Archbishop’s Council of Priests

Introduction

Nature, Name and Statute

• The Council of Priests ('the Council') is the practical expression of the intrinsic unity of the clergy of the Archdiocese with their first and principal clergy, the Archbishop

• By its nature and procedure, the Council
  is an eminent consultative organ in the governance of the Archdiocese.

Purpose

• The purpose of the Council of Priests is set out in Canon 495 §

“In each Diocese there is to be a Council of Priests, that is, a group of priests who represent the presbyterium and are to be, as it were, the Bishop's senate. The Council's role is to assist the Bishop, in accordance with the Law, in the governance of the Diocese, so that the pastoral welfare of as that portion of the People of God entrusted to the Bishop may be most effectively promoted.”

• As a body, the Council manifests the communion and collegiality between the Archbishop and the clergy members. It shall seek to represent and to unite the clergy of the Archdiocese in a fraternal and co-operative spirit with one another and with the Archbishop

• The Council will promote an environment that encourages synodality, "in which clergy and laity are called to cooperate with the bishop for the good of the whole ecclesial community". (Pope Francis: Synod of Bishops, 17 Oct 2015)

• The Council will assist the Archbishop in evaluating the missionary and pastoral
  needs of the Archdiocese, and in seeking and proposing ways and means for the effective implementation of initiatives.

Membership

• The membership of the Council, over which the Archbishop presides, shall be comprised of:

  i.     The Vicar General

  ii.    Eight (8) clergy; two (2) from each
  region - north, south, east and west -
  of the Archdiocese, elected by those
  clergy who are engaged in pastoral
  duties within the Archdiocese;

  iii.   Up to seven (7) clergy engaged in
  pastoral duties in the Archdiocese,
  appointed by the Archbishop, which
  may include a retired clergy of the
  Archdiocese and an Auxiliary Bishop

  iv.  The full-time migrant chaplains shall
  elect from among their chaplains a
  clergy to be a member of the Council of
  Priests.

• Auxiliary Bishops, unless appointed as a nominee by the Archbishop are not members of the Council of Priests, but may attend the meetings of the Council of Priests and should receive the agenda and minutes of the Council.

• The term of appointment for each Councillor, elected or appointed, is four (4) years excepting the initial members.

• A permanent vacancy of an elected Councillor shall be filled by an election in the region of the vacant position. The election should take place as soon as possible after the vacancy is known to ensure the elected Councillor is present at each meeting of the Council of Priests. The elected Councillor shall serve for the unexpired portion of the originally elected Councillor.

• A vacancy of an appointed Councillor shall be filled by an appointment by the Archbishop for the unexpired portion of the term. 1 Can. 498 §1. The following have the right of election, both active and passive, in constituting a presbyteral council :

  1/ All secular clergy incardinated in the
  diocese;

  2/ Secular clergy not incardinated in the
  diocese and clergy who are members
  of some religious institute or society of
  apostolic life, who reside in the diocese
  and exercise some office for the good
  of the diocese.

Election

• In order to guarantee continuity within the Council, there should be an election every two years for half of the elected positions in each of the regions, north, south, east and west.

• The elected members of the Council shall be elected by mail-ballot by any clergy in good standing and who meets the criteria of Can. 498 § I which states: "The following have the right of election, both active and passive, in constituting a presbyteral council:

  1/ All secular clergy incardinated in the
  diocese;

  2/ Secular clergy not incardinated in the
  diocese and clergy who are members
  of some religious institute or society of
  apostolic life, who reside in the diocese
  and exercise some office for the good
  of the diocese.

  §2. To the extent that the statutes provide for it, the same right of election can be conferred on other priests who have a domicile or quasi-domicile in the diocese."

• Each eligible elector receiving the list of nominees from his region for the election of the Council and the official ballot is to indicate the priest(s) of his choice and return the ballot to the Election Committee by the deadline date determined by the Committee.

• At least three weeks before the election, an official ballot shall be mailed to each eligible elector with the list of nominees from the region in which he resides.

• The priests eligible to vote shall be asked to submit, by electronic-mail, the names of nominees; an Election Committee shall be responsible for confirming each nominee's consent.

• Each elector may vote for up to a maximum of four (4) nominees with each vote having equal weight. The one nominee in each region with the highest number of votes is appointed as the member for that region.

• If there is an equal vote for the final position for elected membership, the priest most senior by ordination will be deemed elected.

Archbishop’s Appointees
[ref. Membership (iii)]

• The appointment of the Archbishop's nominees shall take place at the conclusion of their four (4) year term.

Officers of the Council

• The Officers of the Council shall be the President, Chairman, and the Secretary.
  The President of the Council shall be the Archbishop. The Chairman and the Secretary shall be elected by the members of the Council from among their members with each two year election. Each of the Chair and Secretary may be elected for a second term of two years.

Meetings

• Ordinary meetings of the Council are held at least four (4) times a year. Extraordinary meetings may be called as needed.

• A simple majority of members shall constitute a quorum.

Council Committees

• The Council shall have an Executive Committee and an Elections Committee, and such other standing or special committees as shall be necessary to carry on the work of the Council.

• The Executive Committee shall consist
  of the Officers of the Council, plus two (2) elected from among the Council members. This committee shall prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Council, and shall coordinate where necessary the work of the other committees.

• The Elections Committee shall consist of not fewer than three (3) members appointed by the Chairman and confirmed by the Council. This Committee shall have supervision over matters pertaining to eligibility to vote and to be elected, and shall conduct the elections for the elected members of the Council.

Regional Meetings

• Regional meetings (North, South, East, West) shall be held before each Council meeting to discuss the agenda as proposed by the Agenda Committee. Notes from the Regional Meetings should form part of the agenda of each Council of Priests Meeting.

Cessation

• When the See becomes vacant, the Council ceases and its functions are carried out by the College of Consultors. The new Archbishop shall establish the Council anew within a year of taking possession of the See.

I decree that these Statutes are to be
used by the Council of Priests of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. These Statutes replace any previously issued Statutes and are to take effect from 1 September 2023.

Most Rev Peter A Comensoli
Archbishop of Melbourne

1 September 2023

St Patrick's Centre,
486 Albert Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002

Statutes - Council of Priests