Preface

Section A: Divine Worship

Section B: Diocesan Curial Offices and Departments

Section C: Apostolates in the Diocese

Section D: Persons in Ministry

Section E: Safe Environment and Security

Section F: Parish Administration

Section G: Miscellaneous

Section H: Diocesan Deaneries, Parish Boundaries, and Maps

PREFACE

To the

Third Edition
of the

PASTORAL MANUAL OF THE
DIOCESE OF SAN ANGELO
 

The Pastoral Manual of the Diocese of San Angelo contains the information necessary for the proper administration of a parish, according to approved policies of the diocese. The manual supplements the Code of Canon Law, liturgical law, and the directives of church officials. It also includes many policies and guidelines by which ministry at the diocesan level is managed. Please note that these primary documents must always be referred to and followed. In addition, the manual contains information not readily available in liturgical books or other official documents.

Newly appointed pastors and priests (both religious and newly ordained) who may be unfamiliar with the diocese should find this manual particularly helpful.

The Pastoral Manual of the Diocese of San Angelo is in electronic format and available on the diocesan website. This format facilitates changing, adding, or deleting pages.
Revised or updated pages must have the revision/updated date at the bottom of the page. However, to maintain document viability (e.g., Table of Contents links and correct page numbers), only fully qualified and authorized personnel may make changes.

This Preface contains a "top-level" Table of Contents with an information summary about each section.

The Pastoral Manual of the Diocese of San Angelo was first published during the time Most Rev. Joseph A. Fiorenza, who was diocesan bishop 1979–1984.

A revised Pastoral Manual was published on November 1, 1988, under the authority of Most Rev. Michael D. Pfeifer, OMI.

This third edition of the Pastoral Manual, promulgated on May 28, 2023, effective July 1, 2023, was published under the authority of Most Rev. Michael J. Sis, the current diocesan bishop of the Diocese of San Angelo.

 

Introduction

In addition to this Preface, The Pastoral Manual of the Diocese of San Angelo has eight sections, A through H. Each section describes their respective policies, procedures, guidelines, and references. As appropriate, there are references to elements of the Code of Canon Law. Note all of the information is necessary for the proper administration of a parish. Each of the eight major sections has a section-specific Table of Contents and a complete list of common abbreviations. A brief summary of each of the eight sections follows, along with a list of abbreviations. Each section also includes the list of abbreviations.

Section A: Divine Worship

Section A is the largest section of the Pastoral Manual. The Table of Contents of this section is ten pages long and lists more than 350 topics. Section A describes the policies, practices, procedures, and conditions of the various sacraments, including ways to handle emergency situations.

Section B: Diocesan Curial Offices and Departments

The many diocesan curial offices and departments are identified in this section. Section B also includes procedural duties and requirements for meetings.

Section C: Apostolates in the Diocese

There are 23 subsections devoted to diocesan apostolates. The information in Section C explains each apostolate, its mission, purpose, and requirements for membership.

Section D: Persons in Ministry

There are six major categories of persons in ministry including priests, permanent deacons, women religious, pastoral coordinators and associates, seminarians, and employees.
Section D provides detailed information related to each category.

Section E: Safe Environment and Security

A safe environment is the result of effective security measures, including training, situational awareness, policies on firearms and weapons, domestic violence reporting, and security in churches, schools, and other parish facilities. Section E has twelve topical subsections covering these and other areas. More information regarding the safe environment policies can be found in Diocese of San Angelo Policies on Ethics and Integrity in Ministry.

Section F: Parish Administration

The administration of parish personnel and finances relies on the consistent use of relevant policies and procedures. Section F includes 38 topics related to parish administration, including membership, groups, meetings, finances, reports, records, property, and construction.

Section G: Miscellaneous

Procedural and legal information that does not fit conveniently into any of sections A through F is found in Section G. Topics in Section G include the Texas Civil Code, child abuse, priest-penitent privilege, and background checks on prospective personnel.

Section H: Diocesan Deaneries, Parish Boundaries, and Maps

1. Section H differs from the other sections that are primarily procedural in nature. Section H includes 44 subsections, each of which provides useful information about the physical and administrative boundaries. A map presents an overview.
2. This section contains the entire canonical and geographical boundary of the Diocese of San Angelo (subdivided into three deaneries) that encompasses 37,433 square miles and 29 counties and is led by the Most Reverend Michael J. Sis, the sixth diocesan bishop since its inception in 1961, by his Holiness, Pope Saint John XXIII.

ABBREVIATIONS