Finances

Province Pastoral Plan 2004-2007 Finances
Preamble As a result of the 25th General Chapter, the Congregation is calling all confreres and provinces to renewed levels of prophetic and vowed poverty at the individual, community and province levels. (Acts 380 – 382) The Rector Major and his council, in their presentation of the six year plan for the congregation, have mandated all provinces to review the area of “evangelical poverty” in the life of the province. The major objectives in this review are to center around: “A prophetic austerity in the personal style of life of the confreres and communities,” and the “Openness and accountability in the use of money and the application of the means put at our disposal by Providence.” (AGC 380, p. 55.) At the same time each province is being mandated to review and update the financial part of the Province Directory (See Province Policy Handbook) with special reference to the use of material goods and accountability of communities and confreres. The Provincial Chapter is charged with reaching agreement on the “guidelines for the life of communities and confreres with regard to the practice of poverty and consequent financial, administrative and management issues.” (AGC 382, p. 44.) Our Province Pastoral Plan for Finances 2004 is aware: That due to the poor economy of these past several years, coupled with the high cost of living and services, the San Francisco Province finds its cash reserves gradually decreasing; That there is a pressing need for a more effective budgeting process at the personal and community level. Our Province Pastoral Plan for Finances 2004-2007 is a studied response to the mandate of the congregation and the needs of our province that encourages accountability, transparency and equity in its implementation and endeavors to ensure financial and ministerial stability for the future.
Themes	Goals	Strategies	Tactics
Call to Holiness	1. To be signs of evangelical poverty on all levels of life and administration.	1. By adopting financial methods that encourage and challenge all levels of province life and admin-istration to budget with the goal of achieving further accountability, transparency and equity.	1. Province leadership will encourage all levels of province administration to acquire and require qualities that will ensure a consistent planning mentality. 2. The province administration is asked to establish a Province Solidarity Fund by December 2004 in which all salaries and social security benefits are to be deposited, accounted for and distributed as a tool to achieve further accountability, transparency and equity. 3. The Provincial will appoint a committee to administer the Province Solidarity Fund by January 2005. 4. The Province Treasurer will prepare the annual province budget and present it to the Finance Committee and Provincial Council for review and approval by May 1^st. 5. The Province Treasurer will share the Financial Report of the Province as prepared by certified public accountants annually at the Fall Directors/Pastors Meeting. Directors and Pastors are asked to share this report with their communities. 6. Starting in Fall of 2005 the Treasurer will give an annual accounting of the income, expenses and distribution of the Province Solidarity Fund at the Fall Directors/Pastors meeting.

Fraternal Community	1. To be signs of evangelical poverty on all levels of life and administration.	1. By adopting financial methods that challenge each community to plan and budget with the goal of achieving further account-ability, transparency and equity.	1. Starting July 1, 2005, all salaries and social security benefits of individual confreres will be sent to and deposited in the Province Solidarity Fund. 2. Each community must have a budget prepared and sent to the Province Treasurer by March 15 of each year starting in 2005. Each budget will be reviewed by the Province Solidarity Committee and approved by the Provincial and his Council annually before June 1^st. 3. Beginning in July, 2005, each community will receive funds from the Solidarity Fund based on the community’s approved budget. 4. The average monthly balance in any community account will be based upon the average monthly expenses of that community. 5. Each community will review, at least twice yearly, its commitment to vowed life by employing the method of the scrutinium paupertatis as outlined in Acts 384.
		By adopting financial methods that challenge individual members to plan and budget with the goal of achieving further accountability, transparency and equity.	1. Annually each confrere will prepare his personal budget in consultation with his Director, for inclusion in the community’s annual budget. 2. Individual confreres will be asked to reflect on their personal response to vowed poverty which should include: The care and cleanliness of one’s room and the common areas of the community. His use and care of community automobiles. His sensitivity toward the savings related to the efficient use of utilities. The time, energy, talents, and availability he gives to community endeavors and functions.

Significant Presence with Youth

Formation	1. To be signs of evangelical poverty on all levels of life and administration.	1. By professionally preparing members so that they may effectively respond to the province’s call to ministry.	1. 1. As a minimum and to the extent possible, confreres will need to possess the same educational and professional preparation as their lay colleagues in all areas of province ministry by 2010.
		2. By preparing community leaders in the skills of budgeting and accountability according to established province standards.	1. The Province Treasurer’s office will continue to train and support community leaders in the process of effective community planning, budgeting, accountability, and transparency.

Resources: Personnel and Finances	1. To ensure the ministerial and financial viability of the San Francisco Province, its ministries and communities.	1. By adopting financial methods that challenge each ministry to plan, budget and contribute to the mission of the province.	1. All the ministries sponsored by the province are asked to make an annual contribution to the province as outlined in the Province Revised Directory for Finances 2004. The contribution is sent to the provincial on or before the last day of each calendar year beginning with December 31, 2004.
		By adopting a financial plan for the province workforce that responds to the future financial needs of the province community as our median age increases and our numbers decrease.	1. The salaries of all confreres will continue to be determined by the Province Treasurer in dialog with the ministry to which a member is being assigned by June 1 ^st annually. 2. By September 1, 2007, salaries of confreres assigned to the province workforce should move toward the same pay scale and benefits as their lay/priestly colleagues, to the extent possible. 3. The Province Finance Committee will monitor and oversee the province’s efforts to be financially self-sustaining by 2007. It will also evaluate the effectiveness of the Province Solidarity Fund as part of the province’s financial system.
		3. By reinstating the Province Development Office.	1. The 2004-2005 Province budget will plan for the reinstatement of Province Development Office and have a qualified Director hired as of January 2005.