Bylaws
BYLAWS OF GOOD SHEPHERD
COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC WOMEN
“A Community of Love, Unity and Service”
ARTICLE I – NAME AND AFFILIATION
This organization shall be called Good Shepherd Council of Catholic women and it shall be affiliated with the National Council of Catholic Women, Florida Council of Catholic Women, and Miami Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women.
ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
A. To place the Lord first in all we do, recognizing that He is the core of our existence.
B. To deepen our faith by prayer and promote genuine fellowship.
C. To encourage devotion to Mary, our mother, who leads us to her Son.
D. To assist in parish and community activities.
E. To keep current on issues concerning our faith, morality, etc.
F. To understand what it means to be a Catholic Woman.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Every woman in the parish is a member of the club regardless of their level of involvement in activities. A membership drive should be held once a year in October. Only members who have paid their dues shall have voice and vote.
ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS
A. The elected officers shall be: President, Vice President, Recording Secretary and Treasurer.
B. The Corresponding Secretary, Historian and Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Spiritual Advisor.
ARTICLE V – GOVERNING BOARD
A. The Governing Board shall consist of all officers, the commission chairmen, the immediate past president and the Spiritual Advisor. Any District (Council) or MACCW Officers who are members of the Council shall be invited to be a part of the Governing Board in an advisory capacity. They shall have voice but no vote.
B. Any officer of the Governing Board who fails to attend a General or Board meeting for three consecutive times without due course, or who shall resign, shall be replaced by an appointee of the Executive Board for the unexpired term. The new appointee shall immediately take over the powers and duties of the office.
ARTICLE VI – EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board in order to act in an emergency shall consist of the elected officers and the Spiritual Advisor.
ARTICLE VII – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
THE PRESIDENT:
A. Shall preside at all General, Executive Board and Governing Board meetings.
B. May call a special meeting in case of an emergency.
C. Shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee. All projects and matters proposed to be undertaken by the Council will be presented to the President who will assign them to the proper officers or commission chairman.
D. Shall keep informed regarding the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women; shall attend all District (Council) Board and General (Council) meetings; shall urge all members to attend General meetings of the District. If it is impossible for the President to attend, she will authorize the Vice President to represent the organization.
E. Shall appoint the Corresponding Secretary, the Historian, the Parliamentarian, and the Commissioners with the approval of the Spiritual Advisor.
F. Shall mail the annual report on the activities of the organization at the final meeting of the year and submit report to the Spiritual Advisor.
THE VICE-PRESIDENT:
A. Shall perform the duties of the President in her absence.
B. Shall assist the President upon request.
THE RECORDING SECRETARY:
A. Shall keep the Minutes of all meetings.
B. Shall submit a copy of the minutes to the President and Vice President.
C. Shall maintain a list of all standing commissions and any committee in existence at the time.
THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY:
A. Shall read and answer all correspondence of the organization, as specified by the President.
B. Shall attend to all courtesies of the membership cards, flowers, etc.
C. Shall provide Mass cards to members upon the death of a loved one.
D. Shall keep the membership roster up to date.
THE TREASURER:
A. Shall receive and disburse all funds.
B. Shall collect all dues and keep a record of the paid members membership dues.
C. Shall be responsible for opening the required checking account in a bank approved by the Spiritual Advisor and co-sign checks with the President.
D. Shall give a financial report at all Governing Board and General Meetings and shall submit a copy of the report to the President and the Recording Secretary.
E. Shall submit the books for audit at the end of the fiscal year to the Governing Board.
THE HISTORIAN:
The Historian shall keep a scrapbook history of the Club to include any photos, with dates and details, newspaper articles concerning any of its members or parish activities.
THE PARLIAMENTARIAN:
The Parliamentarian shall see that the meetings are run according to parliamentarian procedure. She shall keep order at meetings and see that they run in a timely fashion.
ARTICLE VIII - RETIREMENT OF OFFICERS
All of the above-mentioned officers upon retiring shall deliver to their successors all records, books, papers, and other property belonging to the organization within 30 days of vacating their office.
ARTICLE IX – DUES
A. Annual dues shall be set by the Governing Board. Portions of these dues shall be payable annually to the District (Council) and MACCW. National Council of Catholic Women’s dues shall be paid as required, as shall special District (Council) assessments.
B. All dues are payable at the beginning of the fiscal year (Sept-Sept) and become delinquent on December 31st. Members who have been declared in arrears in the payment of dues shall not be eligible to vote. Dues for new members shall be payable upon joining the organization.
C. Treasurer will send to members who have paid their dues their membership card, which will allow them to vote.
ARTICLE X – MEETINGS
A. General meetings shall be held monthly unless otherwise designated by the Governing Board. A Board meeting shall be held two weeks prior to the General meeting.
B. One fourth of the members shall constitute a quorum at any regular or called meeting provided that one of the officers is present.
C. The Executive Board Meetings may be held when a quorum of three or more are present. Recommendations may be made by the Board and brought before the general membership for voting purposes.
ARTICLE XI – COMMISSIONS
A. All Commissions shall be consistent with the needs of the organization and the program of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women.
B. With the approval of the Spiritual Advisor, the President shall appoint each chairman and in consultation with the Chairman shall appoint the Vice Chairman, if needed.
C. The president has the authority to ask for the resignation of a Chairman or Vice-Chairman if it is the decision of the Governing Board that she is not fulfilling her duties.
D. Each commissioner should have one major activity each year with the approval of the Spiritual Advisor and President.
ARTICLE XII – NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
The Nomination Committee:
A. Shall consist of a chairman and two members, appointed by the Executive Board.
B. Shall accept written suggestions for nominees from the General Membership meeting and present slate for approval.
Elections:
A. Elections shall be held at the regular meeting in April.
B. All officers shall serve for a term of one year and no officer shall hold the same office for more than two consecutive years. Any officer who has filled a vacancy for an unexpired term and who has served more than one half-term is considered to have served a full term.
C. Upon installation, which shall take place in May, the officers shall immediately assume the powers and duties of their respective offices. The exact time of installation shall be announced at the April Meeting.
D. Within one month of installation, a meeting to facilitate a change of Executive Boards shall be called by the new president.
ARTICLE XIII – AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed at any regular meeting or at any special meeting called by the President. An amendment can be proposed and voted upon at the General Meeting.
ARTICLE XIV – PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
Robert’s Rule of Order, revised augmented by Robert’s Parliamentary Law shall be the parliamentary advisory in the transaction of business, unless otherwise covered by the Bylaws. The decision of the Parliamentarian or Parliamentary Procedures is final at all meetings.
STANDING RULES
1. General monthly meetings shall be held on the third Tuesday of each month. Five days notices shall be given for change of date.
2. The Pledge of Allegiance shall be conducted at all member meetings.
3. The SDCCW shall provide the Spiritual Advisor a ticket to any function sponsored by the District. It shall also purchase for him a ticket to the Spring and Fall District Council Meetings, as well as appropriate functions of the Annual Convention of the Miami Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women.
4. The Good Shepherd CCW shall provide adequate funds for the President to attend Council and MACCW meetings as well as their yearly convention. Up to two additional delegates may share the room with the President at the annual MACCW convention.
5. The annual dues of each member shall be $20.00. This includes District and MACCW dues as determined in accordance by the Bylaws of each.
6. Approval must be obtained from the Executive Board prior to all expenditures by the president for Club purposes in excess of $50.00.
Revised 8/10/96
Updated 11/5/98
Updated 10/08/2000
Revised 3/09/2009