Constitutions

5100 REVISED CONSTITUTION #

5101 PREAMBLE #

The Archbishop with the priests in the Archdiocese of San Francisco form one priestly body and one family called for the service of God’s People. The priests in the Archdiocese together with their Archbishop constitute an unique sacerdotal body or presbyterium. While exercising the charisms given by the Spirit which come through their Christian initiation and through the Sacrament of Orders in the fulfillment of their respective responsibilities, the Archbishop and the priests cooperate in the same work, fulfill one priestly service for the People of God and contribute to the same purpose: proclaiming the Kingdom of God and building up the Body of Christ.
Realizing the necessity to show forth the unity of the Archbishop and the priests in sharing responsibility for service to God’s People and to insure an increasing effectiveness in carrying out their mission, the Second Vatican Council man-dated the establishment of a council of priests or senate.
The Archbishop does hereby establish the Senate of Priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco as the forum which not only expresses the fraternity and the unity of the presbyterium but also fosters collaboration in the fulfillment of the mission of the Church.
Thus, in the effective fulfillment of this mission, this Senate shall provide a process for mutual consultation and advisement among the Archbishop and the priests of the Archdiocese. It is designed to aid the Archbishop and priests move toward greater unity of understanding and action and toward an increasingly specified common vision of their service to the People of God.

5102  NAME #

SECTION 1. The name shall be:
The Senate of Priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

5103 PURPOSES AND OBJECTS #

SECTION 1. To represent and to unite this presbyterate in justice and charity for the effective discharge of its pastoral duties.
SECTION 2. To provide a forum for the full and free discussion of all matters of pastoral interest in the Archdiocese.
SECTION 3. To assist the Archbishop in his role as shepherd through counsel and as co-workers in our common pastoral role.
SECTION 4. To seek and propose ways and means for the effective implementation of solutions to the problems concerning the Christian Community.
SECTION 5. To arrive at a true consensus in thought and in action by promoting communication at every level.

5104  VOTING QUALIFICATIONS #

SECTION 1. For the purpose of this Constitution a diocesan priest shall be defined as a priest incardinated in, or assigned by the Archbishop, who has faculties to function therein.
A priest of a Community of Men shall be defined as a priest who is a member of a religious institute, a society of common life or a secular institute, or a priest who is a member of a society of diocesan priests and is assigned to one of the apostolates within the Archdiocese as defined in Art. IV, Sec. 4,
B, C, D, and E of this Constitution.
SECTION 2.
A. Any diocesan priest living out of the Archdiocese, may vote for age group representatives and may vote for ratification and amendments to this Constitution provided he is incardinated in or assigned by the Archbishop and has faculties to function therein.
B. Any diocesan priest incardinated in or assigned by the Archbishop who has faculties to function therein, living in the Archdiocese, may vote for age group representative(s), for the position of Dean, and may vote for ratification and amendments to this Constitution.
C. Any priest of a Community of Men in good standing in his community, who is assigned as a pastor or associate pastor in one of the parishes of the Archdiocese, whether territorial or national, but not collegiate, may vote for the position of Dean, and one (1) representative from Communities of Men in parish work and may also vote for ratification and amendments to this Constitution, but may not vote for representatives of the three apostolates specified in Art. IV, Section 4, C, D and E of this Constitution.
D. Any priest of a Community of Men not assigned to a parish, but who is assigned to some apostolate within the Archdiocese, in good standing in his community, who is living in this Archdiocese, and has received the faculties of the Archdiocese, may vote for those representatives as defined in Article IV, Section 4, C, D and E thereof, and may also vote for ratification and amendments to this Constitution, but may not vote for those representatives of the Senate to be elected on the basis of age or the position of Dean.

