ജനപങ്കാളിത്തവും ഇടവകഭരണവും

by George Katticaren

സോള്‍ ആന്‍റ്  വിഷന്‍റെ  ഈമെയിലില്‍ കോപ്പലിലെ (USA) സെന്റ് അല്‍ഫോന്‍സാ ഇടവകയിലെ  ചില അംഗങ്ങളുടെ  കത്തുകള്‍ ലഭിച്ചു. 

പള്ളിക്കുടിശിഖ വരുത്തിയിട്ടുള്ള മാതാപിതാക്കളുടെ കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങള്‍ക്കു ഈ അധ്യയനവര്‍ഷത്തില്‍ മതബോധനക്ലാസുകളില് ‍ പ്രവേശനം കൊടുക്കന്നതല്ലയെന്നു പള്ളി വികാരി ഫാ.മാത്യു ശാശേരി പ്രസ്താവിച്ചിട്ടതായിട്ടാണ് പ്രസ്തുത ഇമെയിലുകളില്‍ നിന്നും ഞങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് മനസ്സിലാക്കുവാന്‍ കഴിഞ്ഞത്. സ്വാഭാവികമായും കൊപ്പേല്‍ ജനങ്ങള്‍ ഒന്നടങ്കം ക്ഷുഭിതരാണ് 

ഒരു കാരണവശാലും ഒരു കത്തോലിക്ക വൈദികന് മതബോധനത്തിനു വരുന്ന കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങള്‍ക്കു നിരോധനം ഏര്‍പ്പെടുത്തുവാന്‍ അധികാരമില്ല. ഏതെങ്കിലുമൊരു വൈദികന്‍ അങ്ങനെ  ചെയ്യുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ നല്ല രീതിയില്‍ സെമിനാരിയില്‍ വൈദികപഠനം പൂര്‍ത്തിയാക്കിയ ഒരു വൈദികന്‍ ആയിരിക്കുകയില്ല എന്നതാണ് സത്യം . മറ്റുജോലിക്കു സദ്ധ്യത കാണാതെ വരുന്ന പലരും ഇന്നത്തെ കാലത്തു ഉദ്യോഗാര്‍ത്ഥം സെമിനാരിയില്‍ ചേരുന്നവരുണ്ട്.  പിന്നീടവര്‍ സമൂഹത്തിന്റെ ശാപമായിതീരുന്നുവെന്നാണ് അനുഭവങ്ങള്‍ പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്നത്. 

ഒരു വൈദികന്റെ പ്രധാന ദൗത്യം സുവിശേഷം വെളിപ്പെടുത്തുകയെന്നതാണ്. കുഞ്ഞായാലും മുതിര്‍ന്നവരായാലും ജാതിയോ മതമോ കണക്കിലെടുക്കാതെ വേദവാക്യം അറിയിക്കുകയെന്ന കര്‍ത്ത്യവനിര്‍വഹണത്തിനാണ് പുരോഹിതര്‍ സെമിനാരിയില്‍ പരിശീലനം നേടുന്നതും വൈദികപട്ടം സ്വീകരിക്കുന്നതും. ഫാ.ശാശേരി കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങള്‍ക്കു നിരോധനം ഏര്‍പ്പെടത്തുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ അന്തര്‍ദേശിയതലത്തില്‍ രൂക്ഷമായി അതിനെ വിശ്വാസികള്‍ എതിര്‍ക്കേണ്ടതും  പ്രതിഷേധിക്കേണ്ടതുമാണ്. ഇത് ക്രൈസ്തവ സിദ്ധാന്തങ്ങള്‍ക്കു എതിരാണ്. 

മുതിര്‍ന്നവര്‍ പള്ളിപണം കൊടുക്കിന്നില്ലയെന്നാണ് ഫാ.ശാശേരി പറയുന്ന കാരണം . കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങളെ നിരോധിക്കുവാന്‍ ഇതു കാരണമാകുന്നില്ല. ഞങ്ങള്‍ ചോദിക്കുന്നത് ഇടവകകാരുടെ അദ്ധ്വാനം കൊണ്ട്

പടുത്തുയര്‍ത്തിയ പള്ളി ഈ വിധത്തിലാണോ ഭരിക്കേണ്ടത്?

