Canon
law mandates a Parish Finance Council in each parish to serve as the
consultative body to advise and assist the pastor/administrator or other
person in charge in controlling and overseeing the financial affairs of
the parish and any schools, centers, or other operations affiliated
with the parish (Canon 537).
The pastor/administrator or
other person in charge is responsible for all financial aspects of the
parish operations, but is expected to consult with the Parish Finance
Council in establishing and reviewing annual operating budgets for the
parish, school, and other parish operations and in setting the annual
capital expenditures budget. The Parish Finance Council receives monthly
expense and income reports from the parish and school to review and
provide its insight and advice.
The Parish Finance Council is
accountable to the pastor/administrator or other person in charge, but
if the advice of a Parish Finance Council is unanimous in any particular
matter, that decision is expected to be given serious consideration.
Members of the Parish Finance Council are appointed for terms by the
pastor/administrator or other person in charge and may be active members
of the parish or, as needed, may be recommended parishioners from
surrounding communities. Parish Finance Council members represent the
parish at large and no specific group within the parish community.
When
leadership at a parish changes, members of the existing Parish Finance
Council submit their resignations, which may or may not be accepted. A
successor Parish Finance Council is to be organized promptly. When
possible, members should be skilled in business with expertise in
management, finance, accounting, law, development, or related fields.
Members cannot have a conflict of interest and members of the parish or
school staff or relatives of parish ministerial leaders may not be
members. However, the parish business manager, bookkeeper, or other lay
financial administrators and the ministerial leadership of the parish
participate in the Parish Finance Council without a vote.
In 2022, the archbishop promulgated updated guidelines for Parish Finance Councils. To help ensure compliance, each fiscal quarter the Parish Finance Council shall report to its regional office about one of its meetings that quarter.
2-24-21, 2-15-22, 2-14-23