5105  MEMBERSHIP #

SECTION 1. Each Senator must be either a diocesan priest incardinated in the Archdiocese of San Francisco or assigned by the Archbishop who has faculties to function therein and is living within its confines; or a priest of a Community of Men assigned to some apostolate in this Archdiocese in good standing in his community and living within this Archdiocese, and has received the faculties of the Archdiocese.
SECTION 2.
A. Nine Senators shall be elected from among the diocesan priests incardinated in the Archdiocese of San Francisco or assigned by the Archbishop, having faculties to function therein, living within the confines of the Archdiocese, in accordance with the following formula:
There will be seven age groups, the composition of which will be determined by the Election Committee in such a way that each group comprises as closely as possible one-seventh of the total presbyterate. Each age group will be represented by one Senator, except Age Group I and Age Group II which will each be represented by two Senators.
In determining the composition of the age groups, the Election Committee shall place all members of an ordination class in the same age group.
B. The election of the Senators pursuant to this section shall occur in even years, and each such priest elected shall serve in the Senate for a term of two years, regardless of the possibility that any such Senator might, during his term of office, exceed in years since his ordination, that category of number of years from which he was elected.
C. Only those priests who are in the respective age group at the time of election may vote for the Senator or Senators representing said age group.
SECTION 3.
A. The Deans of the Archdiocese will be Senators. They are elected from among the diocesan priests incardinated in the Archdiocese of San Francisco or assigned by the Archbishop, having faculties to function therein, living within the confines of the Archdiocese, or any priest of a Community of Men in good standing in his community, living in the Archdiocese of San Francisco and assigned as a pastor or associate pastor in a parish of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, whether territorial or national, but not collegiate, based on the deanery in which they are living at the time of their nomination.
The election process is determined by the Bylaws.
B. The election of the Dean-Senators pursuant to this section shall occur in odd years and each such priest elected shall serve in the Senate for a term of two years.
C. The Deaneries in the Archdiocese are those established by the Archbishop.
D. Only those priests who are assigned in the Deanery, as specified in Art. IV, Section 3, A of the Constitution, at the time of the election may vote for the Dean-Senators representing said Deanery.
SECTION 4.
A. Four Senators shall be elected from among the priests of Communities of Men who are assigned to some apostolate within the Archdiocese, who are in good standing in their communities living in this Archdiocese, and have received the faculties of the Archdiocese.
B. The priests of Communities of Men assigned to parish work and having received the faculties of the Archdiocese shall elect one (1) representative.
C. The priests of Communities of Men assigned to the Seminary Apostolate, Houses of Formation, Retreat Apostolate, Vocation Apostolate, and Secondary Education Apostolate and having received the faculties of the Archdiocese shall elect one (1) representative.
D. The priests of Communities of Men assigned to the University Apostolate and having received the faculties of the Archdiocese shall elect one (1) representative.
E. The priests of Communities of Men assigned to apostolates not included in those mentioned in B, C, and D and having received the faculties of the Archdiocese shall elect one (1) representative.
F. The election of Senators from Communities of Men will occur in odd years and each such priest elected shall serve in the Senate for a term of two years.
SECTION 5. A priest may serve an unlimited number of terms provided that he shall not serve more than three full terms consecutively.
SECTION 6. The Vicar(s) General and the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of San Francisco shall be Ex Officio voting members of the Senate of Priests.
SECTION 7. The Archbishop of San Francisco shall appoint two (2) priests to the Senate for terms of two years provided they serve no more than three full terms consecutively. The selection of these Senators will be made by the Archbishop in even years.

5106 OFFICERS #

SECTION 1. The officers of this Senate shall be as follows:
President Chairman
Vice-Chairman
Secretary Treasurer Parliamentarian
SECTION 2. No priest shall be eligible to hold office in this Senate except the office of Secretary unless he is a member of the Senate in good standing.
SECTION 3. The specific duties of the officers of the Senate of Priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco shall be set forth in the Bylaws and shall be subject to amendment in accordance with the Bylaws.
SECTION 4. The President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Senate.
SECTION 5. The Archbishop of San Francisco shall be the Ex Officio President of the Senate of Priests.

