St. Philip Church Temporal Affairs Council

Last Updated on March 2, 2025

Table of Contents:

About the Temporal Affairs Council

Members of the St. Philip Parish TAC

Duties and Responsibilities

TAC News

Reports to Parishioners and Other Publications

Reference Documents

About the Temporal Affairs Council: (Go To Table of Contents)

Under canon 537 of the Roman Catholic Church, a temporal affairs council (“TAC”)(also called a “parish finance council”) is to be established in each parish and mission. This body consists of the parish priest and at least three other members of the parish community, and is accountable to the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, through the parish priest, for the temporal administration of the parish property and assets. It is important to note that the TAC is an advisory body only, and while consisting of competent and able people, it is the parish priest who makes the final decision regarding parish property and assets.

TAC members are 1) elected by the parish in elections held for that purpose, or 2) chosen and appointed by the parish priest, to the TAC and serve for an initial three-year term. Members can, however, serve for one additional three-year term, thereby serving a total of six years on the TAC.

The St. Philip TAC meets regularly, usually on the fourth Tuesday of each month (excluding July and August).

Members of the St. Philip Parish TAC: (Go To Table of Contents)

Pastor:Fr. Bob Poole
Chair: Dan McKenna
Members:Deacon Louis Seward (ex-officio)
Elvira Caparelli
Sharon Crossan
Stephen Heidemann
Stephen Kusiewicz

Duties and Responsibilities: (Go To Table of Contents)

The TAC, in conjunction with the parish priest shall:

  • attend to the temporal affairs of the parish: revenue, expenses, loans, investments, bookkeeping, repairs, constructions, contracts, sales, purchases, employee relations, salaries, etc., in accordance with diocesan regulations and policies; however, the bookkeeper need not be a member of the council;
  • establish, according to the principles governing sound administration, the administrative guidelines for the temporal administration of the parish;
  • prepare and approve the annual budget and publish the latter at the same time as the annual financial report; the council shall select the more appropriate means to enable the greatest number of parishioners to be informed as to the contents of the budget and the financial report, as well as of the overall financial situation of the parish.  While the finance council establishes fixed and variable expenditures for the parish, once it has set aside funds available for pastoral work, it is not to decide further.  Such responsibility lies with the parish priest and the pastoral council;
  • prepare, in accordance with diocesan regulations, the annual financial reports to be submitted to the diocesan administration;
  • designate one of its members to sit on the parish pastoral council as a full member of this council and accept one member of the pastoral council as a member of the finance council; (it is not necessary for them to attend every meeting. They must only exchange information as required).
  • attend to the proper maintenance of the buildings;
  • administer the goods of the parish in conformity with the civil, canonical and diocesan regulations pertaining to the temporal administration of parishes.

For any decision of the parish finance council to take effect, the parish priest, because of his assigned responsibilities, must be in agreement.

TAC News: (Go To Table of Contents)

Parishioners can read up on the TAC’s latest news items as well as past items by checking out the St. Philip’s TAC News section of the parish website.

Reports to Parishioners and Other Publications: (Go To Table of Contents)

  • 2024 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2024)(PDF)
  • 2023 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2023)(PDF)
  • 2021 and 2022 Annual Report to Parishioners (years ending December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2022)(PDF)
  • 2021 Quarterly Financial Report to Parishioners (July-September)(PDF)
  • 2021 Semi-annual Report to Parishioners (six months ending June 30, 2021)(PDF)
  • 2020 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2020)(PDF)
  • 2020 Quarterly Report to Parishioners (quarter ending March 31, 2020) and Parish Financial Appeal (PDF)
  • 2019 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2019)(PDF)
  • 2018 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2018)(PDF)
  • 2017 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2017)(PDF)
  • 2016 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2016)(PDF)
  • 2015 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2015)(PDF)
  • 2014 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2014)(PDF)
  • 2013 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2013)(PDF)
  • 2012 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2012)(PDF)
  • 2011 Annual Report to Parishioners (year ending December 31, 2011)(PDF)

Reference Documents: (Go To Table of Contents)

These documents describe the role the TAC plays within St. Philip Church. They also outline some of the policies and procedures parish groups are to follow in the carrying out of their work.

  • Protocol for Parish Financial Administration (courtesy the Archdiocese of Ottawa (PDF)
  • Administration Manual: Parish Finance Council (courtesy the Archdiocese of Ottawa)(PDF)
  • Memorandum to Organizers of Parish Fundraisers – March 2012 (PDF)
  • St. Philip Parish Disclosure Of Parishioner Contact Information Policy (October 21, 2014 version)(PDF)
    • Appendix A – Parishioner Consent Form (PDF)
    • Appendix B – Request to Obtain the Parish Disclosure List Form (PDF)
  • St. Philip Parish Peru Mission Policy (July 2018 version)(PDF)