Archdiocese of Ottawa
Council of Deacons Constitution (English Sector)
As amended by Special Committee and submitted for approval, September 30, 2008,
and approved March 24, 2009
(Original Document, July 30, 2003)
Archdiocese of Ottawa
Preface
July 30, 2003
My dear friends:
The Policies and Procedures Manual for Permanent Diaconate Ministries, which I promulgated on December 26, 2002, included a diocesan organization, consisting of a Director and three coordinators, to administer the Diaconate, with the requirement, “…the Director shall consult on a regular basis with the Diaconate Community to obtain its input and/or assistance on appropriate matters, such as planning of annual retreats and the diaconate study weekends.” Under these Policies and Procedures, the Diaconate Community lives in a new environment of diocesan policy that could benefit greatly from a communication and advisory body, such as a Council of Deacons, endowed with more stature and representation than the Executive Committee structure existing under the current Constitution, established on April 25, 1994. So I am hereby establishing the Archdiocese of Ottawa Council of Deacons Constitution (English Sector), automatically abrogating the existing Constitution.
The new Constitution provides for a Council of Deacons having ultimate authority over all committees, including an Executive Committee that oversees the activities of the Standing and Special Committees. The Council is well represented by a broad cross-section of deacons. It serves as a means of communication with me and/or the Director on matters concerning the Diaconate Community. It is also a channel for spiritual, educational, social, and administrative matters held to be important by the Diaconate Community.
The Diaconate is an ordained fraternity of service-minded men who are dedicated to the needs of others, including one another. The vibrancy of the Diaconate Community is a reflection of the care of its members for one another’s welfare and for the order they represent. Therefore, Deacons have a duty to contribute to the life of the Diaconate Community through participation in its activities, especially through membership in the Council of Deacons and its committees.
In this connection, it is worth recalling Fr. William T. Donavan’s reminder (in his book “Understanding Diaconal Spirituality”) that, “by ordaining deacons, the church is saying something fundamentally important to the world: service is at the heart of the human and divine mystery. Deacons are privileged to sacramentalize that mystery not just in what they do, but in who they are.”
I am grateful to our deacons, ordained to the pre-eminent order of service, for the faithfulness, dedication and sincerity with which they consistently perform their chosen ministries. It is in that spirit of gratitude that I promulgate this document today, July 30, 2003.
With prayerful good wishes, I remain;
Yours sincerely in Christ,
+Marcel Gervais
Archbishop of Ottawa
Table of Contents
1. preamble. 1
2. NAME. 1
3. accountability.. 1
4. MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION AND ELECTIONS. 1
5. purpose. 2
6. meetings. 2
6.1 Council Meetings. 2
6.2 Annual General Meeting. 2
6.3 Special Meetings. 2
6.4 Notice of Meetings. 2
6.5 Voting. 2
6.6 Quorum.. 3
6.7 Open Meetings. 3
7. officers of the council. 3
7.1 Composition. 3
7.2 Presider 3
7.3 Chairman. 3
7.4 Vice-Chairman. 3
7.5 Secretary. 3
7.6 Remuneration. 3
7.7 Reimbursement of Expenses. 3
7.8 Removal from Office. 4
7.9 Vacancies. 4
8. committees. 4
8.1 Standing Committees. 4
8.1.1 Executive Committee. 4
8.1.2 Finance Committee. 4
8.1.3 Wives and Widows Committee. 4
8.1.4 Social Committee. 4
8.1.5 Nomination and Election Committee. 4
8.2 Special Committees. 4
8.3 Open Meetings. 4
8.4 Committee Members. 5
8.5 Committee Responsibilities. 5
9. rules of order.. 5
10. Amendments to the constitution.. 5
11. Definitions. 5
Archdiocese of Ottawa
Council of Deacons Constitution (English Sector)
1. preamble
The restored Order of Deacons in the Archdiocese of Ottawa joins in ministry with the Archbishop and his Presbyterate through a diakonia of liturgy, word, and charity. As living icons of Christ the Servant, deacons are united to one another in a sacramental fraternity and are called to maintain their communion of service. To foster this diaconal communion, the Council of Deacons has been established as an advisory board to serve as a means of communication between the Diaconate Community and its Archbishop, between the Diaconate Community and the Presbyterate, and within the Diaconate Community itself. The Council of Deacons will also serve as a channel for spiritual, educational, social, and administrative matters held to be important by the Diaconal Community.
2. NAME
The name of this organization is The Archdiocese of Ottawa Council of Deacons (English Sector), and serves at the discretion of the Archbishop.
3. accountability
The Council shall be accountable to the Archbishop, the Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services (English Sector), and the deacons it represents.
When the office of Archbishop is vacant, this Council shall cease until another Archbishop is installed and has given his approval for the Council’s existence.
4. MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION AND ELECTIONS
The Council will generally be composed of seven (7) deacons, as follows: one (1) deacon from each one of the four (4) Regions of the Archdiocese, plus three (3) deacons elected at large. A deacon’s Liturgical Base, or parish of residence in case of no Liturgical Base, will determine his regional affiliation. The deacons affiliated with a given Region will generally elect that Region’s representative.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be the venue for the biannual Council elections. All deacons incardinated in the Archdiocese of Ottawa will be eligible to vote for Council members.
In between elections, the Council will take whatever steps it deems appropriate to replace the loss of any of its members.
Every second year, at election time, the wives of deacons will elect two (2) representatives to be non-voting ex-officio members of the Council for a two-year term.
The following will be non-voting ex-officio members of the Council: (a) the Archbishop of Ottawa, (b) the Vicar General, (c) the Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services for the English Sector, (d) the Coordinator, Permanent Diaconate Ministries, and (e) two (2) wives of deacons.