5107 RESIGNATIONS/REMOVAL FROM OFFICE #

SECTION 1. If during the term of office of a Senator, and when said term has more than seven months remaining, he should be unable to serve in the Senate due to death, disability, cessation of residence in the Archdiocese, or any other cause, a new election shall be held to fill the said vacancy.
SECTION 2. If during the term of office of a Senator and when said term has less than seven months remaining, he should be unable to serve in the Senate due to death, disability, cessation of residence in the Archdiocese, or any other cause, said vacancy shall remain until the next regular election.
SECTION 3. If during the term of office an officer should be unable to serve out his term due to death, disability, cessation of residence in the Archdiocese, or any other cause, the unexpired term of said officer shall be filled through nominations and elections as provided in the Bylaws for the election of officers.

5108 COMMITTEES #

SECTION 1. The Senate shall institute such committees as, from time to time, shall be fitting and appropriate to the work of the Senate. The work of these committees, and the membership qualifications and appointments thereto shall be determined in the Bylaws or by the Senate itself.
SECTION 2. The Senate committees shall establish and maintain liaison with the Archdiocesan Consultors, and each Archdiocesan Commission, Committee and Board. This liaison shall be established as deemed appropriate by the Senate through a Senator
selected by the Senate.

5109 SENATE MEETINGS #

SECTION 1. The Senate must meet a minimum of ten times a year.
SECTION 2. All regular Senate meetings will be open to the public.
SECTION 3. The Senate has the right to enter into Executive Session as its discretion.

5110 PLACE OF SENATE MEETINGS #

SECTION 1. The Senate shall meet at such places as are determined by its Executive Committee; however, such meetings shall be required to take place within the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

5111 RULES FOR CONDUCTING SENATE MEETINGS #

SECTION 1. In the absence of rules in this Constitution or in the Bylaws, meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.
SECTION 2. A quorum shall consist of one-half of the total number of Senators plus one.
SECTION 3. The inaugural meeting of each session of the Senate shall be brought to order by the President or in his absence the senior member of the Senate determined by the earliest date of ordination, and he shall conduct the election of the officers of the Senate. He shall appoint three members to assist him in this election.
SECTION 4. The President shall preside at Senate meetings and the Chairman shall chair the meeting.

5112 BUDGET #

SECTION 1. The operating budget for the fiscal year shall be determined by the Executive Committee, approved by the Senate, and submitted to the Archbishop by the date determined by the Archdiocesan Fiscal Officer.
SECTION 2. Once approved, the budget shall be funded through:
A. An assessment levied by the Archbishop against each parish in the Archdiocese and prorated according to the Archdiocesan Administration Assessment. The funds shall be made available to the Senate, as required by the request of the Executive Committee through the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
B. An annual assessment levied against ‘each Community of Men in the Archdiocese. The amount of the assessment shall be determined by the Senate and shall be based upon the number of priests in each community not assigned to parish work. The assessment shall be collected annually by the Treasurer of the Senate.

5113 AMENDMENTS #

SECTION 1. Any Senator in good standing may propose an amendment to this Constitution. The approval of a majority of the Senators present and qualified to vote at any Senate meeting at which the proposed amendment appears on the agenda, must first be obtained before submitting said amendment to the voting priests.

An Election Committee shall be appointed, and it shall submit any proposed amendment, so approved, in writing, for vote to the priests qualified to vote thereon within 15 days after said approval.
A two-thirds majority of the votes cast by the voting priests, as designated in Article III, Section 2, A, B, C, and D shall be required in order for the proposed amendment to be adopted.

5114 RATIFICATION #

SECTION 1. This Constitution shall become effective ten days after the date of its ratification by a majority vote of the priests specified in Article III, Section 2, A, B, C and D.

5115 CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPRETATION #

SECTION 1. Whenever a question arises as to the understanding or interpretation of a word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, section or article of this Constitution or the Bylaws, and when said question is determined as valid by a majority vote of the Senate, there shall be established an Ad Hoc Judiciary Committee which shall be appointed by the majority vote of the Executive Committee. The majority decision of this Judiciary Committee shall be accepted as the true interpretation of the Constitution or Bylaws by the Senate and the entire presbyterate of the Archdiocese until such time that such word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, section or article shall be amended.