Rules of Procedure for the Synodal Council of the Roman Catholic Corporation of the Canton of Zurich (Rules of Procedure for the Synodal Council; RoP SC) (RICS)

1 Composition and Constitution of the Synod Council

The Synod Council is composed of the President and eight other members, who are elected for a term of four years.

2 Following a general election, it convenes for its constitutive meeting in the week following the expiry of the appeal period, upon invitation by the President. After the constitution, the individual members assume their office, while for outgoing members, their office ends at the same time. A new constitution during the term of office is possible.

1 The Synodal Council combines its assigned areas of responsibility – departments – into the following nine departments. The departments comprise the areas listed below

a. Presidential Department: Areas of Presidential Affairs, Communication,

b. Department of Pastoral Care, Healthcare and Inclusion: Area of Pastoral Care, Healthcare and Inclusion,

c. Department of Pastoral Care for Youth and Young Adults: Areas of Pastoral Care for Youth and Young Adults, Religious Education,

d. Department of Migrant Pastoral Care: Area of Migrant Pastoral Care,

e. Department of Ecumenical Pastoral Care: Area of Ecumenical Pastoral Care,

f. Department of Social Affairs and Ecology: Area of Social Affairs and Ecology,

g. Department of Education and Culture: Area of Education and Culture,

h. Department of Finance and Infrastructure: Areas of Finance, Real Estate, ICT,

i. Department of Human Resources: Area of Human Resources.

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182.21 Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (GeschO SyR)

2 Upon its constitution, the Synodal Council decides on the allocation of departments and their tasks to individual members as their department heads and appoints their deputies.

3 The department head is responsible for matters in the Synodal Council pertaining to their department. If a matter comes before the Synod, it is generally represented by the department head of the relevant department.

4 The President assumes responsibility for the Presidential Department. The Vice-President deputises for the President.

1 The Framework Agreement of 18 April/3 May 2019 concerning internal cooperation within the Roman Catholic Corporation of the Canton of Zurich with the Vicar General's Office for the Cantons of Zurich and Glarus defines the areas pursuant to § 2 para. 1 in which cooperation with the internal church bodies shall take place by mutual consent. This cooperation is depicted in the organizational chart "Integrated Organization Vicar General's Office and Synodal Council" (Annex 1*).

2 The areas pursuant to § 2 para. 1 are presented in departmental organizational charts (Annexes 2a and 2b). The departmental organizational charts reflect the organizational structures of the respective areas with their organizational units such as offices, missions, commissions, and staff units.

3 A functional diagram shows the responsibilities and tasks of individuals and committees within the framework of internal cooperation with the Vicar General's Office (Annex 3).

4 Decisions regarding changes in responsibilities pursuant to the organizational charts and the functional diagram (Annexes 1 to 3) shall be made by the Synodal Council upon proposal from a departmental head.

1 Strategic leadership in each department is exercised by a management committee, which is chaired by the respective competent Head of Department. In other respects, the management committee constitutes itself. The technical and personnel leadership within the departments rests with the Department Heads of the Synodal Council or the Episcopal Vicariate.6

*Appendices 1–3 are not included in the Zurich Loose-Leaf Collection (LS). They are available from: Catholic Church in the Canton of Zurich, Synodal Council, Hirschengraben 66, 8001 Zurich, Telephone 044 266 12 12, E-Mail synodalrat@zhkath.ch

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Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (ROP SyC)

182.21

2 Permanent members of the management committees are the respective competent Heads of Department of the Synodal Council, the Department Heads of the Synodal Council and, for departments under the professional responsibility of the Episcopal Vicar, the Episcopal Vicar or the competent Department Heads of the Episcopal Vicariate. The latter are entitled to place items on the agenda of the management committee for departments under the professional responsibility of the Episcopal Vicar. For matters concerning service units, the competent Heads of Service Units also participate.

3 In departments under the professional responsibility of the Episcopal Vicar, the Episcopal Vicar or the Department Head of the Episcopal Vicariate exercises the technical and personnel leadership within the management committee. The responsibilities and competencies of the Synodal Council in its function as employer of all employees of the corporation remain reserved in all cases.

4 In departments under the professional responsibility of the Synodal Council, the Heads of Department and the Department Heads of the Synodal Council exercise the technical and personnel leadership within the management committee. The Episcopal Vicar or the Department Heads of the Episcopal Vicariate only participate in the management committee as needed. The Heads of Department determine whether such a need exists.

5 Leadership concerning organisation, finance, and administration is exercised in all departments by the Heads of Department and the Department Heads of the Synodal Council.

