CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS of PARISH PASTORAL COUNCILS in the DIOCESE OF LAOAG

PREAMBLE

Responding to the Call of the 2nd Vatican Council and the 2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines for Communion, Participation and Co-responsibility in the Church; and desirous to realize the Commitment of the First Diocese of Laoag Plenary Assembly to renew and revitalize our Diocese toward making it a veritable Kingdom of God and a Community of Disciples of Jesus Christ; through the intercession of Mary Our Blessed Mother and St. William the Hermit our Patron Saint, we promulgate this Constitution of the Parish Pastoral Councils in the Diocese of Laoag.

ARTICLE I
Nature

Section 1. The Parish Pastoral Council (henceforth PPC) is a Representative Group of the Christian faithful of the parish that acts as the official policy-making, planning, implementing and monitoring body of the Parish.
Section 2. The PPC is an advisory and consultative body to the Parish Priest (or Pastor, henceforth PP) who has the final and accountable decision in parochial agenda in accord with the provisions of Church Law and in line with Diocesan policies and norms.

ARTICLE II
Objectives

Section 1. To draw a parish pastoral plan in line with the Diocesan Pastoral Plan.
Section 2. To approve the Budget of the Parish which is made and presented to it by the Parish Finance Council.
Section 3. To foster participation and communion among the People of God with one another in the parish and with the other Parishes in the Diocese.
Section 4. To give support to the PP and undertake any appropriate project or task given to it by the PP.

ARTICLE III
Membership

Section 1. Membership in the PPC is by:
a. Ex officio:
The PP and Parochial Vicar/s
Religious Sister (the Superior of the Community)
Principal or President of the Catholic School
b. Appointment by the PP:
One member from each of the Parish Commissions
Two Representatives of the Youth
c. Election by their own constituents
One Representative of (Mandated) Religious Organizations
One Representative of (Charismatic) Religious Movements
One Representative from each Barangay Pastoral Council. (In big parishes, there will be one representative from each Cluster of BPCs.)

ARTICLE IV
Officers

Section 1. The group of officers of the PPC shall be known as the Executive Board (henceforth EB).
Section 2. The members of the PPC shall elect among themselves, by secret ballot, the officers or members of the EB, composed of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Other officers can be added to the EB (from among the members of the PPC) as deemed necessary by the PP or PPC, but they should not exceed seven in number.
Section 3. The functions of the EB are:
a. To make recommendations for the good of the parish, to be approved
by the PPC en banc.
b. To prepare the Agenda for the PPC en banc meeting. This involves prioritizing the needs of the parish.
c. To act as the Secretariat and Steering Committee of the PPC.
d. To undertake any task given to it by the PP and the PPC.
Section 4. The duties of the Officers are as follows:
a. President – presides in the PPC and EB meeting when delegated by the PP and to represent the Parish in appropriate occasions.
b. Vice-President – assumes the duties of the President in the latter’s absence.
c. Secretary – takes the minutes of meetings and keeps the records.
d. The Treasurer keeps and accounts for the funds of the PPC, but not
necessarily of the Parish.

ARTICLE IV
Term of Office

Section 1. The term of office of officers is two years, renewable for another term. No officer can serve for more than two consecutive terms. However, they are eligible again to be officers after a break in their officership.
Section 2. In case a member ceases to be a member because of resignation, incapacity or disqualification, the PP will appoint somebody from the same sector to serve out his/her unexpired term.
Section 3. Current PPC officers as of February 2009 are considered to be in their first term. Therefore, they can be reappointed or reelected for their second term during the coming election.

ARTICLE V
Qualifications

Section 1. Only those Christian Faithful who are outstanding in the practice of the Faith in their parish, and who can commit themselves and are able to work with others, can be members of the PPC.
Section 2. No elective official in the Government from Barangay Captain upwards can be a member of the PPC, much less be an officer.
Section 3. No member of the PPC can be a member of the PFC and vice versa.

ARTICLE VI
Meetings

Section 1. The meetings of both the PPC and the Executive Board shall be presided over by the PP, although he may delegate the PPC President to preside. The PP can call a special meeting whenever he deems it necessary.
Section 2. The PPC en banc meets bi-monthly, and so does the Executive Board. Hence, their meetings alternate every month. The meetings are held on the ______ Sunday (or another day) of the month, at ______ o’clock in the Parish Hall..
Section 3. All meetings must be formal in nature, and minutes are to be duly recorded and kept. It is encouraged that a short bible-based prayer should precede every meeting.

ARTICLE VII
Parish Pastoral Commissions

Section 1. Worship and Liturgy
Section 2. Christian Education
Section 3. Social Action
Section 4. Temporalities
Section 5. Youth
Section 6. Family and Life
Section 7. Vocations

ARTICLE VIII
Election, Organization and Cessation

Section 1. The PPC should have already been constituted by the end of January of 2009, and every other year thereafter, i.e. on an odd-ending year. The election of the Executive Board is to be held simultaneously in all parishes of the Diocese on the fourth Saturday of February also on an odd-ending year.
Section 2. The members and officers of the PPC will take their oath of office on the Monday of Holy Week, after the Chrism Mass. They start their office and assume responsibility after they take their oath.
Section 3. In case the PP is changed, the PPC members and officers are considered ipso facto resigned. However, the new PP may reinstate them in writing to serve their unexpired term.

ARTICLE IX
Amendments
Amendments in this Constitution may be made by the Bishop in consultation with the Priests’ Assembly, who will in turn make recommendations in consultation with their parishioners. The Bishop may also consult other groups.

ARTICLE X
Effectivity
This Constitution and By-Laws is hereby promulgated and takes effect today, the First Sunday of Advent, the 30th of November, 2008 and will remain effective until it is abrogated by the Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese.


SIGNED:

+ Sergio L. Utleg, D.D
Bishop of Laoag
November 30, 2008