CONSTITUTION
Union of Holy Name Societies - Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Preamble
The Holy Name Societies of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, in order to promote and perfect their solemn missions, as Confraternities of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, duly created under the Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Authority of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, hereby adopt this Constitution.
Article I
This organization shall be officially known as THE UNION OF HOLY NAME SOCIETIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA (hereinafter referred to as Archdiocesan Union).
Article II
PURPOSE:
1. The Archdiocesan Union shall endeavor to promote and develop the formation and strengthening of the Holy Name Society at the Vicariate and Cluster levels and in each parish of the Archdiocese, so that, by united and coordinated action, each Society may:
a. More effectively obtain the objectives of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Name of Jesus;
b. More effectively assist in the sanctification of Catholic men, and by Catholic action, assist the Church in its mission of the salvation of souls;
c. More successfully execute the specific missions entrusted to the Archdiocesan Union by the Most Reverend Archbishop;
d. Effectively observe the Canonical Requirements of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, namely that a charter of Canonical Erection be obtained through the Dominican Promoter of the Holy Name for the St. Joseph Province, and that all Society Members inscribe their names in the Holy Name Register for the Society, which shall be maintained with the records of the Parish Church, and each page of which shall be signed by the Spiritual Director.
e. Attain such other specific objectives as shall be set forth in the By-Laws of the Archdiocesan Union.
Article III
ORGANIZATION:
1. Each parish Holy Name Society shall be a member of the Archdiocesan Union and of any Holy Name Vicariate or Cluster unit that may be created for the territory in which it is located.
2. The parishes of the Archdiocese may be divided into Holy Name Vicariates by the Executive Spiritual Director. The activities of any Holy Name Vicariate which may be established shall be administered by a Holy Name Vicariate Board. Each Holy Name Vicariate Board may, with the approval of the Vicariate Spiritual Director, create further subdivisions within the Vicariate, along Cluster lines for local activities in the Vicariate.
3. Each parish member society may be represented in a Holy Name Vicariate by two delegates, specifically elected for the purpose by the parish society, to be called Vicariate Delegates. Alternate Vicariate Delegates may be elected or appointed to act in the place and stead of other delegates.
4. Each Holy Name Vicariate Board, which may be created, shall be elected from among the lay Vicariate Delegates. The Vicariate Board shall consist of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Marshall. These officers shall serve on the Lay Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Union. Said elections shall be made in accordance with the By-Laws of the Archdiocesan Union.
5. The Archdiocesan Union Executive Board shall consist of the Executive Spiritual Director and the elected officers: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Marshall of the Lay Executive Committee, along with the Parliamentarian thereof. In addition to the foregoing named officers, all Past Presidents and Chairs of Standing Committees shall serve as Executive Board Members. The designated elected officers shall be elected by the Lay Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Union, except the Parliamentarian, who shall be appointed by the President.
6. The Clerical Executive Committee, which shall come into existence when the Executive Spiritual Director has established three or more Holy Name Vicariates of the Archdiocesan Union, shall consist of the Spiritual Directors of each Holy Name Vicariate established. The Executive Spiritual Director shall also serve as Chairman of the Clerical Executive Committee.
7. Qualifications - All delegates to the Holy Name Vicariate Board and to the Lay Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Union must be qualified in accordance with the requirements of the By-Laws of the Archdiocesan Union.
Article IV
OFFICERS:
1. The Executive Spiritual Director shall be the Most Reverend Archbishop of the Archdiocese or his appointed delegate.
2. The Vicariate Spiritual Directors shall be appointed by the Executive Spiritual Director.
3. The Parish Spiritual Directors shall be the Pastors of the parishes or their representatives. Representatives may be priests or deacons.
4. The President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Marshall of the Lay Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Union shall be elected by the Lay Executive Committee. No more than one elective officer of the Archdiocesan Union shall be elected from any one member society. However, if after any election, an office remains vacant, the President may nominate, and the Executive Board may ratify the appointment of a second officer from a parish already holding one elective office.
