The Constitution

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CATHOLIC DOCTORS ASSOCIATION OF VICTORIA CONSTITUTION:

Article I. Name

This organisation shall be known as the “Catholic Doctors Association of Victoria” (the Association).

The Catholic Doctors Association of Victoria is a Private Association of Christ’s Faithful, under canons 298-329 of the Code of Canon Law.

Article Ia. Patron Saint

The Patron Saint of the Association will be St Raphael the Archangel

Article II. Aims and Objectives

  1. To assist Catholic doctors in the development of their spiritual life and the practice of their faith.
  2. To provide fraternal communion and support to Catholic doctors.
  3. To engage in and promote the practice of medicine and its provision in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.*
  4. To be of service to others and to the Church in the promotion of the sanctification of work and the workplace, respect for the inherent dignity of the human person and the development of a “Culture of Life” according to Catholic principles.*

* Especially as they are expressed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Charter for Healthcare Workers (1995) of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers and the encyclical Envagelium Vitae.

Article III. Membership

  1. Any Catholic medical practitioner who resides or practices within the state of Victoria, Australia, who has been nominated by an existing member and accepted by the Executive Committee and who subscribes to the constitution of the association and pays the annual subscription will be considered a full member of the association with the right to vote and to hold office.
  2. Any Catholic medical student residing or studying in the state of Victoria, Australia, who applies for membership shall be considered a Student Member of the Association, without having the right to vote or hold any office in the Association other than that of Student Representative. Student membership will not incur any subscription fee.
  3. Any person with an interest in the aims and objectives of the association residing in the state of Victoria, Australia who applies for membership, shall at the discretion of
    the Executive Committee and after payment of an annual subscription, be considered
    an Associate member without the right to vote or hold office.

Article IV. Officers and Executive Committee

  1. The Officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. .Also upto three councillar positions may be made available to allow for representation from each of the suffragen dioceses. These shall constitute the Executive committee of the Association. All Officers shall be elected by a simple majority of the members at the Annual General Meeting. Positions on the Executive are only open to full members of the Association.
  2. Two Student Representative positions will exist as part of the Executive Committee but without the right to vote. It is intended that these positions be occupied by a student from each of the two Victorian medical schools, Monash University and The University of Melbourne. These positions will be appointed at the discretion of the Executive Committee
  3. All Officers shall be elected by a simple majority of the members at the Annual General Meeting.

Article V. Chaplains and Spiritual Advisors

A chaplain may be appointed by the Archbishop of Melbourne based upon the suggestion of possible candidates put forward by the Association.

The Executive Committee will invite one or more Spiritual Advisors to become Associate Members of the Association and to attend executive meetings and events held by the Association. Their involvement and membership will be dependent upon the consent of their local ordinary.

Article VI. Meetings

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association shall be held at a time and place determined at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Other meetings will be scheduled at the discretion of the Executive Committee and a minimum of three meetings or events, including the AGM, will be held each year. All motions and nominations for the Executive Committee will be submitted in writing to the Secretary not less than one month prior to the Meeting so as to enable proxy votes to be sent by those unable to attend the Meeting, in particular members from regional Victoria. Therefore, no motions or nominations will be permitted to be submitted on the day of the AGM.

Article VII. Duties of Officers

  1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and Executive
    Committee.
  2. The Vice-President shall act in the absence of the President and shall succeed in the Office if a vacancy occurs.
  3. The Secretary shall attend to all the correspondence of the Association, shall send out notices of meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall keep a record of attendance and minutes of any meetings of the Association or its Executive Committee.
  4. The Treasurer shall receive all subscriptions and other monies belonging to the association, shall be custodian of all funds, shall pay all bills, shall keep proper records, and shall render an annual financial report.
  5. In the event of a vacancy of any member of the Executive Committee except the President, the Executive Committee will appoint a successor for the remainder of the term.
  6. All banking or other accounts of the Association shall be kept in the name of the Association and have all members of the Executive Committee as signatories, at least two of whom shall sign any cheque withdrawal.

Article VIII. Public Statements

No public staement can be made on behalf of the Association without the unanimous consent and approval of the Executive Committee


Article IX. Duration of terms of the Executive

Each executive position will be for a maximum of two years. No concurrent terms of a given office by any individual member will be permitted. Elections for half of the positions will occur on an annual basis. This is to allow some continuity in leadership. In this way the first President and Treasuary positions will last for three years and then for two years subsequently.

The appointed student representative position will be for one year with a possible two-year term at the discretion of the Executive.

Article X. Meetings of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall meet at least once between regular meetings, and convene at the call of the President.

Article XI. The Appointment of Sub-Committees and Representatives

The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint sub-committees (such as a program sub-committee) and representatives to attend meetings or events on behalf of the Catholic Doctors Association of Victoria.

Article XII. The Provision of Sub-Branches in Suffragan Dioceses

The establishment of sub-branches within each of the suffragan dioceses of Victoria will be encouraged as a future development of the Association. The sub-branches will be formed in liason with the Executive Committee and will exist in accordance with the statutes of the Association’s constitution.

Article XIII. Subscription

The yearly subscription shall be set by the Executive.

The Executive Committee may approve reductions in subscriptions in particular cases.

Article XIV. Order of Business for Meetings

  1. Opening prayer
  2. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting
  3. Matters arising from the minutes
  4. Reports of the Officers, Sub-Committees, and Representatives
  5. Matters arising from reports
  6. Other business on notice
  7. Any other business
  8. Concluding prayer

Article XV. Quorum

  1. Annual General Meetings:
    The presence of the full executive committee and 25% of members including proxies
    will constitute a quorum.
  2. Executive Committee Meetings:
    Three of the four members of the executive will constitute a quorum.

Article XVI. Dissolution of the Association

The association will spontaneously dissolve following three years of inactivity or as a result of an unanimous decision by the Executive Committee.

Article XVII. Assets

  1. No part of the assets or earning of the Catholic Doctors Association of Victoria shall go for the benefit of any individual member.
  2. If the organisation is dissolved, any assets remaining after payment of any outstanding debts shall be distributed to an organisation or association with similar aims, objectives and concerns. The choice of which organisation or association will be determined by the Executive at the time of dissolution.

Article XVIII. Amendments to the Constitution

This Constitution may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing to the Secretary not less than two months prior to the Meeting and notice of the proposed amendment is given to the members with the notice of that meeting.

Any changes to the constitution would need to be ratified and approved by all the Victorian Bishops.