President:
Rt Rev Bishop Kieran Conry
Members:
Rev Graham Bamford
Mgr Tony Barry
Rev Richard Biggerstaff
Rev Tony Bridson
Canon Gerald Coates
Rev Rob Esdaile
Rev Kevin Gaskin
Rev John Healy
Rev Jonathan How
Rev Charles Howell
Mgr Canon John Hull
Rev Tim Hunting
Rev John Inglis
Rev Martin Jakubas
Rev David Maskell
Rev John Olliver
Mgr Benedict O'Shea
Rev David Osborne
Rev David Parmiter
Rev Lawrence Quin Morris
Canon Law Summary
A Presbyteral Council is to be established in each diocese, that is, a body of priests who are to be like a senate of the Bishop, representing the presbyterate; this council is to aid the Bishop in the governance of the Diocese according to the norm of law, in order that the pastoral welfare of the portion of the people of God entrusted to him may be promoted as effectively as possible. (Can. 495)
Each Diocese is required to have presbyteral council, presided over by the Bishop and composed of priests (sacerdotum). The council has a relationship with Bishop for whom it serves as a type of senate and with the presbyterium of the Diocese who are represented by it.
About half the members of the council must be freely elected by the priests themselves, some priests are members of the council ex officio, that is, by virtue of their office, and Diocesan Bishop is free to name some others (Can. 497). All secular priests incardinated into the Diocese and secular priests not incardinated in the Diocese, and priests who are members of an institute of consecrated life or a society of apostolic life, who live in the Diocese and exercise some office for the good of the Diocese may vote in constituting the council. (Can. 498)
The Diocesan Bishop has the prerogative to convoke the council, to preside over it (though not necessarily chair its meetings) and to determine the agenda. (Can. 500)
The council is completely consultative in nature and has no authority to act on its own. The Bishop is to consult it on matters of greater importance and he is required to consult it (audito consilio) in matters relating to the convocation of a Diocesan Synod, the establishment, suppression or substantial change to a parish, allocation of offerings given to a parish, the establishment of parish councils, the building of a new church, the conversion of a church for secular use, the selection of presbyters to act in cases involving the administrative removal of a parish priest, the imposition of Diocesan taxes. (Can. 500)
Members are appointed for a designated term, determined by the statutes of the council. The full council or some part of it is to be renewed within a five- year period. (Can. 501)
When the Diocesan see is vacant the council ceases to exist, its functions are assumed by the College of Consultors and the new Bishop is to establish a new council within one year.
Bishops, therefore, because of the gift of the Spirit given to priests at their ordination, will regard them as their indispensable helpers ands advisers in the ministry and in the task of teaching sanctifying and shepherding the People of God.
In this Diocese
In accordance with Can. 495 §1 of the Code of Canon Law and the policy of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, the Council is a group of priests who represent the presbyterium. The council’s role is to assist the Bishop in the governance of the diocese, so that the pastoral welfare of the people of the Diocese may be best promoted. Its membership comprises elected represntatives from each Deanery and ex-officio officers of the Diocese.
The Council meets three times a year at DABCEC under the chairmanship of Mgr. Benny O'Shea, VG.
Link to the Bishop
The Bishop presides at meetings of the Council.
Meeting: Agendas and Minutes
The Agenda for the Council is prepared by the Vicars General with items proposed by Deanery Represntatives.
The Bishop's Secretary acts as Secretary to the council distributing the Agenda, recording the minutes and the distributing them to the all the priests of the Diocese.