കഴിഞ്ഞ കുറെ മാസങ്ങള്‍ ആയി കൊപ്പേല്‍ പള്ളിയില്‍ വീഴുന്ന സംഭാവന യുടെ തോത് അടിക്കടി കുറഞ്ഞു കൊണ്ടാണ് ഇരിക്കുന്നത്. കഴിഞ്ഞ കാലങ്ങളില്‍ ആഴ്ചയില്‍ $10,000 ഉം $15,000 ഒക്കെ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നത് ഇപ്പോള്‍ മൂന്നക്ക സംഖ്യയില്‍ വന്നു നില്‍ക്കുകയാണെന്നാണ് പറയപ്പെടുന്നത്‌. ജനങ്ങളുടെ അസംതൃപ്തിയുടെ ഏറ്റവും വലിയൊരു തെളിവായിട്ടെ ഞങ്ങള്‍ക്കിത്‌ കണക്കാക്കുവാന്‍ സാധിക്കുകയുള്ളൂ. ഏകപക്ഷീയവും പൊതു ജനവികാരത്തെ വ്രണപ്പെടുത്തുന്നതുമായ ഇത്തരം നടപടികള്‍ ജനങ്ങളെ കൂടുതല്‍ അസ്വസ്തരാക്കുകയും അവര്‍ പള്ളിക്ക് കൊടുക്കേണ്ട മിനിമം പണം പോലും കൊടുക്കാതെ അവരുടെ രോഷം തീര്‍ക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും. പണ ഞെരുക്കം വരുമ്പോള്‍ കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങളെ ആത്മീയ ദാരിദ്ര്യത്തില്‍ ഇടാതെ അതിന്റെ മൂല്യ കാരണം അന്വേഷിച്ചു മനസ്സിലാക്കി പരിഹാര മാര്‍ഗങ്ങള്‍ കണ്ടെത്തുകയാണ് വേണ്ടത്. ഇടവക ഭരണത്തിന്‍റെ ഉത്തരവാദിത്വം സ്വതന്ത്രവും നിഷ്പക്ഷവുമായ ഒരു ജനപ്രതിനിധി സംഘത്തെ ഏല്‍പ്പിക്കുക എന്നതായിരിക്കണം അത്നുള്ള ആദ്യത്തെ നടപടി.

‌

പള്ളി ഏതുവിധത്തില്‍ ഭരിക്കണമെന്നു രണ്ടാം വത്തിക്കാന്‍ കൗണ്‍സില്‍ വ്യക്തമായ നിര്‍ദ്ദേശങ്ങള്‍ നല്‍കിയിയിട്ടുണ്ട്,  പ്രത്യേകിച്ചു ഇങ്ങനെയുള്ള സന്ദര്‍ഭങ്ങളില്‍. നിയമമനുസരിച്ചു പള്ളിഭരണം നടത്തുകയാണെങ്കില്‍ ഇടവകകാര്‍ക്കു സാമ്പത്തികായി സഹകരിക്കാതെ തരമില്ല. ബാലിശമായ വാദഗതികള്‍ പ്രശ്‌നങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് പരിഹാരമാര്‍ഗ്ഗമാകുന്നില്ല. പള്ളിഭരണത്തില്‍ ഇടവകകാരെ പങ്കാളികളാക്കി വത്തിക്കാന്‍ പറയുന്ന രീതിയില്‍ ജനറല്‍ ഇലക്ഷന്‍ നടത്തി പാരിഷ് പാസ്റ്ററല്‍ കൗണ്‍സില്‍ സ്ഥാപിക്കുകയാണ് വേണ്ടത്. പാരീഷ് പാസ്റ്ററല്‍ കൌണ്‍സില്‍ പ്രസിണ്ടഡിനെയും സെക്രട്ടറിയെയും തിരിഞ്ഞെടുക്കകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു.  ഒരു വികാരിയുടെ ഏകാധിപത്യഭരണത്തില്‍ സുതാര്യതയില്ല.

