00 – Definitions for Archdiocesan Policies
Issued Date: 8/21/2023
- Purpose
To provide uniform definitions for specific terms used in the policies in the Archdiocesan Policy Compendium.
- Definitions
Accrual Method of Accounting
“Accrual Method of Accounting” means an accounting method that recognizes expenses and revenues and other accounting transactions in the period when the benefit or obligation is incurred regardless of when cash is exchanged.
Adult Volunteer
“Adult Volunteer” means a volunteer who is over the age of 18 for the Archdiocese or a Parish or School who has regular or unsupervised contact with unrelated Minors.
Agreed Upon Procedure
“Agreed Upon Procedure (AUP)” means an outside review of specific administrative, financial, and operational procedures and controls as outlined by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
Agreed Upon Procedure Guidelines
“Agreed Upon Procedure Guidelines (AUPG)” means a listing of administrative, financial, and operational controls as outlined by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
Annual Parish Financial Report
“Annual Parish Financial Report (APFR)” means an annual report required to be submitted to the Archdiocese within 120 days after the end of the fiscal year that contains the Parish assessment calculation and the Parish financials, which must include a statement of financial position, statement of activities, with a clear accounting of all income, financial assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenditures of the Parish.
Annual Representation Letter
“Annual Representation Letter” means a written letter signed by the Pastor and Chair of the Parish Finance Council confirming that the Parish Finance Council has been informed and consulted regarding specific matters of finance throughout current fiscal year.
Archbishop
“Archbishop” means the bishop appointed by the Holy See to provide ordinary governance and pastoral care of the Archdiocese by serving as its pastor and canonical juridic representative. It includes any bishop or priest duly appointed Apostolic Administrator or Diocesan Administrator, in the event the position of Archbishop is vacant or impeded.
Archdiocese
“Archdiocese” means that certain corporate entity formed, maintained and existing under Minnesota Statute Section 315.16 with Minnesota Business Name: “The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.”
Archdiocese Territory
“Archdiocese Territory” means the 12 counties of the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area: Anoka, Dakota, Carver, Chisago, Goodhue, Hennepin, LeSueur, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Washington, and Wright.
Auxiliary Bishop(s)
“Auxiliary Bishop(s)” means the bishop(s) appointed by the Holy See to provide for the pastoral needs of the diocese under the direction of the Archbishop.
Canonical Administrator
“Canonical Administrator” means the individual appointed by the Archbishop to fulfill that office in accordance with bylaws of the corporation.
Canonical Approvals
“Canonical Approvals” means the required consultation, review and approval of a significant matter as set forth in Archdiocesan policy by the Archdiocesan Finance Council (AFC) and the College of Consultors (College).
Chart of Accounts
“Chart of Accounts” means a financial organizational tool that provides a complete listing of every financial account in an accounting system. An account is a unique record for each type of asset, liability, net asset, income and expense.
Church Personnel
“Church Personnel” means religious (other than priests and deacons), seminarians, candidates for the diaconate, and employees, as well as volunteers in positions of leadership within a Parish, School, or the Archdiocese. Parish Trustees, Parish pastoral council members, Parish finance council members, School board members, School Advisory council members, and Archdiocesan finance council members are examples of volunteers in leadership positions.
Clergy
“Clergy” means any persons ordained – bishops, priests, and deacons – who administer the rites of the Catholic Church.
Cleric
“Cleric” means a member of the Clergy.
Code of Conduct
“Code of Conduct” means the Code of Conduct for Clergy, the Code of Conduct for Church Personnel, the Code of Conduct for Adult Volunteers, and the Code of Conduct for Youth Volunteers, as applicable.
Columbaria
“Columbaria” means a free-standing bank of niches location in a cemetery for the inurnment of cremated remains.
Compensation Schedule for Clergy
“Compensation Schedule for Clergy” means the annual schedule approved by the Archbishop that establishes ordinary income, benefits, and compensation for clergy serving in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis for the fiscal year.
Comprehensive Assignment Board (CAB)
“Comprehensive Assignment Board (CAB)” means the group of individuals charged to collectively make recommendations to the Archbishop regarding assignments of priests and deacons.
Credible Allegation of Sexual Abuse of a Minor
“Credible Allegation of Sexual Abuse of a Minor” is one that bears a semblance of truth and is not manifestly false or frivolous.
Dean
“Dean” means a presbyter, either incardinated in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis or an extern in residence for a least a year who holds stable ministerial faculties, who is elected as Dean through a legitimate election held by presbyters with active voice in the Deanery, and whose election is confirmed by the Archbishop.
Deanery
“Deanery” means a geographic grouping of neighboring parishes, a grouping of priests assigned to specialized ministry, or a grouping of retired priests. Deaneries are established to help in the coordination of pastoral care, common pastoral action, mutual support in the implementation of diocesan policies, sharing of pastoral concerns, and facilitation of communication. The Archbishop, after consultation with the Presbyteral Council, may establish, modify, combine or suppress Deaneries according to circumstances and pastoral needs. Deaneries are known in universal canon law as a “vicariate forane.” Deanery membership for priests is governed by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Presbyteral Council.