1 Decisions within the management bodies shall be made consensually. There are no majority decisions.

Decision-making in the management bodies

2 Should a consensual decision not be reached, the Vicar General and the President of the Synodal Council shall be invited to the next meeting of the management body. These two individuals shall make a consensual decision for the management body. If they also fail to reach a consensual decision, the Synodal Council shall make the final decision upon application by the head of the department.

3 For decisions in areas of specialized responsibility of the Synodal Council according to § 4 para. 4, which have been made without the participation of the Vicar General or the heads of department of the Vicar General's Office, because their presence in the management body was not required, no consensus is presupposed.

The members of the Synodal Council notify the President for the attention of the Synod no later than six months before its constitution whether they will stand again for the new term of office.

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182.21

Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (ROP SyC)

Premature resignation

The members of the Synodal Council shall announce their early resignation during a term of office to the President for the attention of the Synod no later than six months before the resignation date.

Legislative Priorities

Meeting Attendance

Correspondence

to the

Members

Competencies

Leadership

B. Tasks and Competencies of the Collective Body

1 At the beginning of a term of office, the Synodal Council, in conjunction

with the Vicar General, shall determine the legislative priorities. These

shall provide information about the objectives sought during the term of office.

2 Before the end of the term of office, the Synodal Council shall review the implementation

of the legislative priorities.

1. The members of the Synodal Council are obliged to attend all meetings of the Synodal Council and the Synod.

2. The Vicar General responsible for the Canton of Zurich, as well as the Secretary General, shall attend the meetings of the Synodal Council in an advisory capacity.

3. The minute-taker shall attend the meetings of the Synodal Council without an advisory vote.

4. With the consent of the President, department heads of the Synodal Council and other guests may attend the meetings of the Synodal Council without an advisory vote.

The correspondence address of the Synodal Council and its members

is the Chancellery. The members of the Synodal Council shall provide the Chancellery

with the originals of correspondence in official matters

for the purpose of recording them in the business control system.

1 The Synodal Council is responsible for all matters not expressly assigned to another organizational unit by this decree or by superior law.

2 It may delegate its powers.

C. Duties and Competencies of the President

The President leads the meetings of the Synodal Council.

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Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (ROP SyC) 182.21

Presidential Orders

The President is authorized to make procedural decisions and to handle urgent business through presidential orders. Their decisions shall be recorded in the minutes of the next meeting.

1 The President may reject applications for financial support that are clearly hopeless by means of letters co-signed by the Secretary General, without these applications being treated as business items for meetings.

2 He or she shall inform the minutes of the next possible meeting about the rejection letters in accordance with § 26.

Rejection of

clearly hopeless

applications for

financial support

The President exercises supervision over the administration.

Section 2: Procedural Provisions

The Synodal Council meets upon the invitation of its President or upon the request of at least three members. The meetings usually take place at the seat of the Synodal Council.

1 Each member is entitled to request the President (female) or President (male) in a timely manner to include a matter from their own department (Ressort) on the agenda. Urgent agenda items may only be added to the agenda with the consent of the President (female) or President (male).

2 The invitation, along with the agenda, the corresponding motions, and the most important documents pertaining to the matters, will generally be sent electronically to the members and the Vicar General no later than five days before the meeting. Any additional documents available in the Chancellery will be indicated in the invitation under the respective agenda item.

3 If the majority of the members of the Synodal Council agree, matters not listed on the agenda may also be discussed, or the order of discussion of the matters may be altered.

1 The matters to be decided at the meeting shall, upon consultation with

the relevant head of department, be assigned as A- or B-matters.

The President shall decide on the definitive assignment.

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182.21 Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (ROP SyC)

2 A-matters are, in particular, matters of great importance with a

high degree of discretionary power, as well as all new one-off expenditures

not included in the budget for cost centres 8651 (unbudgeted, one-off contributions

Synodal Council) and 8652 (unbudgeted, one-off contributions Synode).

3 B-matters are matters that are not to be dealt with as A-matters

pursuant to para. 2. These include, in particular

a. all new one-off expenditures over CHF 50,000 included in the budget

pursuant to § 38 para. 1,

b. budget overruns exceeding CHF 5,000 due to new one-off expenditures

for a specific purpose,

c. all expenditures of cost centre 1640 (foreign aid),

d. matters that have been pre-discussed by commissions pursuant to § 32

or that are to be decided according to clear legal requirements.

4 A-matters shall be discussed. B-matters shall be adopted in accordance

with the corresponding motions, unless a discussion is requested by the

meeting participants pursuant to § 9 para. 1 and 2. In discussions, the head of

department shall speak first. Thereafter, the floor shall be given to the other

members of the Synodal Council.

