(as amended on the 5 January, 1977, 20 May, 1992, 10 May, 2007)
The Canon Law Society of Great Britain & Ireland is a Charitable Trust established by Deed of Trust and described as “The Canon Law Society Trust”.
The objects of the Society are shown as “the fostering and promotion by any lawful charitable means of the study and interest in the Canon Law and its administration and practice including its relation to other branches of learning.
(a ) “Canon Law” means the Canon Law of the Catholic Church;
(b) “Catholic” means Roman Catholic in communion with the See of Rome;
(c) “the Society” means the Canon Law Society;
(d) “the Trust Deed” means the Trust Deed to which this Constitution is attached as the second Schedule;
(e) “the Trustees” means the Trustees for the time being of the Trust Deed whether original additional or substituted.
2. The interpretation Act 1978 shall apply to this Constitution as to an Act of Parliament.
The name of the Society shall be the Canon Law Society of Great Britain & Ireland.
The objects of the Society shall be the fostering and promotion by any lawful charitable means of the study of and interest in the Canon Law and its administration and practice including its relation to other branches of learning.
The annual subscription payable by each Ordinary Member shall be fixed from time to time by the Society in General Meeting. All such subscriptions shall be paid to the Trustees or to their order.
(b) All the members of the Committee other than any co-opted members shall be Catholics.
2. (a) The President shall be elected from among the Ordinary Members at an Annual General Meeting of the Society for a period of three years. He shall be eligible for re-election for a further term of office but he shall not thereafter be eligible for re-election as President until he has been out of office for a period of at least six years. The President shall enter upon his office immediately upon his election.
(b) The President shall if present be ex officio Chairman of all Meetings of the Committee and of all conferences, lectures, seminars, discussions or courses of study held or organised by the Society or the Committee.
(c) In his absence the Committee shall appoint one of their number not being an Officer of the Society to take the chair.
3. All the other Members of the Committee other than any co-opted Members after being proposed and seconded by other Ordinary Members shall be elected by ballot from among the Ordinary Members at an Annual General Meeting of the Society for a period of three years and shall be eligible for re-election.
4. The Honorary Secretary shall be a member ex-officio of all Sub-Committees of the Society.
5. The Meetings of the Committee shall be convened by or at the direction of the President on giving to the other Members of the Committee not less than seven or in a case of urgency three days’ prior written notice specifying the business to be transacted at that meeting. Provided that:
(a) in the event of a vacancy in the office of President a meeting may be convened by the Honorary Secretary on giving the like notice, and
(b) any two Members of the Committee may convene a meeting by giving to the other Members not less than seven days prior notice in writing specifying the matters they propose to be discussed at that meeting.
6. The quorum for any Meeting of the Committee shall be three Members.
7. Except as otherwise provided in any rules made by the Committee and for the time being in force all questions shall be decided by a single majority of those Members present and voting at that meeting of the Committee. Provided that in the event of an equality of votes the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
8. Under the general direction of the Committee the Honorary Secretary shall keep Minutes of all General Meetings of the Society and of all meetings of the Committee and shall conduct the correspondence of the Society.
9. Subject to the directions and control of the Trustees the Honorary Treasurer shall on behalf of the Trustees collect and keep a record of all the subscriptions of the Ordinary Members and shall manage and keep an account of the finances of the Society. He shall report to the Committee those Ordinary Members who are in arrear with their annual subscriptions.
10. Any Member of the Committee other than a co-opted Member who ceases for any reason to be an Ordinary Member of the Society shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Committee.
11. In the event of any vacancy among the Members of the Committee other than co-opted Members the Society shall at its next General Meeting elect an Ordinary Member to fill that vacancy but the Member so elected shall only hold office for the unexpired term of office of the Member in whose place he has been elected.
12. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution the Committee may make, vary or revoke rules for the conduct of its affairs.
13. Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and to any directions of the Society in General Meeting the Committee shall conduct the affairs of the Society and shall exercise any functions delegated to it by the Society in General Meeting.
For the purpose of carrying out the objects specified in Clause 3 hereof the Society or the Committee may hold or organise or assist in holding or organising conferences, lectures, seminars, discussions and courses of study whether in the United Kingdom or abroad on subjects pertaining to the Canon Law or any aspect thereof and either in the course of or apart from any General Meeting of the Society.
Any publication or media interview or recording by any other means in the name of the Society must have the prior approval of the Committee or the President.
Any Member of the Society appointed to be the author or editor of a publication issued in the name of the Society may at any time be removed from that office by the Committee.
The provisions of this Constitution may be added to, amended or revoked on the following conditions:
(a) it is in conflict with any provision of the Trust Deed;
(b) it should have the effect of making any of the objects of the Trust or of the Society non-charitable or of permitting any part of the Trust Fund or the income thereof or any part of the assets or income of the Society to be applied for non-charitable purposes; and,
(c) it is not passed by a majority of two-thirds of the Ordinary Members present and voting by ballot at the said General Meeting.