Director of OMSSE
“Director of OMSSE” means the Archdiocesan employee responsible for managing Archdiocese processes for handling allegations of clergy misconduct and for leading the Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment.
Employee
“Employee” means an individual hired by and currently working for the Archdiocese, a Parish, or a School. This does not include independent contractors.
Essential 3
“Essential 3” means 1) acknowledgement of the Code of Conduct 2) VIRTUS, or equivalent, child protection training and 3) a criminal background check.
Evidence
“Evidence” is an item obtained as a part of an investigation and which may be used for the purposes of an administrative or legal proceeding.
Exhibitor or Vendor
“Exhibitor or Vendor” means an individual or organization that sells, displays, promotes, distributes products or services.
Family Member
“Family Member” means a spouse, parent, sibling, child, or spouse of a child.
Financial Audit
“Financial Audit” means an objective examination of an entity’s accounting records, as well as the physical inspection of its assets. If performed by a certified public accountant (CPA), the CPA can express an opinion on the fairness of investments, banking or other financial community.
Financial Cooperation Agreement
“Financial Cooperation Agreement” means an agreement entered into between a Parish and the Archdiocese which states the amount owed to the Archdiocese and the terms for repayment of those obligations.
Financial Review
“Financial Review” means a financial statement review and is a service under which the accountant obtains limited assurance that there are no material modifications that need to be made to an entity’s financial statements for them to be in conformity with the applicable financial reporting framework (such as GAAP). A review does not require the accountant to obtain an understanding of internal control, or to assess fraud risk, or other types of audit procedures. Consequently, a review does not provide the accountant with assurance that they have become aware of all the significant matters that would normally have been discovered and disclosed in an audit.
Fiscal Year
“Fiscal Year” means the 12-month period beginning July 1 and ending June 30.
General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
“General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)” means a collection of commonly followed accounting principles, standards and procedures for financial transactions and reporting. GAAP area combination of authoritative standards set by Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB).
Institution Provided Housing
“Institution Provided Housing” means housing for those priests not assigned to a parish and which housing is provided by the institution where the priest is assigned or by the Archdiocese and meets the other requirements of the Residence Policy.
International Clergy
“International Clergy” means Priests and Deacons who are incardinated in a diocese or religious order located outside of the United States.
Litigation Hold
“Litigation Hold” means a suspension of document retention/destruction policies for those documents that may be relevant to a legal issue or lawsuit that has been served or filed or one that is reasonably anticipated so that the relevant data is not destroyed and that key employees are notified of document preservation requirements.
Long-Term Residents
“Long-Term Residents” means persons whose stay at the rectory exceeds two weeks.
Ministerial Review Board
“Ministerial Review Board” means the advisory, consultative body assembled to advise the Archbishop and his staff regarding clergy misconduct and which may also review and offer recommendations regarding Archdiocese policies and processes relating to misconduct.
Minor
“Minor” means anyone who has not reached the age of 18.
Parish
“Parish” means an organization located within the Archdiocese and created under Minnesota Statute §315.15 or recognized as such by the Archdiocese.
Parish Corporate Board
“Parish Corporate Board” (Board) means the Archbishop, the Vicar General designated by the Archbishop, the Pastor, and the two appointed lay Trustees of the Parish corporation who, according to the Articles or Certificate of Incorporation, have the power to transact all business of the corporation.
Parish Finance Council
“Parish Finance Council” means the canonical consultative body established in a Parish in accordance with canon 537 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and the policy of the Archdiocese, which provides consultation to the Pastor from a cross-section of parishioners to share their thoughts and insights in service to the mission of a specific Parish.
Parish Finance Manual
“Parish Finance Manual” means the reference guide that provides instructions to Parishes relating to financial procedures, internal controls, transactions, and reporting. This document is published by the Office of Financial Standards and Parish Accounting and can be found online within this link: Parish Finance Manual.
Parish or Regional School
“Parish or Regional School” means a Catholic school to which the Archbishop has assigned oversight to a Pastor, Parochial Administrator, or Canonical Administrator.
Parish Pastoral Council
“Parish Pastoral Council” means the canonical consultative body established in a Parish in accordance with canon 536 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and the policy of the Archdiocese, which provides consultation to the Pastor from a cross-section of parishioners to share their thoughts and insights in service to the mission of a specific Parish.
Parish Rectory
“Parish Rectory” means Parish-owned or Parish-rented residence designated for occupancy by the Pastor or other priests.
Parish or Regional School
“Parish or Regional School” means a Catholic school to which the Archbishop has assigned oversight to a Pastor, Parochial Administrator, or Canonical Administrator.