5. The Parliamentarian and Chairmen of standing committees shall be appointive officers of the Archdiocesan Lay Executive Committee. The Parliamentarian and the Committee Chairmen shall be appointed by the President of the Archdiocesan Union Lay Executive Committee.
6. The elective officers of the Archdiocesan Union Lay Executive Committee shall serve for the term provided by the By-Laws of the Archdiocesan Union, and the appointive officers shall serve at the will of the appointing authority. The Executive Spiritual Director and the Vicariate Spiritual Directors shall serve for the duration of their offices, ex officio.
Article V
SELECTION OF OFFICERS:
1. Nominations and elections for elective office of the Lay Executive Committee shall be made according to the By-Laws of the Archdiocesan Union.
2. No elective officer shall succeed himself more than once but shall be qualified to return to such office after an intervening term, and shall be qualified upon the expiration of his term to serve in some other office of the Lay Executive Committee.
3. In the event there arises a vacancy in the office of the President, the First Vice President shall fill the same. The Second Vice President shall succeed to ay vacancy in the office of First Vice President for the unexpired term of the vacated office. In the event any other office is vacated, the President shall appoint one of the remaining officers or a member of the Lay Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Union to serve out the unexpired term of the vacated office. This appointment of the President shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
4. Any officer may be disqualified for just cause, after hearing, upon the two-thirds voce of the entire membership of the Executive Board.
Article VI
GOVERNMENT:
1. The Executive Board and its individual members shall administer the general affairs of the Archdiocesan Union and shall report to any Holy Name Vicariate Boards which may happen to exist on current activities and requests of interest to the Archdiocesan Union. The Executive Board and its individual members shall further report to the parish member societies through its newsletter, "The Voice of Vercelli", and by such other means as may be expedient.
2. The Clerical Executive Committee, once it shall come into existence, shall meet and advise the Executive Spiritual Director on Archdiocesan Union affairs.
3. The Executive Board of the Archdiocesan Union shall coordinate the activities of the Union.
4. STANDING COMMITTEES: The Standing Committees shall be created and operate in accordance with the By-Laws.
5. QUORUM: All elections of officers decided by the Lay Executive Committee, and all other matters decided by the Executive Board, shall be determined by a majority vote of a quorum. The quorum for each such group shall be set by the By-Laws of the Archdiocesan Union.
6. HOLY NAME VICARIATES: Each Holy Name Vicariate shall administer its local affairs, subject to the authority of the Archdiocesan Union, and shall adopt its own rules for administering its activities, which shall include:
(a) Execution of specific programs and activities prescribed by the Archdiocesan Union;
(b) Assistance to Archdiocesan Union affairs and Holy Name affairs;
(c) Promotion of local programs adopted by the Holy Name Vicariate with the permission of the Executive Spiritual Director.
Article VII
FINANCES: Each member society shall make an annual contribution to meet the expenses of the Archdiocesan Union, in such amount, and in such a manner as is required by the By-Laws of the Archdiocesan Union.
Article VIII
BY-LAWS: The Executive Board shall adopt By-Laws to provide the standards and procedures to be observed in executing activity by the Archdiocesan Union under this Constitution.
Article IX
AMENDMENTS: No Amendments shall be made to this Constitution except by the Executive Board of the Archdiocesan Union, upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the quorum. No amendment shall be made unless it has been published by an Archdiocesan Union officer to each Holy Name member society by written communication in the official newsletter, "The Voice of Vercelli" at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting at which it shall be considered.
Article X
FINAL AUTHORITY: The Ecclesiastical authority of the Catholic Church under which this Archdiocesan Union exists, shall be final and binding upon this Archdiocesan Union, and shall include, but not be restricted to, powers to suspend this Constitution, and to suspend, modify, reverse and terminate any procedure, resolution or action of any agency of the Archdiocesan Union, and affirmatively to substitute and require a different procedure, resolution or action of the Archdiocesan Union.
Whenever the office of Executive Spiritual Director is held by an appointed delegate, rather than by the Most Reverend Archbishop in person, the said appointed delegate shall have the authority to invoke this article in any circumstance in which he is morally certain that his action would reflect the will of the Most Reverend Archbishop.