Parish Ministry

THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF PARISH MINISTRY



PARISH AS A SETTING OF RENEWAL

The parish is considered “the customary place where the faithful gather to grow in holiness, to participate in the mission of the church and to live out their ecclesial communion.” It is in the parish where the sense of community, expression of faith and participation in the life and mission of the church are experienced by the faithful or parishioners. In the PCPII the parish is defined as “a dynamic Eucharistic and evangelizing community of communities, a center which energizes movements, Basic Ecclesial Communities and other apostolic groups and is in turn nourished by them.”





PARISH VISION, MISSION AND GOALS

The vision of the parish is to become a church of the poor, a church that embraces and practices the evangelical spirit of poverty; that fives preferential option for the poor; that collaborates and in solidarity with the poor; that is willing to follow Jesus through poverty and oppression in order to carry out the work of salvation.” In specific Jesus as elucidated by PCPII:
· The “church of the poor” is one whose members and leaders have a special love for the poor.
· The “church of the poor” is one where, at the very least the poor are not discriminated against because of their poverty, and they will not be deprived of their right to receive in abundance the help of the spiritual goods of the church, especially that of the word of God and the sacraments for the pastors.”
· The “church of the poor” means the pastors and other church leaders will give preferential attention and time to those who are poor, and will generously share of their own resources in order to alleviate their poverty and make them recognize the love of the Lord for them despite their poverty.
· The “church of the poor” is one that will be in solidarity with the poor. It will collaborative with the poor themselves and with others to lift up the poor form their poverty.
· The “church of the poor” means in the words of Pope John Paul II, that: “before today’s form of exploitation of the poor, the church cannot remain silent. She also reminds the rich of their precise duties. Strong with the Word of God, she condemns the many injustices which, unfortunately, even today are committed to the determent of the poor.”
· The “church of the poor” means the church will not only evangelize the poor, but that the poor in the church will themselves become evangelizers. Pastors and leaders will learn to be with, work with and learn for the poor.
· The “church of the poor” is one where the entire community of disciplines especially the rich and better off sectors of the community and its leaders and pastors, will have such a love of preference for the poor as to orient and tilt the center of gravity of the entire community in favour of the needy.

The mission of the parish is the gradual concretization and realization of Basic Christian Communities in which people grow in openness and maturity to the gospel, transforming every area of their lives and enhancing their commitment and dedication to live out or an flash the mission of Jesus and the calls of the Mother Church. The mission urges everyone to continually create a model of the church that is move rooted in the daily life of the people, more organized and structured around forms of participation and community of God’s people. As Leonardo Boff says “for the church to be a people of God, it needs in the first place to be a people…it forms itself into a people to the extent that it creates Christian communities and movements that linked together give vice to the people. The people then make itself, through faith and the gospel, the people of God.

In the spirit of communion and sharing the goals of the parish stem form re-appropriation of the Word, development and renewal of Basic Christian Communities, unity and cohesion of families, socio-pastoral expansion and enrichment of theology form the standpoint and viewpoint of the poor or the little ones.
· Re-appropriation of the Word by the people means reading the Bible in its text, context and pretext and seeing themselves as the continuation of the biblical people of God. Reading the word in a basic community setting also means learning to interpret the history in which the God of life is always on the side of those who have best in life.
· Development and renewal of Basic Christian Communities (BCC) means bringing about a new way of being church characterized by communion and sharing, BCC adopts the positive culture of the poor and integrates the dreams and aspirations of women and men in which human beings can interpret humanely with one another and welcome each other as brothers and sisters.
· Expansion of socio-pastoral ministries means the local church or the parish becoming and integral part of the struggle of the people, especially the poor and the excluded. The ministries could be: movement for genuine agrarian reform, human rights, income generating activities (IGA), community health, woman and children, popular at and culture,. As enunciated “the church speaks evangeli8cally and not politically about politics; it speaks ethnically and not politically about the dignity of the poor and their struggles for life and the means to life.”
· Enrichment of theology means reflecting on the teaching of the church done in community in communion with pastors. At is taking up the realization of the “Church of the poor”; it is looking for adequate means to link discoveries of faith with the discourse of poverty. It is to rediscover the parish in the midst of a people who are poor and who seek a just and peaceful society.

