Introduction. Each parish has local councils to advise the pastor, according to the norms of church law and diocesan statutes. Here are the pertinent regulations of the Code of Canon Law for parish councils.

• Canon 536. §1. After the diocesan bishop has listened to the presbyteral council and if he judges it opportune, a pastoral council is to be established in each parish; the pastor presides over it, and through it the Christian faithful along with those who share in the pastoral care of the parish in virtue of their office give their help in fostering pastoral activity. §2. This council possesses a consultative vote only and is governed by norms determined by the diocesan bishop.
• Canon 537. Each parish is to have a finance council which is regulated by universal law as well as by norms issued by the diocesan bishop; in this council the Christian faithful, selected according to the same norms, aid the pastor in the administration of parish goods with due regard for the prescriptions of canon 532.
• Canon 532. The pastor represents the parish in all juridic affairs in accord with the norm of law; he is to see to it that the goods of the parish are administered in accord with the norms of canons 1281-1288.

Staff Council. The staff council consists of the clergy who are assigned to the parish by the bishop, and the parish employees, who are hired by the pastor to lead the various parish programs and ministries.

• The pastor meets regularly with the staff council members to seek their professional advice, and to coordinate the day-to-day operations of the parish community, both spiritual and material.
• Through the staff council, the pastor exercises his canonical governance of the parish community in regard to its spiritual, educational, community, charitable, and administrative dimensions.
• A staff member appointed by the pastor takes the minutes of the staff council meetings for follow-up and follow-through on the various staff council consultations.

Pastoral Council. The pastoral council consists of parishioners who are in leadership positions in the parish community. The pastor meets regularly with the pastoral council to seek their advice, and to foster pastoral activity through vision statements, mission statements, and strategic planning for the parish community.

• Pastoral council members are discerned by the staff council members from among the liturgical ministries, the educational programs, and the service organizations of the parish community.
• Once approved by the pastor, the terms of office for pastoral council members are for one year and are renewable each year with the approval of the pastor, usually only up to three years.
• The pastor appoints a pastoral council leader who helps him plan the meetings, takes minutes at the meetings, and represents the parish council to the diocese and other church councils.

Finance Council. The finance council consists of parishioners noted for their expertise in finance and business. The pastor meets regularly with the finance council, to seek their advice, and to provide transparency in all the financial affairs of the parish community, as required by diocesan statutes.

• Finance council members are discerned by the staff council members on the basis of their financial expertise, business acumen, and administrative wisdom for the good of the parish.
• Once approved by the pastor, the terms of office for finance council members are for one year and are renewable each year with the approval of the pastor, usually only up to five years.
• The pastor appoints a finance council leader who helps him plan the meetings, takes minutes at the meetings, and represents the finance council to the diocese and other church councils.