താഴെ ചേര്‍ത്തിരിക്കുന്ന രണ്ടാം  വത്തിക്കാന്‍ കൗണ്‍സിലിന്റെ നിര്‍ദ്ദേശങ്ങളാണ് അനുകരിക്കേണ്ടത്.

"CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
OF PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL A

This Constitution and By-Laws of Parish Pastoral Council A are intended to
serve as the rules of procedure of this body and are subject to change as
circumstances may require. The Parish Pastoral Council is a unifying and
coordinating structure made up of the Pastor and members of the parish through
which every parishioner may have a voice in the affairs of the parish.

Based upon the document, The Constitution of the Church in the Modern World,
of Vatican Council II, the Parish Pastoral Council offers a means through which
parishioners of Parish A may actively participate in matters which concern the
good of the parish. In addition, and more importantly, it is intended to aid the
pastor in building a true Christian community through administration, both
spiritual and material.

                                                  ARTICLE
NAME
The name of this organization shall be the ______ Parish Pastoral Council,
hereinafter referred to as "the Council."

                                             ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
Section 1. To participate in the Church is work of serving humankind and
bringing all people to God.
Section 2. To serve as a vehicle through which all members of the Parish
Community may share ideas and actions concerning the Parish and the management
of the Parish.
Section 3. To function as the policy making authority of the Parish by:
(a) Keeping aware of the needs, both spiritual and temporal of the Parish
Community;
(b) Developing and implementing programs designed to fulfill these needs;
(c) To encourage initiative of individual members and/ or groups who seek to
promote the good of the parish;
(d) Overseeing and directing the administration of the Parish facilities;
(e) Approving an annual Parish Budget, as well as all other disbursements
recommended by the stewardship Commission.
Section 4. To serve as a coordinating body for all organizations and group
activities within the Parish.

                                        ARTICLE III

NOMINATION AND SELECTION OF COUNCIL MEMBERS

Section 1. Eligibility: All registered parish members 18 years or older
shall be eligible for nomination.
(a) The only exception to the age requirement is the Youth Representative, who
needs to have at least begun high school by the time of appointment.
Section 2. Nomination: Any eligible parishioner may nominate himself or
herself or be nominated by someone else.
Section 3. Selection Committee: A Selection Committee of three current
Council Members shall be appointed by the President of the Council at least 60
days prior to the November Selection Date.

The Selection Committee shall publicize in the Parish bulletin the Selection
Date and invite nominations for the openings on the Parish Pastoral Council. At
least ten days before the Selection Meeting, all those nominated for Council
Membership are to be notified in writing of their name being placed in
nomination. Those who wish to accept the nomination are to come to the
Selection Meeting or let the Committee know that they do want their name in
nomination even though they cannot be at the Selection Meeting.

Section 4 Selection Meeting: At the Selection Meeting members of the Council
and commissions shall explain the work of the commissions and the Parish
Pastoral Council. Questions of those present are to be answered. The names of
those present and the names of those who have expressed a desire to have their
name in the Selection, even though they are absent, will have their names placed
in a container for the drawing of names for the openings on the Council. All
Full Term (three years) Openings are to be filled first. Vacant openings with
two years of the term remaining are filled next, followed by vacant openings
with one year remaining.

Then two more names are to be drawn out and designated as "Alternate One, "and
"Alternate Two." These "Alternates" will be approached during the year to fill
vacancies that may occur on the Council before the next year's Selection Date.
Within 24 hours of the Selection Meeting, the Selection Committee shall notify
absent nominees that his or her name has or has not been drawn for a position on
the Council or as an "Alternate."

Section 5. Seating the New Council: The Newly selected Council Members,
who officially take office on January 1st., will join the Current Council
Members at the December Council Meeting. The Current Council Members will
Certify the Selection of the New Council Members, who will then join the members
of the Current Council at the table for the remaining work of the December
Meeting.