Voting

Quorum

Decision-

making

Collegiality

1 Voting shall be open.

2 All members present are obliged to vote. In the event of a tie, the President's vote shall be decisive.

The Synodal Council is quorate if the majority of its members are present.

The President determines the voting regulations; if these are challenged, the Synodal Council decides. Motions regarding procedure are voted on immediately.

1 The Synodal Council makes its decisions as a collegial body. Presi-

dential decrees according to § 13 and letters of refusal according to

§ 14 remain reserved. Its members represent the decisions of the

collegial body.

2 Externally, individual members shall not make statements that deviate

from the position of the collegial body. The freedom to cast votes re-

mains reserved.

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Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (ROP SyC) 182.21

1 Members of the Synodal Council, the Secretary-General (female or male), or Recusal

the Secretary-General, and the Vicar General shall recuse themselves if

they appear personally biased in the matter, in particular

a. they have a personal or professional interest in the matter,

b. they are related by blood or marriage in the direct line or in the collateral line up to the third degree, or are connected through marriage, engagement,

registered partnership, de facto cohabitation, or adoption,

c. they are representatives of a party or have acted for a party in the same matter.

2 Members of the Synodal Council shall recuse themselves from deliberation and decision-making when

orders from the departments they head are challenged before the Synodal Council.

3 If recusal is disputed, the Synodal Council shall decide, excluding the member concerned. The recusal shall be recorded in the minutes.

1 Duty of Confidentiality for Members of the Synodal Council

The members of the Synodal Council are obliged to maintain confidentiality regarding the negotiations of the Synodal Council.

**2 Duty of Confidentiality for Guests**

Guests attending the meeting will be informed of the duty of confidentiality by the President.

1. Written Inquiries

With written inquiries, the heads of departments obtain opinions from the Synodal Council on matters that are not yet ready for decision. They are usually answered with Yes or No.

2. Inquiries are recorded in the minutes.

The members of the Synodal Council, the Vicar General, and the Communications

Secretary General (or the Secretary General) shall inform in writing,

for the record, no later than the evening before the meeting, about

activities and processes within their department or area of responsibility

that are of general interest.

for the record

Circular Resolutions

Exceptionally, resolutions may be passed by circular, provided that the majority of the members of the

Synodal Council does not object to this procedure. Circular resolutions must be recorded in the

minutes of the next meeting.

A minority of the Synodal Council is entitled to have their dissenting votes, along with the reasons they assert, recorded in the minutes.

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Minutes

182.21

Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (ROP SyC)

1. **Minutes of Meetings**

Minutes shall be kept of the meetings, containing all business transacted, together with the relevant deliberations and decisions.

2. The voting ratio in ballots and elections shall not be recorded in the minutes.

3. For each meeting, a minute-taker (Protokollreferentin or Protokollreferent) shall be appointed, who shall approve the minutes. This approval shall generally take place within three working days after the prepared minutes are available and shall be noted in the minutes of the subsequent meeting.

**Communication of Decisions by the Synodal Council**

**Principle of Public Access**

1 The Secretary General informs the addressees of decisions through excerpts from minutes or special communications signed by him or her.

2 The referral of decisions for resolution by the Synod includes the report and motion of the Synodal Council.

The Secretary General publishes the decisions in accordance with the cantonal law on information and data protection2.

Advisory Commissions

Commissions with Decision-Making Powers

Section 3: Commissions, Departments and Representations of the Synodal Council

1. The Synodal Council or the governing bodies may appoint advisory commissions without decision-making powers to prepare their business or to support business areas. External experts may be appointed to these commissions. The Synodal Council or the governing bodies shall define their mandate in each case.

2. A member of the Synodal Council chairs the commissions of the Synodal Council. A member of the governing body chairs the commissions of the governing bodies.

3. Advisory commissions shall submit the results of their work in writing to the presiding member of the Synodal Council or the governing body.

1 The Synodal Council may appoint commissions subordinate to it

with decision-making powers. These commissions may include

external experts. The chair is held by a member of the Synodal Council.

2 The Synodal Council issues regulations that define the mandate and

competencies of commissions with decision-making powers.

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Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (ROP SC)

182.21

1 The Vicar General is responsible for the pastoral direction of the service units of the corporation. The Synodal Council is responsible for the service units in financial, organizational, and administrative respects.

2 The governing body may establish advisory commissions for the service units.

3 Minutes shall be taken of the meetings of the governing bodies concerning matters of the service units.

4 For ecumenical service units, agreements between the respective sponsoring bodies remain reserved. Otherwise, the responsibilities and competencies for the service units shall be as set forth in Annexes 1–3.

