Council Members Handbook YOU ARE SERVANT LEADERS AND YOUR ATTITUDE SETS THE TONE FOR YOUR FRATERNITY Jesus shows us a perfect example of the servant leader. In Mark 10:45, He urges us to serve and even “give our lives” for the sake of others. The picture of a servant leader is shown no better than in Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (John 13). All the forms in this handbook can be found at http://saintmargaretofcortona.com/council-members-handbook/ HANDBOOK For FRATERNITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TABLE OF CONTENTS Local Fraternity Council Guidelines and Responsibilities ___________________________ 1 What Is a Fraternity Council __________________________________________________ 2 Handbook for Secular Franciscan Servant Leadership _____________________________ 2 A Healthy Council Makes for a Healthy Fraternity ________________________________ 2 Structure of the Secular Franciscan Order ______________________________________ 6 Care and Feeding of Councils _________________________________________________ 7 1. What Does a Fraternity Need? _____________________________________________ 8 2. Environment, Formation, Prayer ___________________________________________ 9 3. It Needs Exercise _______________________________________________________ 11 4. It Needs Periodic Check‐Ups _____________________________________________ 12 5. When to Call the Doctor _________________________________________________ 13 Minister’s Responsibilities from the General Constitutions 1. Duties _______________________________________________________________ 15 2. Suggested Agenda _____________________________________________________ 18 Vice Minister’s Responsibilities from the General Constitutions Duties _______________________________________________________________ 19 Secretary’s Responsibilities from the General Constitutions 1. Duties _______________________________________________________________ 20 2. Suggested Secretary’s Calendar ___________________________________________ 22 3. Suggested Functions and Committees Functions _____________________________ 23 4. Record Keeping ________________________________________________________ 28 Formation Director’s Responsibilities from the General Constitutions 1. Duties _______________________________________________________________ 29 2. Formation in the Secular Franciscan Order __________________________________ 31 a. Orientation ____________________________________________________ 32 b. Inquiry ________________________________________________________ 32 c. Candidacy _____________________________________________________ 32 d. Ritual of Commitment ____________________________________________ 32 e. Pathway to Profession ____________________________________________ 34 f. Application Form ________________________________________________ 35 g. Request for Rite of Admission Form_ ________________________________ 38 h. Preparation for Profession – Interview and Assessment _________________ 40 i. Preparation for Profession – Interview Questionnaire __________________ 41 j. Certificate of Profession __________________________________________ 42 i Treasurer’s Responsibilities from the General Constitutions Duties _______________________________________________________________ 43 • Councilors _______________________________________________________________ 45 • Change in Elected Offices from the General Constitutions ________________________ 46 1. Vacant Offices _________________________________________________________ 46 2. Incompatible Offices ____________________________________________________ 46 3. Resignation from Office _________________________________________________ 47 4. Removal from Office ____________________________________________________ 47 • The Fraternity Gathering 1. Prayer _______________________________________________________________ 48 2. Ongoing Formation _____________________________________________________ 48 3. Business _____________________________________________________________ 48 4. Social Time ___________________________________________________________ 48 • Fair Share _______________________________________________________________ 49 • Renewal of Commitment ___________________________________________________ 50 • Ideas to Foster a Feeling of Belonging _________________________________________ 51 • Ideas for Outreach ________________________________________________________ 52 • Attendance Must Be Emphasized ____________________________________________ 53 • Member Status 1. Active Member________________________________________________________ 54 2. Moved_______________________________________________________________ 54 3. Transfers_____________________________________________________________ 54 4. Lapsed Member_______________________________________________________ 54 5. Death of a Fraternity Member____________________________________________ 54 • Excused Member Policy from the General Constitutions 1. The Elderly and Sick ____________________________________________________ 55 2. Sporadically Hindered Members __________________________________________ 56 3. Permanently Hindered Members __________________________________________ 56 • Criteria for Excused Status 1. Health _______________________________________________________________ 57 2. Family _______________________________________________________________ 57 3. Death of Immediate Family Member _______________________________________ 57 4. Work ________________________________________________________________ 57 5. Distance _____________________________________________________________ 57 6. Combination __________________________________________________________ 57 7. Job Loss ______________________________________________________________ 57 8. Financial Hardship _____________________________________________________ 57 9. Serious and Disabling Medical Condition(s) __________________________________ 57 • Request for Excused Status Form ____________________________________________ 59 • Form Letter from the Council When a Member Has Not Requested to Be Excused ____ 60 ii Lapsed Status from the General Constitutions 1. Lapsed Status _________________________________________________________ 61 2. Process to Change Member to Lapsed Status ________________________________ 62 3. Form Letter – Absence at Fraternity Gatherings ______________________________ 63 Suspension/Withdrawal from the General Constitutions _________________________ 64 1. Suspension Notice Form _________________________________________________ 65 2. Withdrawal Request Letter ______________________________________________ 66 3. Temporary Withdrawal Request Form______________________________________ 67 4. Resignation Notice Form ________________________________________________ 68 Dismissal from the General Constitutions _____________________________________ 69 Request for Dismissal Form ______________________________________________ 70 Appeal Process from the General Constitutions _________________________________ 71 Transfer Procedures from the General Constitutions 1. Guidelines – Transfer to a Fraternity _______________________________________ 72 2. Request for Transfer Form _______________________________________________ 73 3. Official Transfer Form ___________________________________________________ 74 Death of a Fraternity Member from the General Constitutions ____________________ 76 Death Notice to the Region ______________________________________________ 77 Spiritual Assistant from the General Constitutions ______________________________ 78 Guidelines for Fraternal Visitation of a Local Fraternity from the General Constitutions ______________________________________________ 79 Request for Fraternal Visitation from the General Constitutions ___________________ 80 Preparation for Visitation 1. Minister’s Checklist _____________________________________________________ 81 2. Pre‐Visitation Questionnaire – Completed by the Fraternity Council ______________ 83 3. Fraternity Council Self‐Evaluation for Each Council Member ____________________ 87 4. Request for Pastoral Visitation ___________________________________________ 90 5. Checklist for Pastoral Visitation ___________________________________________ 91 Fraternal Visitation from the General Constitutions 1. The Visit _____________________________________________________________ 92 2. During the Visitation ____________________________________________________ 92 3. Evaluation ____________________________________________________________ 92 4. The Report ___________________________________________________________ 92 5. Stipend _______________________________________________________________92 Elections – from the General Constitutions ____________________________________ 93 Elections – National Statutes ________________________________________________ 95 Statutes for Spiritual and Pastoral Assistants at Elections of New Council ___________ 95 Request for Fraternity Chapter of Elections Fraternity Elections Request Form _________________________________________ 96 iii Election Requirements 1. Eligibility to Vote (2) ____________________________________________________ 97 2. Quorum Requirement (5) ________________________________________________ 97 3. Absentee Ballots (6) ____________________________________________________ 97 4. Third Term Candidates (11) ______________________________________________ 97 5. Stipend ______________________________________________________________ 97 Fraternity Election Procedures Before Elections – Nominations Committee___________98 Fraternity Chapter of Elections – Nominations