The Council is a body, based on shared ministry that assists the Parish Priest in planning and co-ordinating the overall policy of the parish in order to carry out the mission of Christ in the Church. It is a consultative body of leaders within the limits of the doctrine, liturgy and laws of the Church.

1. Subject to clause 5, the Council shall consist of the clergy and eight lay members of the parish.

2. Three of the lay members shall be appointed directly by the Parish Priest. An additional lay member shall be appointed by the Parish Priest to the office of Treasurer. Four lay members shall (subject to clause 7) be elected from time to time.

3. Every lay member shall be a Catholic person over the age of sixteen years and shall be ordinarily residing within the Parish or regularly attending services within the Parish.

4. The Council may at any time co-opt an additional member or members but so that the number of such co-opted members shall not at any time exceed two.

5. Upon a lay member other than a co-opted member dying, resigning in writing to the Parish Priest or ceasing to be eligible under clause 3, a successor shall in the case of a designated member be designated by the Parish Priest and in the case of an elected member be appointed by the Council.

6. The Parish Priest shall be President of the Council. He or his representative shall attend all Council meetings.

7. Following an election of members of the Council, the lay members shall elect a Chairman and Vice-chairman of the Council from among themselves. They may remove such persons from office, in which case they shall immediately elect a successor.

8. The Council shall have a Treasurer to maintain parish accounts. The Treasurer shall be a lay member or other suitable person and shall be appointed by the Parish Priest. The Parish Priest shall have sole authority to remove the Treasurer from office.

9. The Council shall have a Secretary who shall be a lay member or other suitable person. Authority for appointment to and removal from office rests with the Council.

10. The Council shall meet at least four times a year.

11. It shall be the duty of the Parish Priest to convene a meeting of the Council within 28 days after an election of members of the Council and thereafter, subject to clause 14, the dates and times of meetings shall be fixed by the Council.

12. Subject to clause 14, at least seven days notice of a meeting of the Council shall be given by written announcement posted in each of the Churches.

13. All Catholic persons over the age of sixteen years ordinarily residing within the Parish or regularly attending services within the Parish shall be entitled to attend the Annual Parish Meeting and to take part in its business. A person already active in the Council of another parish shall not be eligible to attend.

14. The Chairman, Vice-chairman or any two members may convene an emergency meeting by giving the other members or a simple majority of them at least 48 hours notice of such meeting.

15. The quorum for a meeting of the Council shall be four members.

16. The Chairman, or in his absence the Vice-chairman, shall preside at meetings of the Council; but if neither shall be present at a meeting, the members present shall elect one of their number to preside at such meeting.

17. Any person entitled under clause 11 to attend the Annual Parish Meeting may attend any meeting of the Council but shall not be entitled to vote and may speak only if invited to do so by the person presiding at the meeting.

18. Business transacted at a meeting of the Council shall be decided by a simple majority of the votes of members present and in the case of an equality of votes, the person presiding at such meeting shall have a second, casting vote.

19. The Secretary shall keep minutes of the business transacted by the Council, which shall include a record of all appointments, resolutions and other formal acts of the Council and the Minutes of every meeting of the Council shall be authenticated by the signature of the person presiding at the next meeting.

20. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Council shall regulate its own proceedings.

21. Every year, at about 30th May, an Annual Parish Meeting shall be held to:

22. It shall be the duty of the Council to convene the Annual Parish Meeting and to give at least twenty-eight days notice thereof by written announcement posted in the two churches and by such other means as may be practicable. A copy of the Annual Report shall be posted in each porch at least fourteen days before the Meeting.

23. The Parish Priest or in his absence such person as he shall name for the purpose shall preside at the Annual Parish Meeting.

24. Election of members at the Annual Parish Meeting shall be by simple majority on a show of hands or in such other manner as the person presiding at the meeting shall direct. Members shall be proposed for election by two eligible persons, this proposal and the acceptance thereof by the person proposed shall be submitted in writing to the Parish Priest at least twenty-one days before the Annual Parish Meeting and will be included in the Annual Report.

25. After any Annual Parish Meeting at which members of the Council are elected or this Constitution is amended, the person presiding at such meeting shall certify in writing the result of each election or the text of such amendment and shall lodge such certificate with the records of the Council and post a copy of such certificate in each Church.

26. The Council shall prepare and submit to each Annual Parish Meeting a report, in writing, of its activities since the previous such Meeting and a copy of such report shall be posted in each of the Churches at least 14 days before the Annual Parish Meeting.

27. The Treasurer shall prepare and submit to each Annual Parish Meeting, accounts of the finances of the parish for the period since the previous such Meeting and a copy of such accounts shall be posted in each of the Churches at least 14 days before the Annual Parish Meeting.

28. Whenever the Council shall think fit, it may appoint from its members or other suitable persons, a special committee to undertake particular business and may delegate to such a committee any of the functions of the Council but so that all acts of such a committee shall be reported to the Council and considered by it.

29. This Constitution may be amended by a proposal of the Council approved by a vote of not less than two thirds of the persons present and eligible to vote at an Annual Parish Meeting, if express notice of the proposal to effect such amendment shall have been given with the notice of the Meeting.