Filipino Clergy in New York

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
of the FILIPINO CLERGY IN NEW YORK (FCNY)
(Ratified unanimously at the General Assembly on April 28, 2009 at the Philippine Consulate)

Preamble

        WE, the Filipino Clergy in New York, fully aware of the need of a strong and sustained priestly fraternity and solidarity, towards a more meaningful ministry and active life of witnessing to the Gospel of Jesus, the Eternal High Priest and Good Shepherd, and with the maternal guidance and inspiration of the Blessed Virgin Mary with San Lorenzo Ruiz as our principal patron, do hereby promulgate this Constitution.

Article I – Name, Address, Coverage

Section 1: Name

The official name of this organization is Filipino Clergy in New York (FCNY).

Section 2: Address

The official address of FCNY is San Lorenzo Ruiz Chapel, 378 Broome Street, New York, NY 10013.

Section 3: Area of Coverage

The Constitution of FCNY shall be applicable within the area of the entire State of New York, USA namely: Archdiocese of New York, Diocese of Brooklyn, Diocese of Rockville Center, Diocese of Albany, Diocese of Buffalo, Diocese of Syracuse, Diocese of Rochester, and Diocese of Ogdenburg.

Article II – Nature and Objectives

FCNY is an association of Filipino clergy who live in the State of New York and perform active priestly ministry. It shall have the following main objectives:

Section 1: To foster among the Filipino clergy in the State of New York brotherly support and   unity, sharing of resources and enhancement of the priestly and Filipino values through regular interaction and communication.

Section 2: To establish proper communication links with the Archdiocesan and/ or Diocesan offices and ministries, particularly on issues affecting the welfare of Filipino clergy, as well as with other organizations of Filipino clergy in America.

Section 3: To help in the coordination of the programs, projects and activities of various Filipino associations and groups in the State of New York, and to lend assistance to them particularly in their spiritual and pastoral needs.

Section 4: To support the various pastoral programs of the Filipino Apostolate in the Archdiocese of New York based in the Filipino Chapel of San Lorenzo Ruiz.

Section 5: To lend assistance to Filipino clergy who need any help in their stay within the area of coverage of FCNY.

Article III – Composition

Section 1: Membership

§1 – Membership in FCNY has the following requirements:

a) Validly ordained Catholic clergy;

b) Filipino by birth and/ or parentage;

c) Renders priestly ministry in and with due recognition in their Archdiocese and/ or Dioceses of New York; and

d) Has proper legal status and good moral standing.

§ 2 – Considered for associate memberships are Deacons, transitional and permanent, retired Filipino clergy and clergy of Filipino descent.

§ 3 – Filipino clergy who are already in the State of New York but not yet officially registered with the Archdiocese or Dioceses of New York will also be considered as associate members.

Section 2: Rights and Duties of Members

§ 1 – All bona fide members have the right to vote and be voted upon in the election of officers, as well as to cast their vote on future amendments to the constitution and by-laws.

§ 2 – Associate members do not have the right to vote, but they are allowed to participate in all the deliberations during meetings and in all other activities and programs of the FCNY.

§ 3 – It is the right and the duty of every member to participate in all the undertakings of the association.

§ 4 – It is the duty of all members to attend the regular and special meetings duly scheduled and to actively participate in the proceedings.

§ 5 – All members shall contribute an annual solidarity fund for the support of the FCNY and its programs, the amount of which will be determined by the body.

Section 3: Cessation of Membership

§1 – Membership in FCNY ceases due to any of the following reasons:

a) Voluntary resignation;

b) Loss of domicile due to transfer of residence;

c) By decision of the general membership.

Article IV – Meetings

Section 1: FCNY will have a regular monthly meeting to be determined by the officers with advance schedule. The venue and time of the meeting will depend on the consensus of the body. The agenda will be determined by the Coordinator.

Section 2: Aside from the regular monthly meetings, special meetings can be called by the Coordinator to address specific agenda that may come up in any eventuality which need urgent attention.

Section 3: Special events in the year will also be occasions for meetings and fellowship for FCNY members, e.g. Christmas, Easter, Summer outing, and the like, geared towards healthier camaraderie and stronger unity of the organization.

Section 4: General Structure of the Meeting

Call to Order

Part 1: Opening Prayer, Reading of Scripture and Reflection
Part 2: Reading and Approval of the Minutes, and Discussion of Agenda
Part 3: Fellowship/Agape

In some special occasions, a concelebrated Mass may precede the meeting.

Article V – Officers

Section 1: The following are the Officers of FCNY

                        Coordinator - Msgr. Oscar Aquino

                        Assistant Coordinator - Msgr. Bayani Valenzuela

                        Secretary/ PRO - Fr. Romeo Hontiveros

                        Treasurer - Msgr. Romulo Montero

                        Auditor - Fr. Joseph G. Marabe, JCD

Section 2: Duties and Functions of Officers

§ 1 – Coordinator

1 – To call and preside over meetings and determine the agenda;

2 – To represent the organization in meetings and other gatherings with other groups and associations, and thereafter give a report on the matter to the association;

3 – To coordinate the programs and activities of the association;

4 - To assign particular assignments to other members when deemed necessary.

§ 2 – Assistant Coordinator

1      - To perform the duties of the Coordinator in the latter’s absence.

2 - To maintain and update the roll of members, providing necessary information on the current status of each member.

§3 – Secretary

1      – To issue notices for meetings and other gatherings, and dispatch all needed information to all members.

2      - To record the minutes of meetings, and maintain and keep all pertinent records and documents of the association.

3      – To prepare the venue for the meetings, inclusive of the needed materials and equipment.

4      – To act as a Comelec during the regular or special election of officers.

§4 – Treasurer

1 – To keep a record of all income and expenditures of the association and give a

financial status report every meeting;

2      - To collect the monthly solidarity fee from members and all other contributions;

3      - And to keep the funds safe, intact and available as needed by the association;

§5 – Auditor

1 – To evaluate and scrutinize all records and documents of the association and

render regular report to the general membership;

2 – To conduct periodic audit into the financial records, programs and activities of

the association.

§6 – P.R.O.

1 – To gather and disseminate to the members any relevant information pertaining to the ministry and other related fields;

2 – To initiate and implement programs and activities which foster better camaraderie among the members as well as with other clergy and lay associations of Filipinos.

Section 3: Election of Officers

            The officers will be chosen by election during the general membership meeting to be held every two years in December. The new set of officers will assume office beginning January of the succeeding year.

Section 4: Tenure of Office

§ 1 - The officers shall hold office for two continuous years, open to but one immediate renewal for another two years thereafter.

§ 2 - Any office vacated by the officer prior to the end of his term due to any reason whatsoever shall be filled up by a special election during a general membership meeting to be determined and called by the Coordinator.

Section 5: Voting Procedure

1.    Nomination and Votation:

1.1.   Any registered members of FCNY can be nominated during the Election Day or by mail or email before the votation.

1.2.   Nominated candidate must accept the nomination and be present during the votation.

1.3.   Winning candidate must garnered majority votes through secret voting, that is, one half plus one of those present during the election.

2.     Indirect Voting: The general assembly will nominate 5 members to become the officers of FCNY. Then the 5 members who got the highest votes will convene and elect among themselves as Coordinator, Vice-Coordinator, Secretary/PRO, Treasurer, and Auditor. And the coordinator shall appoint link-person (that is, co-terminus with the Coordinator) from every vicariate or borough or county to facilitate the objectives of FCNY.

Article VI – Amendments

            This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended in part or revised as a whole upon the instance of a bona fide member, with the approval of the general membership through a vote by absolute majority.