The objectives of the parish, through faith and communion are the continuing organization expansion and renewal of Basic Christian Communities; celebration of life and faith with communities; creation, development and sustainability of economic and social prediction; promotion and defence of justice, peace and integrity of creation; formation and enhancement of media and communication for evangelization; integration and mobilization of young people in the life and mission of the parish and its basic Christian Communities, and enhancement of lay participation and movement.


BASIC CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES: NEW WAY OF BEING CHURCH

As stated in PCPII the vision of the church as communion, participation and mission is presently finding its concrete expression in Basic Christian Communities are gathered around the Word of God the Eucharist, united to their pastors and ministered by lay leaders. Their faith and poverty compel them towards solidarity with one another, towards action for justice and peace and towards a vibrant and meaningful celebration of life with liturgy.

Thus besides offering the richness of sacramental life and the meaningfulness of reflection on the Word, the Basic Christian Communities can heighten the sense of mission and some of belongingness, where people can readily and willingly express their support, insight and encouragement for and wish one another.

The significance and value of basic Christian Communities is expressed in the three principles in the Second Vatican Council: the communitarian nature of the church renewed focus on the Word of God and greater understanding of the social mission of the church.
· The basic Christian community concretizes its communitarian nature through worship and other sacraments. The basic Christian community is the life-giving environment and place for the initial and on going formation and participation of the hearts of the faithful. As expressed by others “a life communion and love with others is the path to diving life.”
· The basic Christian Community under the guidance and direction of the pastors and other lay leaders offers the members attention to the word in a new way in order to apply Gospel values in societal transformation. When members of basic Christian communities participate in the personal interpersonal and social liberation of people, they become active witnesses to the Word of God.
· The basic Christian community creates the condition and venue to help faithful deeper faith and be open to conversion: it is in the community that the faithful can study the social teachings of the church and the socio-political issues of the country. It is in the community where people can interact and speak freely and honestly with one another and where they can pray over these social concerns. Simply, each one is called to be counter-cultural in many ways.


BASIC CONCERNS OF THE PARISH

The pre-chapter (2004) document says the challenges in parish ministry are numerous. The Basic Christian Community need a renewed sense of being church, a renewed sense of mission and a renewed sense of belongingness. The Carmelite constitutions says that to be fully involved is the life of the local churches, the Carmelite shall invite and introduce the faithful to camel rich, tradition and experience of contemplation. It is the responsible ask of the parish through Christian communities to develop, sustain and advance structures of care and structure of grace. There structures, which stem from the Word, the church, the community and the people, pertain to the following:
· Reading the “signs of the times” and the circumstances of life in order to define and set able and realistic responses.
· Sharing, reflection and discernment on the Word of God and teaching of the church and their meaning and relevance to life and quest for integrity, maturity and growth in all aspects of life.
· Reviewing, substantiation, application and enrichment of the vision mission and goals of the parish and its Christian community.
· Defining and structuring the perspectives of the parish through the regular formulation of pastoral plan of action.
· Conducting continuous research and studies in the economic, social, cultural and ecological conditions of people and communities and thereby coming up with authentic, integrated approach to human development.
· Continuing development of the home and family as the domestic church and school of discipleship.
· Community education, sharing and capacity building of lay leaders in Christian communities and parish council.
· Promotion, protection and defence of justice and peace for and on behalf of those who suffer from food insecurity, threats to life social insecurity.
· Generation, formation and sustainability of human material, financial support from the faithful for the mission of the parish and its programs.
· Integration and implementation of traditional communication forms of other means of social communication for evangelizing, concretization and mobilization.
· Coordination and synchronization of some pastoral or parish activities and projects with the school.
· Function and organization of young people or the youth sector for social, emotional and spiritual growth.
· Preservation, protection and enhancement of the integrity of God’s creation through implementation of several projects and activities.
· Formation and implementation of venues and mechanisms for conflict resolutions and sharing of psychosocial or psycho-emotional issues and concerns.
· Regular assessment and evaluation of the implementation of the pastoral plan of action.