1 At its constitutive meeting, the Synodal Council designates its representatives for those bodies in which the corporation has a right to be represented. It may redesignate them at any time.

2 Express rights of representation of the Synod and the Appeals Commission remain reserved.

3 Mandates of representation expire at the end of the term of office. Re-election is possible.

The Secretary General maintains an up-to-date list of all commissions and representations of the Synodal Council.

List of

Commissions

and Represen-

tations of the

Synodal Council

Section 4: Signing and Financial Authority

A. Signing Authority

1. Contracts, deeds, public announcements, official publication requests, appealable decisions and letters of the Synodal Council shall generally be signed in duplicate by the President and by the Secretary-General.

2. The Synodal Council shall regulate the signing authority of the department heads and employees. Within the departments, the department heads shall designate the signing authorities.

3. Within the scope of the financial powers pursuant to § 38 para. 1, the department heads and employees are authorized to sign individually.

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182.21

B. Financial Powers

Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (ROP SyC)

Financial Powers

1 The financial powers of the Synodal Council are determined by

the Church Order³ and the Financial Regulations on the Financial Budget

and Financial Equalization of the Roman Catholic Corporation⁴.

For new one-time expenditures up to CHF 50,000 included in the budget for

a specific purpose, the financial powers of the Synodal Council are delegated as follows, subject to § 18 paras. 2 and 3

Heads of Department /

Secretary General

up to CHF 50,000

Heads of Division

of the Synodal Council

up to CHF 10,000

Heads of Service

up to CHF 5,000

2 In the event of budget overruns exceeding CHF 10,000, the Head of Division for Finance must be notified in writing.

3 The Heads of Division of the Synodal Council may delegate their financial powers to employees.

4 Provisions regarding the responsibilities and financial powers of commissions with decision-making authority remain reserved.

Departmental

decisions

concerning

third-party applications

5 1 Decisions made in a department at the request of third parties within the framework of delegated financial competencies according to § 38 para. 1 must be justified in writing. The decisions are communicated according to § 37 para. 3. They are recorded in the minutes of the next meeting of the Synodal Council.

2 If a departmental decision rejecting a request from third parties is made, this must also be recorded in the minutes of the next meeting of the Synodal Council.

Departmental Decisions Independent of Third-Party Requests

5 Decisions from CHF 10,000 made within the framework of delegated

financial powers according to § 38 para. 1 in a department,

must be recorded in the minutes of the next meeting of the Synodal Council.

Entry into force

Section 5: Final Provisions

This decree replaces the Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council of the Roman Catholic Corporation of the Canton of Zurich (Rules of Procedure Synodal Council; GeschO SyR) of 7 May 2012 and enters into force on 1 July 2019.

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Rules of Procedure of the Synodal Council (GeschO SyR)

182.21

1. **Implementation of Necessary Changes to the Organisation of the Administration of the Roman Catholic Corporation**

Changes to the organisation of the administration of the Roman Catholic Corporation necessitated by these rules of procedure must be implemented by no later than December 31, 2019.

2. **Supersession of Existing Regulations**

The provisions of these rules of procedure and the functional diagram shall, as of July 1, 2019, supersede the provisions of the Ordinance of the Roman Catholic Central Commission of the Canton of Zurich concerning the organisation and competencies in the field of personnel matters (Personnel Ordinance) of June 23, 2003, insofar as they regulate the same subject matters. The remaining provisions of the Personnel Ordinance not affected by these rules of procedure must be adapted by no later than December 31, 2019.

1. Repeal of previous law

The Ordinance of the Roman Catholic Central Commission of the Canton of Zurich and the Vicar General on the Service Units of the Roman Catholic Corporation (Service Units Ordinance) of 22 May 2001 is hereby repealed.

2. The Ordinance of the Roman Catholic Central Commission of the Canton of Zurich concerning the Organisation and Competencies in the Field of Human Resources (Human Resources Ordinance) of 23 June 2003 is hereby repealed in accordance with § 40 para. 2.

3. The Guidelines for the Organisation of Cantonal Foreign Language Missions of 19 March 2001 are hereby repealed.

1 OS 74, 443; for justification, see ABI 2019-07-19.

2 LS 170.4.

3 LS 182.10.

4 LS 182.25.

5 Inserted by B of 8 March 2021 (OS 76, 172; AB1 2021-03-19). In force since 1 May 2021.

6 Version in accordance with B of 8 March 2021 (OS 76, 172; AB1 2021-03-19). In force since 1 May 2021.

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