Any Parish Finance Council members out there?

[1ke]

Still quite confusing, if the position is really as a double checker of sorts and there are no real duties outside of signing paperwork and looking over corporate books, what kind of personal liability could I really expect to assume?

The same as the board of directors of **any **corporation. whether for profit or non-profit.

The board has the ultimate legal and fiduciary responsibility of the corporation.

It doesn’t seem to be much of a significant role that would warrant being personal liable for criminal/civil matters if we meet only a handful of times throughout the year.

This falls under the civil and criminal code of your state. So, yes, officers of a corporation *could *be held liable for the actions of the corporation.

I wouldn’t be unduly worried about it. We have officers of the board for all our parishes and have had exactly zero problems.

 

[1ke]

The fact that it’s explained as signing a few papers and looking over corporate books - yikes! I think that is something that should be entered into with great seriousness.

That’s how I explained it. Because, that is basically what it is when it comes to the parish.

As you know, the parish is bound by Canon Law and any particular law of the diocese in the running of the parish.

The bishop, the pastor and the judicial vicar are always on the board. Two lay people from the parish are on the board also.

They review an annual set of reports, conduct an annual meeting, and the lay people also serve on the finance council. The finance council is regularly reviewing the financials of the parish, so really the annual meeting is not **new **information, but rather a legal requirement of incorporation.

 

[PaulinVA]

That’s how I explained it. Because, that is basically what it is when it comes to the parish.

As you know, the parish is bound by Canon Law and any particular law of the diocese in the running of the parish.

The bishop, the pastor and the judicial vicar are always on the board. Two lay people from the parish are on the board also.

They review an annual set of reports, conduct an annual meeting, and the lay people also serve on the finance council. The finance council is regularly reviewing the financials of the parish, so really the annual meeting is not **new **information, but rather a legal requirement of incorporation.

In our diocese, in the past, there have been at least two cases of embezzlement in parishes. Maybe that is why I think this is so serious.

 

[1ke]

In our diocese, in the past, there have been at least two cases of embezzlement in parishes. Maybe that is why I think this is so serious.

That would point to the parishes not following diocesan financial protocols, lack of segregation of duties, and poor oversight.

If a parish is following procedures this should not be an issue. That is why the pastor and finance council review the financials and the procedures.

 

[PaulinVA]

That would point to the parishes not following diocesan financial protocols, lack of segregation of duties, and poor oversight.

If a parish is following procedures this should not be an issue. That is why the pastor and finance council review the financials and the procedures.

Well, yeah. I’m trying to not speak ill of anybody or anything like that, but the people who might want to operate things in a less that above board way would want people to just sign things and not ask questions.

 

[jmj777]

My pastor is relatively newer to our parish (less than 6 months) and he is a completely traditional kind of priest that many people have not found to be so appealing. They miss the more liberal former priest and are quite vocal about it.

I actually know someone who works in the office that will refuse to assist him with practical advice in order that he could do what he’s supposed to do as a “pastor of a parish.” She would rather see him “learn” on his own than help him along, even when things go wrong. It’s disheartening to see this behavior from adults. Absolutely ridiculous.

So, perhaps that was why he is trying to mix in some new blood with those that have been on board for a while; people working with the priest and looking out for the parish’s best interest versus those that try to be spiteful for “losing” their favored priest.

Peace.

+JMJ+