The Chapel Council

Of The Catholic Community

Naval Support Activity South Potomac

Dahlgren (NSASP), Virginia

The Chapel Council of the Catholic Community of Sacred Heart (hereinafter “the Council”) is a representative group of Catholics who worship at the Dahlgren Chapel on the Naval Support Activity South Potomac.

Its purpose is to advise the Command Chaplain in matters concerning the Catholic Community and to provide leadership for that Community in all aspects of its life. 

The Council acknowledges the leadership of the Command Chaplain in all things that pertain to the presence of the Catholic Community on a military base and its role in the larger religious community on base, and it acknowledges the role of the Archdiocese for Military Services as being its specifically Catholic authority and its symbol of unity with the larger Catholic Church.

Duties of the Council

1. To advise the Command Chaplain.

2. To act as liaison between the Command Chaplain and the Catholic Community.

3. To organize religious, educational, and social activities.  To these ends, it has the right to establish and oversee programs and committees, and to appoint leaders, members and chairpersons of these programs and committees.

4. To assist the Command Chaplain in recruiting and approving Catholic priests to serve on a contract basis when no Catholic Chaplain is available. Final approval always being subject to military regulations and reception of faculties from the Archdiocese for Military Services.

Membership of the Council

1. Membership on the Council, never to exceed thirteen, consists of nine elected members, and four ex-officio members: the Command Chaplain, one Contract Priest, the Music Director, and the Director of Religious Education.

2. The elected members are chosen by the Catholic Community to serve a three-year term, on a staggered basis, so that three are elected each year.  Members may not be elected again until one year has elapsed.

3. In the event that an elected member resigns or for any reason cannot serve his/her full term, the Council will choose a member from the Catholic Community to serve until the next election, at which point (if the term is still not expired) an extra candidate will be added to the ballot to serve the rest of that term.

4. Membership, except for the ex-officio candidates, is limited to any participating member of the Catholic Community who is eighteen years or older. Efforts should be made to include active duty military personnel in council membership.

5. Officers of the Council, chosen annually by a vote of the Council at its first meeting after the annual election of members, are President, Vice President, and Recording Secretary.

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R E MALMSTROM

                                                                        LT, CHC, USN

                                                                        COMMAND CHAPLAIN