Section 6. Installation of the Council: At a Sunday Liturgy in January, prior
to the January Council Meeting, Members of the New Council and Members of the
Retiring Council shall come to the Installation Mass. Retiring council Members
will be called forward to receive the gratitude of the Parish Community for
their service to the Parish as Council Members.
The Members of the New Council will then come forward for the Ceremony of
Installation.

Section 7. Election of Council Officers: The Administration commission
Representative to the Council shall call to order the January Meeting of the
Council, and lead the meeting until the Election of Officers has been completed.
After the Opening Prayer and Enrichment, the first order of business shall be
the Election of the President, Vice President and Secretary from the At Large
Representatives and commission Representatives who have served on the Council
for at least one year. Following the Election of Officers, the newly-elected
President will take leadership of the remaining work of the meeting.

                                               ARTICLE IV
COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Number: The Parish Pastoral council shall be made up of nine (9) At
Large Selected Lay Representatives, one (1) Lay Representatives selected or
elected from their own by the members of each of our five (5) commissions
(Administration, Christian Service,  Education, Fellowship, and worship),

one (1) Youth Representative and one (1) Senior Citizen Representative

the Pastor, the Associate Pastor, the Pastoral Associate(s), and not more

than two (2) At Large Lay Representatives appointed by the Pastor to represent

any part of the parish family not already included among those who come to the Council
from the Selection Meeting or as the Commission Representatives.

Section 2. Term: The term of selected council Members shall be three (3)
years. Any selected member serving eighteen months or more of a three-year term
shall be ineligible for any Council position for one (1) year.

(a) The five (5) commission Representatives shall serve a three-year term in
such a way that no more than two (2) of them are changed each year. Any
Commission Representative serving eighteen months or more of a three-year term
shall be ineligible for any Council position for one (1) year.

(b) All appointed Representatives shall serve one (1) year terms, with the
possibility of reappointment for up to two more one (1) year terms. After
serving three (3) years consecutively, appointed Representatives will be
ineligible for council Membership for a one (1) year period.
Section 3. Vacancies: Vacancies that would exist for more than six (6)
months are to be filled. The Executive Board is to fill the vacancy by first
calling forward "Alternate One," selected at the Selection Meeting. If both
"Alternates" have been called forward to serve, and additional vacancies exist,
they shall remain vacant if the Selection Meeting is less than six (6) months
away. When additional vacancies of more than six (6) months need to be filled,
the Executive Board shall make an appointment that needs to be ratified by
approval of the Council.

Section 4. Removal: Any member may be removed for good cause by a consensus
of the council.

Section 5. Attendance: Membership on the council requires regular attendance
of all members, and therefore, any member absent from three consecutive regular
meetings without having notified the President or Parish Office in advance of the meeting
shall be removed from the Council, if the council so decides.

                                         ARTICLE V
MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular Meetings: Regular meetings of the Council shall be held
at least six times a year, the day, date, time, and place to be decided by the
members of the council and published in the Parish bulletin.

Section 2. Special Meetings: Special meetings of the council shall by
called by the Pastor or the President or the written request of at least five
(5) members of the council filed with the Council Secretary at least four (4)
days prior to the proposed meeting date.

Notice of any special meeting shall be given to each council member at least
three (3) days prior to the date of the meeting personally or by mail,
telephone, FAX, E-mail, or telegram, which shall state the time, place and
purpose of the meeting.

Section 3. Quorum: At all meetings of the Council, a simple majority shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the consensus of the
members of the Council present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall
be the acts of the Council. In the event a quorum is established without the
President or Vice President in attendance, a Chair-person shall be elected from
the quorum.

Section 4. Open Meetings: All regular and special meetings of the Council
shall be open to all members of the parish.

                                             ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS
Section 1. President: The members of the Council shall elect a President from
among their At Large Selected Lay Members and the Commission Representatives who
have served on the Council for at least one year. The President shall be the
Chief Executive Officer of the Council and shall preside at meetings. The
President shall sign all documents and instruments that require the signature of
the President and shall have the powers and perform the duties vested in the
office as specified in Robert's Rules of Order, and shall have such other powers
and duties as may from time to time be assigned to the President by the Council.

