BARODA, Gujarat (Indian Catholic News) — The Diocese of Baroda has promulgated statutes defining the role, membership and responsibilities of its Diocesan Pastoral Council, a consultative body intended to strengthen collaboration and discernment in diocesan life.
The statutes were promulgated by Bishop Sebastião Mascarenhas of Baroda in June 2024 and are now available on the Diocese of Baroda’s official website. They cannot be amended for five years from the date of promulgation.
The document says the council is established in accordance with canon law and the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. It cites Canon 511, which provides for a pastoral council in a diocese where pastoral circumstances suggest one.
The statutes also draw on two major Second Vatican Council documents Christus Dominus and Ad Gentes, emphasising participation by clergy, religious and lay people in pastoral work and mission.
Council for collaboration
The statutes describe the Diocesan Pastoral Council as “a diocesan structure that acts as a significant form of collaborative dialogue and discernment within the diocese.”
Its responsibilities include reflecting on how to enable the faithful to witness and proclaim the Kingdom of God, fostering collaboration among clergy, religious and laity, and studying pastoral matters before making recommendations to the bishop.
The council is also to collaborate with the Senate of Priests, Deanery Pastoral Council and Parish Pastoral Councils in implementing the Diocesan Pastoral Plan. It will support the work of diocesan pastoral commissions established by the bishop.
The statutes define the council as a consultative body. Its proposals become operative only when favourably accepted by the diocesan bishop. At the same time, the bishop is “bound to consider the indications of the Pastoral Council attentively,” particularly when they are expressed unanimously, as part of “a process of common discernment.”
Lay participation required
The council will include ex-officio, elected and nominated members, with “at least half of the total members” required to be lay persons.
Ex-officio members include the diocesan bishop, vicar general, chancellor, diocesan financial administrator, deans and moderator of the Priests’ Senate. Representatives of religious and lay groups are also included, along with heads of pastoral commissions covering areas such as laity, youth, family, women, migrants, social work, catechesis, vocations, children and tribal affairs.
Elected members include two priests from each deanery, two women religious from each deanery and one member elected by each parish council. The bishop may nominate up to four additional members.
The statutes provide that elected and nominated lay members should have lived in the diocese continuously for at least three years and should be members of a parish pastoral council.
The bishop serves as president of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. The vice president, joint vice president, secretary and joint secretary are elected by the council and “shall not be clerics.”
The council must meet at least once a year, while extraordinary meetings may be called when necessary. A quorum requires half plus one of the total membership.
The statutes also state that the bishop has the prerogative to approve and make public the council’s deliberations.
In approving the statutes, Bishop Mascarenhas said they were intended to determine “adequately the competence and functions of the Diocesan Pastoral Council” in collaborating with the bishop in building up the local Church.
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