Bylaws of OLA Pastoral Council

Adopted April 28, 2001

 1. Purpose: The purpose of the Pastoral Council is to:

  • Examine issues or study issues at the request of the pastor or on its own initiative
  • Consider information it collects to discern what direction God is inviting the parish to go
  • Recommend to the pastor or his staff on what should be done for Our Lady of Angels at this time in its history

2. Vision: Based on the purpose, the Pastor and Pastoral Council have identified the following vision:

“As disciples of Jesus Christ and in the spirit of Saint Francis, Our Lady of Angels Catholic family welcomes and embraces one another and those who come to us. Through worship, ministry and loving service we provide for one another’s spiritual and communal well-being. In being so nourished, we, in turn, reach out to serve the larger community.”

3. Organization: The Pastoral Council will consist of 10-15 members of the parish who are selected by and serve at the pleasure of the pastor of Our Lady of Angels. The official address for any written communication to the Pastoral Council will be Our Lady of Angels Rectory, 1721 Hillside Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010.

4. Term: Pastoral Council members will generally serve a term of three (3) years with one-third of the Council being rotated every year. Council members may serve a period of time greater or less than this general average at the pleasure of the Pastor. The Term will be from June through May of each year.

5. Quorum: A majority of Council members present will constitute a quorum although the Council may discuss issues and make recommendations if requested by the Pastor in the absence of a quorum.

6. Meetings: Meetings will generally be scheduled for the last Wednesday of every month between 7:00 and 8:30 p.m. in a meeting room mutually agreeable to the Pastor and Council. The schedule may be changed to alternate times and locations mutually agreeable to the Pastor and Council. Special meetings may be called by the Pastor.

7. Officers / Duties: The Pastor and Council will elect a President, Vice-President and Secretary as officers of the Council. They shall have the following respective duties:

  • President: The President will work with the Pastor and other Council members to set the agenda, preside over scheduled meetings, assure that meeting minutes and actions items are properly kept and represent the Council, with the Pastor, to any meetings with other parish Committees or parishioners.
  • Vice-President: The Vice-President will act on behalf of the President when s/he is unable to attend a meeting and otherwise perform the activities of the President in his/her absence. The Vice-President will represent the Pastoral Council to any established sub-Committee created by the Council.
  • Secretary: The Secretary will record and distribute minutes of the meetings and keep the historical record of the Parish Council. Such records will be maintained by both the Secretary and the Rectory.

8. Sub-Committees: At the designation of the Pastor or Parish Council, ad hoc sub-Committees may be formed to address specific issues or tasks under the direction of the Vice-President who will act as a liaison between the sub-Committee and Council.

9. Amendments: The Pastor or Parish Council may amend these By-Laws at any time. Current By-Laws will be kept by Parish Council members and the Rectory and made available to parishioners upon request.