PASTOR IN THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

The Presleyterorum Ordinis emphasizes that the priesthood is institutional within the People of God, for the sake of the People of God. The pastor, therefore, does not exist apart form the Christian Community. He is not isolated for the community. He is an integral part of the community. As stated “the Christian community is a priestly community where all the faithful share in the priesthood of Christ. Both the priesthood of the faithful and the priesthood of the ordained pastor’s are a participation in the one priesthood of Christ.”

The pastor in the community being a catechist has to preach the Word of God in order to build up and strengthen the church or in particular the local parish and Christian community. The ordination rite for Deacon says, “a pastor should read the scriptures, believe what he reads, teach what he believes and practice what teaches.” The pastor is also the servant-leader of the community. Being a Eucharistic community he presides in the celebration of the Eucharist as the “source and grex of Christian life.”

Since the pastor “presides over a prophetic community,” he has to be a living witness to the word, like the compassionate Good Shepherd he reaches out to the poor and the excluded, the exploited and the oppressed, the infirmed and the disabled in the community. The preferential option for the poor becomes real and palpable. He, too, provides over a ministerial (servant) community. The sense of servant hood to the faithful is made concrete by being both a servant and leader.

In essence, the pastor has to inspire, motivate, lead and unify the members relative to the life mission and organization of the parish and its Christian communities. To quote “in building up the community of Christians, Good News of Gospel and pastor of the church towards the attainment of the spiritual growth of the Body of Christ.”


LAY PEOPLE IN THE PARISH AND CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

The 1987 synod states “we exhort all the lay faithful to enter intensely into the life of their parishes by the reading of the Word, the celebration of the Lord’s Day, serving it parish councils, and by participating in the various forms and activities of the apostolate.” Also the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “lumen Gentium” defines the laity as the “faithful who by Baptism are incorporated into Christ, and are placed in the People of God and in their own way share the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of Christ and to the best of their ability carry out the mission of the whole Christian people in the church and in the world.”

The wings of the church as people of God and Body of Christ suggest that both the pastors and lay faithful coalesce and co literate in the attainment of the mission of the local church or parish. The PCPII clearly notes that the priesthood of the faithful has three dimensions: a consecration to which the faithful are committed to God, a mediation through which the faithful participate in the transformation and salvation of the world, a sacrifice over which the faithful celebrate in the Eucharist.

The role and life of lay people could be expressed in the community of families where the journey in faith-life is initiated and pursued towards maturity; in the world of work and circumstances in life where the insights and experiences, social and political choices of lay people, if in accord with the gospel, could help shapes the influence society; in service and evangelization where lay people could be harnessed to proclaim the Word and to evangelize the world of educating politics, economics culture and mass media, in the quest for social transformation where lay people could also fully participate in healing and transforming society, or in “preparing the participate order for the final establishment of the Kingdom of God.”

Furthermore, the spirituality of lay people involves their whole being or personhood and is expressed in everything they do. It is seeing all the works they perform as an integral part of their spirituality. Thus, lay spirituality takes its particular character form the circumstances of one’s state in life form one’s state of health and form one’s professional and social activity. Whatever the circumstances, each one has received suitable talents and these should be cultivated, so should also the personal gifts he has form the Holy Spirit.”


STRUCTURE OF THE PARISH AND FUNCTIONS OF THE INVOLVED

The specific functions of the pastor being sign and instrument of Christ’s presence,” are to:
· Provide over the celebration of the Eucharist
· Enunciate moral principle regarding the political order and action.
· Speak and act in the name of Christ being the center and root of his spirituality.
· Values and demonstrate caring and nurturing attitudes and actions to people, especially the poor and the needy.
· Administer the other sacraments (e.g. Baptism, matrimony) with care, with faith and pastoral love.
· Pursue total human development of the people through formation of community and family projects and activities.
· Seek consensus through dialogue and interactive discussion and analysis on pastoral programs and other matters pertaining to the development of the parish and its organizations.
· Redirect mandated parish-based organizations and charismatic movements towards the mission and goals of the parish.
· Resolve interpersonal and organizational conflicts through open, motive and honest dialogue.
· Show sacramental brotherhood and collegial unity with co-pastors and to be pastors with one another
· Celebrate the liturgy of the hours to sanctify the different moments of the day and spend some meditative prayer in creative silence.
· Update himself in areas such as scriptures, theology, social teachings of the church, use of rain media for message and value communication reflection and prayer.