03/21/10 - Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia

From the Archbishop's DeskMETROPOLITAN ARCHEPARCHY OF PHILADELPHIAUkrainian Catholic827 North Franklin StreetPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19123-2097Phone (215) 627-0143 Fax (215) 627-0377ukrmet@catholic.orgNo. 163/2010 O Office of the MetropolitanThis Number Should be Prefixed to Your ReplyMy Brother Clergy, Parish Officers and Parishioners,Glory to Jesus Christ!March 16, 2010Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, during a visit to a Rome parish said, “It isimportant that a pastor not be a ‘soloist’, but be surrounded by believers who, along withhim, are bearers of the seed of the Word of God, and help it live and grow.” The HolyFather then spoke of the faithful as ‘a gift of the Holy Spirit, and the pastor, even more apope, needs advice, needs help in making decisions’. Effective Pentecost, 2010, theUkrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia begins a new chapter wherein theexclusive administration by a pastor or any financial officer of a parish is not permitted,without exception, regardless of how good or bad the experience has been to date. This isnot happening because this archbishop wills it. The Canon Law of the Church and thePastoral Guide already requires it. Each pastor and parishioner, and the archbishop, iscalled to respect and to act on the wisdom of those who prepared the Canon Law andPastoral Guide.After May 23, 2010 (Feast of Pentecost), all the parishes within the UkrainianCatholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia are expected to have formed and to be operatingwith a Parish Finance Council and a Parish Pastoral Council. This was fully explained toclergy during a Clergy conference held on October 27, 2009. Our Chancellor, Rev.Msgr. Peter Waslo, is currently facilitating meetings in each deanery to assist in theimplementation of a parish finance council and a parish pastoral council in each parish.Please avail yourself of his expertise in the implementation of this policy.Attached is a publication dated December 2009, which clearly outlines themembership and obligations of the Parish Finance Council. Given the often negativeconnotation of the title “trustee”, officers will be known as members of the ParishFinance Council and not as parish trustees. Members of the Parish Finance Council areto share in the responsibility of having the signing authority for all financial transactionsand for all letters requesting permission for projects made to the Chancery. They are alsoto be consulted for all parish investment decisions. To facilitate a culture ofaccountability and transparency, it is required that annual financial statements and a(continued on next page)March 21, 201027