Council.

II. Mission Statement
A group of people working together, reaching out in Faith and Love to all parishoners
to develop and enhance pastoral well-being in an ever changing reality.

III. Purpose of the Council and Areas of Concern
In meeting its Mission, the function of the Parish Pastoral Council is to deal with the
mission of the Church and the missions of the Blessington Parish Pastoral Council as
outlined in their statement; to deal with long range and short-range goals and
objectives as agreed by the Council, and to design procedures and processes by
which the pastoral work of the Church is to be accomplished in Blessington Parish.

IV. Membership
The members of the Parish Council shall be elected at the AGM each year. The
membership of the Parish Council shall consist of eighteen members. made up as
follows:
Parish clergy, Parish Secretary, plus fifteen other Parishioners.

V. Structure
The Parish Priest shall be the President of the Council. There shall also be a
Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary and Vice Secretary, all of these positions
to be filled by a Parishioner from the Council and elected on an annual basis.
No member † may hold a position for any longer than a three-year consecutive period.
To the extent practicable, the Parish Council should be representative of all
geographical areas, age groups and community and voluntary groups within the
Parish.
Membership of the Parish Council shall be for a three-year period. After this period
members must stand down and if they wish to do so may put their name forward again
for re election at the AGM. No member can serve more than three consecutive terms.
A Quorum for any Council meeting shall consist of half of the members of the
Council.
No decision can be considered passed and accepted at either Council Meeting or
AGM without a two-thirds majority.
† excludes the President of the Council

VI. Meetings
The Council shall meet at least nine times per year.
The AGM of Parishioners shall be held in October of each year.
Any member failing to attend four consecutive meetings without reasonable
explanation shall be deemed to have resigned.

VII. Committees
The Council may set up sub committees to deal with specific topics. Other people
because of their expertise and competence may be co-opted onto these sub
committees by the Council. Sub committees may meet as often as deemed necessary
to achieve their objective. Each sub-committee shall elect their own chairperson and
secretary.

VIII. Revisions
Revisions to these Guidelines may only be made following agreement by at least two
thirds of the Council members present and voting. Such revisions must be ratified at
the next AGM.
Dated : February 2005
Revision No.: 1

To return to the main website just close this window.