Chancellor

Job Description

Job Title: Chancellor
Reports to: Bishop of the Diocese
Full Performance Period: 12 Months
Exemption Status: Exempt

The Bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island is the visible head and source of unity in the particular Church entrusted to his pastoral care (CCC1549). To fulfill his mission, the bishop trusts chosen collaborators (clerics, religious, and lay people) to share in the apostolic mission and entrusts various responsibilities to them.

Essential Functions of the Chancellor are:
Canon 482 requires the Diocesan Bishop to appoint a Chancellor in the diocese. The Chancellor has three primary functions: (1) to be the Diocesan archivist who sees to the gathering, arranging, and safeguarding of the curial archives (see cc. 486-491); (2) to be an ecclesiastical notary (see c. 484); (3) to be the secretary of the curia (c.482, 3). The duties of the Chancellor also extend to assisting the bishop and the diocese in administrative and operational matters. In addition to these functions, the Code identifies some of the Chancellor's specific functions, as outlined below.

Duties and Responsibilities:
• Serve as the Secretary of the legal corporation of the Diocese of Grand Island by signing legal paperwork for the Diocese as prescribed and maintaining legal papers on diocesan-owned property.
• Responsible for authenticating the bishop's official acts and signing, verifying, and/or witnessing all official acts of the Curia as Ecclesiastical and Civil Notary.
• Issue letters of suitability and permissions for clergy and lay guests to minister and present in the diocese and issue letters of suitability for diocesan clergy traveling outside the diocese.
• Serves as the liaison between the corporation and the clergy, parishes, and community.
• Ensure the preservation of all diocesan records and archival material.
• Maintains all current and permanent files relative to the corporation's function and the bishop's office and oversees the operation of the Diocesan archives.
• Serves as a resource for Catholic Cemeteries by writing policies and procedures for them and takes care of all inquiries regarding Catholic Cemeteries.
• Maintains, updates, and implements the Diocese of Grand Island Personnel Policies Manual.
• Maintains all clergy personnel files for active, retired, and deceased.
• Prepares ordination certificates, faculty letters, decrees, and assignment letters, officially announcing the changes, and updates MASTER List(s) clergy file.
• Fields calls coming into the Chancery that require canonical, pastoral, and theological intervention, including matters of great sensitivity.
• Reviews and approves or rejects all Letters of Good Standing for visiting lay, religious, and clergy to the Diocese and/or for Diocese of Grand Island Priests visiting other Dioceses.
• Supervises the implementation of the Safe Environment Program.
• Serves as an ex-officio member of the Diocesan Review Board and is a resource to the members when necessary.
• Oversee the process regarding official diocesan reports. This includes coordinating the compilation of the Parish Annual Reports, the Annual General Statistical Questionnaire, the Quinquennial Report, and the Official Catholic Directory.
• Serves as Director of the Tribunal and the Defender of the Bond.
• Mediates grievances at both the diocesan and parish level.
• The Chancellor participates in the annual planning, prioritizing, and budgeting for Chancery services and programs.
• Contact person for Catholic Relief Services.
• Other duties as assigned by the Diocesan Bishop.

This description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making compensation decisions.

Qualifications and Skills:
• Degree in Canon Law with 5 years' experience in a Tribunal and Chancery setting.
• Strong understanding of Catholic culture, structures, parish life, ministries, and roles.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for interacting with people from diverse backgrounds and handling visitors and phone calls.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to represent the bishop's office with professionalism and an attitude of positive service.
• Ability to cooperatively work with clergy.
• Being organized and detail oriented.
• Knowledge, skills, and experience in personal computers and word processing.
• Ability to use word processing and spreadsheet software, i.e. Word, Excel.
• Ability to communicate well with people by telephone and in person.

To Apply:
Contact: Very Reverend Don Buhrman, Vicar General, dbuhrman@gidiocese.org, 308-382-4753

About the Employer

The Diocese of Grand Island operates under the direction of Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt in his role as shepherd and teacher. Consisting of over 42,000 square miles in central and western Nebraska the Church is a true cross section of age, race and economic background, yet we are truly one in the faith and family of Christ. As members of a universal Church, we live and practice our faith in our parishes and homes. We share this wonderful gift, not only with those we see everyday, but with others throughout our diocese. It is this faith that we are called to live in a manner that reflects Christ in our midst.