Parish School
“Parish School” means a Catholic school that functions as a ministry of a single Parish and over which the Pastor has oversight, and is supported by its sponsoring Parish, which assumes all liabilities.
Parochial Administrator
“Parochial Administrator” means a priest appointed by the Archbishop to temporarily act in the place of the Pastor and serve as the canonical juridic representative of the Parish and as the Vice President of the Parish corporation pursuant to Minnesota Statute Section 315.15.
Parochial Vicar
“Parochial Vicar” means a priest appointed by the Archbishop to assist the Pastor in the care and operation of a Parish.
Pastor
“Pastor” means a priest appointed by the Archbishop to provide ordinary governance and pastoral care of a Parish by serving as its canonical juridic representative.
Permanent Deacon
“Permanent Deacon” means a deacon who serves stably in that order and who is not an aspiring candidate for the presbyterate.
Policies
“Policies” means Archdiocesan policies relating to the sexual abuse of minors, including the Codes of Conduct.
Policy Review Committee (PRC)
“Policy Review Committee (PRC)” means representatives from various areas of the Archdiocesan Catholic Center appointed by Archdiocesan leadership to initiate, review, and communicate policies for the Archdiocese.
Presbyteral Council
“Presbyteral Council” means the canonical consultative body of priests established by the Archbishop to provide assistance in the governance of the diocese according to the norm of canon law (1983 Code of Canon Law can. 495).
Proxy
“Proxy” means a written document executed by the Archbishop and the appointed Vicar General, as members of the parish Corporate Board, to be used at a meeting which they are unable to attend, granting authority to the Pastor, a member of the Board, to cast their votes in favor of a specific corporate resolution stated in the Proxy.
Proxy Threshold
“Proxy Threshold” means the dollar amount at or above which approval is needed by all five members of the Parish Corporate Board (the approval from the Archbishop and Vicar General is normally done through a Proxy). The threshold is determined by the CFO, based on the Parish’s annual ordinary income, and is updated and adjusted by the CFO from time to time. The Proxy Threshold will be communicated by the CFO to each Parish on an annual basis.
Record
“Record” means any recorded information, regardless of medium or characteristics, made or received by the Archdiocese, a Parish or a School in pursuit of legal obligations or the transaction of business.
Regional School
“Regional School” means a Catholic school that is a separate legal entity, is a ministry of more than one Parish, with sponsorship maintained through a written agreement between the Archdiocese and the Parishes, and which is overseen by a Canonical Administrator appointed by the Archbishop.
Responsible Person
“Responsible Person” means any person serving as an officer, director, or member of a committee or board of the Archdiocese.
Sabbatical
“Sabbatical” means a requested period of time away from a priest’s regular assignment for the purpose of enriching his life and ministry through some combination of rest, renewal, and study.
School
“School” means an elementary school or a secondary school physically located within the territory of the Archdiocese that the Archbishop recognizes as Catholic.
Sexual Abuse of a Minor
“Sexual Abuse of a Minor” includes all acts of sexual abuse of a minor as defined in Minnesota Statutes and includes, but is not limited to, any sexual contact, physical contact for sexual gratification, exhibitionism, masturbation, the production of pornography, inducement to prostitution and conversations or propositions of a sexual nature through any means of communication.
Significant Change
“Significant Change” means a major expansion, modification, or reduction of services provided by existing Catholic Schools or a change in an existing School’s geographic location, name, governance, or mission statement.
Speaker
“Speaker” means anyone giving a lecture, public address, theatrical performance, musical performance, retreat, mission, or other similar type of event at or on behalf of a Parish, School or other Catholic entity in the Archdiocese.
Substantiated Claim
“Substantiated Claim” of misconduct is one supported by sufficient evidence establishing reasonable grounds to believe that the misconduct occurred.
Trustees
“Trustees” means the two lay members of a Parish appointed to serve as members and officers of the Parish corporation by the Archbishop, the Vicar General appointed by the Archbishop and the Pastor or a majority of them.
Users
“Users” means all Archdiocesan employees or Clergy who use technology on behalf of the Archdiocese.
Vicar General
“Vicar General” means the priest or auxiliary bishop appointed by the Archbishop to assist the Archbishop in the governance of the diocese, by the exercise of ordinary executive power, always acting according to the intention of the Archbishop. A Vicar General is entrusted to carry out all administrative acts that lie within the competence of the Archbishop, except those expressly entrusted to or reserved the Archbishop by law or by his authority. If there are multiple Vicars General, the Archbishop will assign any functions required by policy to be carried out by a specific Vicar General.
Vulnerable Adult
“Vulnerable Adult” means those persons as defined by MN stat 626.5572, subd. 21, and also means any person in a state of infirmity, physical or mental deficiency, or deprivation of personal liberty which, in fact, even occasionally, limits their ability to understand or to want or otherwise resist the offense against them.
