|
INTENTION : |
We pray that parishes, placing Communion at the centre, may increasingly become communities of faith and fraternity and welcoming those most in need.
|
Growing the synodal parish - the cornerstone of a synodal Church
The key elements of synodality - Communion, Participation and Mission - must first be inculcated in our local communities to shape the wider Church.
By now, we should have adjusted to the idea and talk of a synodal Church and the meeting of a Synod of Bishops to discuss synodality.
Pope Francis, in October 2021, inaugurated the Synodal Process that he had been hinting at for years.
We have a date and place, critical themes, a comprehensive handbook and supporting documents to go with the formal announcement. October 2023 will be the first part of the Synod Assembly in Rome.
The whole Church is to contribute. That is why it has been billed as the most extensive consultation process in history.
Growing the synodal parish
But can we have a synodal Church if we don't start the process of growing the synodal parish?
There is no rush to perfect the model instantly because we are on a journey - together. But this journey needs many travellers and a commitment to go the distance.
No need for blinding light, but conversion is definitely involved.
Pilgrim people journeying together
We are familiar with the idea of a pilgrim people journeying to their God and the Promised Land. We have just journeyed with Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem for the birth of our Savior. We have travelled with the Wise men from the East.
We are now called to embark on, arguably, the most significant journey in the history of the Church -- since that enabling birth.
We are Church
As we are the Church, the People of God, we have the highest duty to renew the Sacrament of the Church that Jesus gave us.
The Church is not the brick or stone building we have become comfortable in; it is not over there but right here, where we are.
That means the change Pope Francis contemplates requires us to change.
Yet, we know that we can no longer persist in the old paradigm of comfort from the inside. The public square requires us, individually and collectively, to take the Lord's message to the people and to act differently.
There is the clearest imperative to start the process. There are three key elements of synodality -- Communion, Participation and Mission. If they are to have a real bite, we need to begin at the local level.
We, as a local parish, are a microcosm of the Church. No better place to start.
So, discernment for the Synod meeting will have to be enlivened by the actual experience of existential parish practice.
As we embrace the Pope's call to become a Church that acts differently (not a new Church), there is no reason for delay.
The first key element - Communion
How might we start - locally?
If communion means conversations that lead to a conversion to Christ and then commitment to active participation in the mission given by Christ, be better. There is nothing new here - in substance - but there is ample room for radical improvement.
Francis explained this in more detail nine years ago in Evangelii Gaudium, the apostolic exhortation of 2013.
Improvement is the nature of Christian life. We live in a secular society where religion has become an option, and thus it is increasingly evident that we commit to Our Lord as His Disciples. We must take on a new dimension and become Missionary Disciples of Jesus Christ.
The second key element - Participation
Equally, the idea of the People of God talking with one another and, importantly, listening to one another is a challenge.
But it must now be different, and the listening must be genuinely active - at all levels and on all subjects.
The third key element - Mission
The communion that exists for a common purpose will enable the mission to flow - ever more smoothly.
Missionary discipleship must be the impulse for the whole Church as Francis invites us to live. The inseparable bond between our faith and the poor must remain axiomatic (EG 48).
In this journey, we must abandon any vestige of clericalism -on the part of clerics and the baptised faithful. That's easier said than done, given our historical attachment to monarchical structure, class, power and position.
Hopefully, collaboration in all parish affairs will be recognized and practised uniformly.
"Father" is no longer expected to approve the replacement of failed light globes, let alone actually undertake the replacement task.
The parish council or leadership group is elected or appointed after consultation. In its operations, it will act collaboratively and consult widely. Its role will be welcomed.
The engagement between the parish council and the pastor will be a collaboration model. The mutual role of service will be embraced.
Parish tasks will be shared as widely as possible and not held tightly by a few.
The end of anonymity
Pope Francis says communion describes the very nature and mystery of the Church. That implies parish members will know more than a handful of parishioners' names.
There's no room for anonymous arrival, private prayer and unchallenged departure under the guise of celebrating the Eucharist.
All will arrive at church or place of worship in communion, greet each other warmly and worship in communion.
Full, active participation will be transformative because of the connection of a people no longer present as individuals but intimately linked in the Paschal Mystery.
The Word of God will be broken open to participants who increasingly appreciate the detail of the scriptural message of redemption and companionship, a familiarity too long neglected.
The memorial of the Last Supper and Calvary will offer an impact like never before as we gather in communion at the foot of the cross.
The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ will be received in communion for the ultimate earthly encounter with the Lord and the fuel of the mission to follow.
The dismissal that concludes the formal celebration of the Eucharist will more clearly signal the beginning of the missionary work of Christ as parishioners depart in communion to "put out into the deep".
Parish groups will be open and collaborative and reflect the sense of communion that underpins the synodal parish. Territorialism, power, "we have always done it this way", and anonymity and control must be abandoned.
Parish activities will reflect the new order - in practice, not just in theory. We are talking about profound change, and we know most change is anathema!
There are many potholes, loose rocks and byways to encounter on this journey. The change cannot happen overnight. But let's make a start.
Let's grow synodal parishes for a synodal Church.
Justin Stanwix is a deacon at St Mary's Star of the Sea Parish, Milton,
in the Diocese of Wollongong (Australia) - La Croix, January 27, 22.
Centres of care as "houses of mercy."
The World Day of the Sick is a good occasion to focus our attention on centres of care. Down the centuries, showing mercy to the sick led the Christian community to open innumerable "inns of the good Samaritan" where love and care can be given to people with various kinds of sickness. However, some health needs are not being met due to poverty, social exclusion, or the difficulties associated with treating specific pathologies. In these situations, it is children, the elderly and those frailest who most often pay the price. Merciful like the Father, countless missionaries have combined the preaching of the Gospel with the construction of hospitals, dispensaries and care homes. These are precious means whereby Christian charity has taken visible shape, and the love of Christ, witnessed by that of His disciples, has become more credible.
I think especially of people in the poorest areas of our planet, where it is sometimes necessary to travel long distances to find treatment centres that, albeit with limited resources, offer what is available. We still have a long way to go; in some countries, access to adequate care remains a luxury. We see this, for example, in the scarcity of available vaccines against Covid-19 in poor countries, but even more in the lack of treatment for illnesses that require much simpler medicines.
In this context, I wish to reaffirm the importance of Catholic healthcare institutions: they are a precious treasure to be protected and preserved; their presence has distinguished the history of the Church, showing her closeness to the sick and the poor and to situations overlooked by others. How many founders of religious families have listened to the cry of their brothers and sisters who lack access to care or are poorly cared for and have given their utmost in their service?
Pastoral mercy: presence and proximity
Pastoral health care has also seen its essential service increasingly recognised in the past thirty years. The worst discrimination suffered by the poor - including the sick, who are poor in health - is the lack of spiritual attention. In that case, we cannot fail to offer them God's closeness, His blessing and His Word, the celebration of the sacraments and the opportunity for a journey of growth and maturation in faith.
In this regard, I would like to remind everyone that closeness to the sick and their pastoral care is not only the task of certain specifically designated ministers; visiting the sick is an invitation that Christ addresses to all his disciples. How many sick and elderly people live at home and wait for a visit! The ministry of consolation is a task for every baptised person, mindful of the Word of Jesus: "I was sick, and you visited me" (Mt25:36).
Dear brothers and sisters, I entrust all the sick and their families to the intercession of Mary, Health of the Infirm. United with Christ, who bears the pain of the world, may they find meaning, consolation and trust. I pray for healthcare workers everywhere that, rich in mercy, they may offer patients, together with proper care, their fraternal closeness.
|
|