5. purpose
The Council intends:
a) To strengthen and preserve the community of deacons in the Archdiocese.
b) To be a channel of communication between the Archbishop and the Diaconate Community.
c) To be an instrument to foster communication between the Diaconate and the Presbyterate.
d) To provide support to the Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services (English Sector) in his capacity as Director, Permanent Diaconate, and to his coordinators for that purpose.
6. meetings
6.1 Council Meetings
The Council shall meet once a year, generally in the month of June, at a time and place determined by the Chairman. At this meeting, the officers will be elected. Officers elected shall serve from the time of their election until election of new officers at the next June meeting.
The Chairman, upon at least fourteen (14) calendar days written notice to the members of the Council and committee chairpersons, may change the date or place of any meeting.
6.2 Annual General Meeting
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Diaconate Community will generally be held in the month of May.
6.3 Special Meetings
The Chairman of the Council shall call special meetings of the Council as deemed necessary by him or upon the written request of any four (4) members of the Council. The Chairman shall cause a special meeting of the Council to be held within twenty-one (21) calendar days, inasmuch as possible, after receipt of any such written request.
6.4 Notice of Meetings
Written notice of regular and special meetings of the Council shall be given to each Council member not less than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the meeting. The notice shall specify the place, date, and hour of the meeting and, in the case of a special meeting the general nature of the business to be transacted.
6.5 Voting
The consensus process will be used to arrive at decisions as much as possible, but parliamentary rules shall prevail in actual voting. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted. Each member of the Council shall be entitled to one (1) vote at all meetings of the Council.
6.6 Quorum
Four (4) Council members shall constitute a quorum and a quorum shall be necessary for the transaction of any business except that a lesser number may adjourn a meeting to another time. At all meetings at which a quorum is present, a majority vote shall be necessary for the adoption of any matter upon which the Council has votes.
6.7 Open Meetings
All meetings of the Council shall be open to deacons and their wives. Such attendance shall be as interested observers only and not with the right to participate. Persons other than members of the Council may participate if on the agenda or invited by the person’s representative during the Council meeting.
7. officers of the council
7.1 Composition
The elected officers of the Council shall be a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary, and other officers deemed necessary by the Council. The Council shall elect all officers from its own members at the June meeting. Officers serve from the time of their election until the election is held the following year. An officer may succeed himself in any office if re-elected to the Council.
7.2 Presider
The Archbishop of Ottawa is the Presider for the Council, meaning that he has ultimate authority over it.
7.3 Chairman
7.4 Vice-Chairman
7.5 Secretary
The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Council, and he shall provide for the notification of all meetings to the members of the Council.
7.6 Remuneration
No member of the Council shall receive compensation for services to the Council.
7.7 Reimbursement of Expenses
Personal expenses approved by the Council will be reimbursed through the Finance Committee.
7.8 Removal from Office
Any officer may be removed from office by a majority vote of the Council at any regular or special meeting of the Council. Cause for removal from office shall be scandalous behaviour, conduct inappropriate for a deacon, or non-fulfillment of duties.
7.9 Vacancies
The Council at any regular or special meeting shall fill vacancies in any office.
8. committees
8.1 Standing Committees
8.1.1 Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the three (3) officers of the Council, headed by the Chairman. The Executive Committee shall be subject to the ultimate authority of the Council and any expressed limitations it imposes. The Executive Committee shall meet as called by the Chairman and may be asked by the Chairman to help prepare the agenda for the Council meeting. The Executive Committee may pre-schedule and hold its regular meetings without call or notice, at such time and place as the Executive Committee may decide. The Executive Committee shall maintain oversight of all Standing and Special committees. The Executive Committee shall keep the Diaconate Community well informed regarding all the important aspects of its activities.
8.1.2 Finance Committee
The Finance Committee is responsible for administering any funds accumulated by the Diaconate Community for its purposes.
8.1.3 Wives and Widows Committee
This Committee is responsible for overseeing and planning educational, spiritual, and social activities for the wives and widows of the Diaconate Community.
8.1.4 Social Committee
The Social Committee is responsible for overseeing and planning social activities for members of the Diaconate Community.
8.1.5 Nomination and Election Committee
The Nomination and Election Committee is responsible for implementing an appropriate election process to achieve the Council membership defined in Section 4.
8.2 Special Committees
8.3 Open Meetings
8.4 Committee Members
8.5 Committee Responsibilities
The Council shall determine the scope, authority, responsibilities and composition of all committees unless otherwise defined elsewhere in this Constitution.
9. rules of order
Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall govern the Council in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution.
10. Amendments to the constitution
Proposed changes to the Constitution shall be presented in writing to the Diaconate Community at least two (2) months prior to a Council vote of approval/non-approval. The Diaconate Community will be invited, with at least fourteen (14) days notice, to attend a meeting for purposes of discussing the proposed amendments. The Council shall then approve/not approve the proposed changes by majority vote at a meeting of its choosing.
Proposed changes to the Constitution that have been approved by the Council shall be submitted in writing to the Archbishop for his approval, and copied to the Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Services (English Sector). The Diaconate Community shall be informed about the Archbishop’s decision to approve/not approve the proposed changes. Proposed changes approved by the Archbishop shall be made in the Constitution document, and the revision date shall be added to any previously stated revision dates.
11. Definitions
The following definitions are relevant to this document.
Council is the name used throughout this document for the Archdiocese of Ottawa Council of Deacons (English Sector).
Deacons at large
Deacons incardinated in the Archdiocese of Ottawa.
All deacons incardinated in the Archdiocese of Ottawa, their wives, and widows are considered members of the diaconate (diaconal) community.
The Archbishop of Ottawa is the Presider for the Council.
Regions correspond to the regions defined by the Archdiocese of Ottawa.