Section2. Vice President: The members of the Council shall elect a Vice
President from among their At large Selected Lay Members and the Commission
Representatives who have served for at least one year. The Vice President shall
be vested with all powers and shall perform all the duties of the President in
the President's absence or when the President is unable to act. The Vice
President shall also perform such other duties as the Council may from time to
time require.

Section 3. Secretary: The members of the Council shall elect a Secretary from
among their At Large Selected Lay Members and the commission Representatives who
have served for at least one year. The Secretary shall issue or cause to be
issued notices for all meetings of the Council; have charge of the minutes books
of the Council; and prepare a proposed Agenda; which shall be prepared and sent
to all the Council Members prior to the meeting; sign with the President or
other signing officer(s) such documents and instruments as require the
Secretary's signature, and shall perform such other duties as the Council may
from time to time require.

Section 4. Officers Terms: All officers of the Council are to be elected for
terms of one (1) year, and are eligible to succeed themselves in the same office
for an additional one (1) year term.

                                              ARTICLE VII
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. Members: The Executive Board shall consist of the Pastor,
President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Pastoral Council.
(a) Duties: The Executive Board shall determine the agenda of regular or special
meetings of the Council, deal with the filling of Council Vacancies, and also
prepare lists of appointees as required of them.

                                           ARTICLE VIII
COMMISSIONS
Section Permanent established Service, Stewardship
1. Permanent Commissions:
Commissions shall be as follows: Christian Education, Fellowship, and Worship
(a) Each Permanent commission shall elect or select from their own members a
Chairperson for a term of one to three years. If the Chairperson of the
Commission does not serve as the commission Representative to the council, that
Commission is to elect or select their Representative to the Council.
(b) The By-Laws and amendments thereto of each Permanent Commission shall follow
the Diocesan guidelines and be ratified by the Council.
(c) Reports of each Commission shall be made to the Council at their regular
meetings.
Section 2. Committees: The Council may establish such other Committees as
from time to time it may consider necessary. Reports of each Committee shall be
made to the Council at their regular meetings.
Section 3. Organizations: All parish organizations shall submit their By-Laws
and amendments thereto, to the Council for ratification.
Section 4. General Note: All Commissions, Committees or organizations may
take action requiring the expenditure of parish funds or use the Parish name
only with the approval of the Council. Parish funds are those collected or
raised using the name of the Parish.

                                         ARTICLE IX
PROCEDURES
Section 1. Rules of Order: Roberts Rules of Order or other Christian
means shall govern the procedures of the Council. In order to reach decisions
that everyone can live with, Council decisions, other than election of officers
and as noted elsewhere in these By-Laws, are to be reached by Consensus.
(a) In seeking to discover how the Spirit is working in the Parish, the Council
should discern by way of consensus. Members strive to reach substantial, though
not necessarily unanimous, agreement on all matters of direction and policy. A
Consensus exits when there is a clear alternative to which most members can
subscribe and if those who oppose it feel they have had their chance to
influence the discussion.

Section 2. Pastoral Ratification or non-ratification: The Pastor has the
responsibility and the power to ratify or not to ratify all actions taken by the
Council. Pastoral ratification exists unless the pastor takes non-ratification
action. Pastoral non-ratification shall be considered exercised when notice in
writing is presented by the pastor to the Secretary of the Council within ten
(10) days of the Council action in question.

Section 3. Appeal to Override Pastoral Non-ratification: A two-thirds
majority vote of all members of the Parish Pastoral Council shall empower the
Council to appeal the Pastoral non-ratification to the Vicariate or any other
appropriate body in accordance with the appeal procedure specified by the
Archdiocese.

                                                    ARTICLE X
ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT
Section 1 Adoption: The Constitution and By-Laws of Parish Pastoral
Council A shall be adopted when approved by a consensus of the Council.
Section 2. Amendment: All amendments to this document must be approved by
consensus of the Council."

-Source Votf.org