Pastoral Conversion Part 3

Dear Friends:

For the last two weeks, my column here has been on the theme of pastoral conversion.  Some have asked what this has to do with them, because “they just want to go to mass and then go home.”  This week let’s get a bit more in the weeds to see the stakes that we all have in this.

The subject of the missionary and evangelizing action of the Church is always the People of God as a whole.  We know and the Code of Canon Law emphasizes that the parish is not identified as a building or a series of structures, but rather as a specific community of the faithful, under the guidance of a pastor.

Pope Francis recalled that the parish is the presence of the Church in a given territory, an environment for hearing God’s word, for growth in the Christian life, for dialogue, proclamation, charitable outreach, worship and celebration, and affirmed that it is a community of communities.

The Pope said further that the parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community and that it continues to be the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters. This presumes that it really is in contact with the homes and the lives of its people and does not become a useless structure out of touch with people or a self-absorbed group made up of a chosen few.

In our discernment of pastoral conversion here at St Teresa’s, we will have to think about how we can be an even better sanctuary, open to all, called to reach out to everyone, without exception.  In that quest, we are guided to remember that the poor and excluded must always have a privileged place in the heart of the Church. Our discernment will give us an invitation to acknowledge the saving power at work in their lives and to put them at the center of the Church’s pilgrim way. We are called to find Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.  This alone will be a challenging task!

To be successful with this part of our conversion, Pope Francis, stated that we must look with penetrating eyes at ourselves and ponder the mystery of our own being.  Surely these “penetrating eyes” will see things that must change … and we all know how much people love change!

But fear not … there are some cautions …

Pastoral conversion reminds pastors and parish leaders of the profound emotional and nostalgic bonds that exist within a Christian community, and that we ought not to forget that the faith of the People of God is interwoven with familial and communal memories. More pointedly, we are reminded that a sacred place can evoke important milestones in the life of past generations, where faces and occasions have influenced personal and familial journeys. And finally, to avoid trauma and hurt in the process of restructuring a parish or, at times, diocesan communities, it is imperative that it be carried out with flexibility and gradualism.

We will be challenged, in the spirit of true reform, not to be indecisive, but rather flexible and respectful, employing the necessary discernment entailed by historical processes, the passage of time and stages of development, assessment, correction, experimentation, and approvals ad experimentum.  And this process does not pertain to the clergy alone to carry out the transformation inspired by the Holy Spirit … this involves the entire People of God.

The Holy People of God are anointed with the grace of the Holy Spirit; therefore when we reflect, think, evaluate, discern, we must be very attentive to this anointing.  As you can clearly see, pastoral conversion involves all of us!

There will be more to follow on this.  For now, let’s pray this week on how we can be a more open and welcoming community of faith under the patronage of St Teresa of Avila.

Blessings! 

Fr Bob

Instruction "The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church", of the Congregation for the Clergy, 20.07.2020

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/07/20/200720a.html

Pastoral Conversion Part 2

15 September 2024

Our Lady of Sorrows

Dear Friends:

We continue this week to learn about the themes of pastoral conversion. In our reflections we are reminded that we cannot continue to simply do things in the same way as we have in the past. The renewal of evangelization requires a new approach with diverse pastoral proposals.  Moreover, mere repetitive action that fails to have an impact upon people’s concrete lives remains a sterile attempt at survival, which is usually welcomed by general indifference. 

In this regard we are challenged as a parish to exude a lively spiritual dynamic of evangelization, so as not to become self-referential and fossilized, only offering experiences that are devoid of evangelical flavor and missionary drive, of interest only to small groups.  The parish community is called to be a living sign of the proximity of Christ through fraternal bonds, ever attentive to new forms of poverty.

And as always with these big questions, we ask the practical question: how?

As first experienced by the Apostles, we too are called to realize the transformative effect of the Word of God, that interior power that brings about the conversion of hearts. The Word is the food that nourishes the Lord’s disciples and makes us witnesses to the Gospel in our various circumstances of life. The Scriptures contain a prophetic impetus that makes them into a living force. This is one, among the many reasons that here at St Teresa’s we sponsor opportunities to learn more about the Scriptures.  And this Fall 2024 is no different.  (See our bulletin for details on this season’s sessions.)

Second, the celebration of the Eucharistic mystery is the source and summit of the whole Christian life and accordingly, the essential moment for building up the parish community. At the mass, the Church becomes aware of the meaning of her name - ecclesia: the coming together of the People of God to praise, implore, intercede and give thanks. In celebrating the Eucharist, the Christian community welcomes the living presence of the Crucified and Risen Lord, receiving the announcement of the entire mystery of salvation.  This is why the Church “insists” that we attend mass regularly – not out of mere obligation – but because of the miracle of the Eucharist at every mass.

Although not present myself, I was so moved reading about the thousands of pilgrims this summer who attended the Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis and other places in union with this incredible event.  And yet, here, still so many do not come … do not realize the presence and the power of Jesus, right here in our midst!

Pope Francis has recalled the need to “mention two false forms of holiness that can lead us astray: gnosticism and pelagianism. They are two heresies from early Christian times, yet they continue to plague us”. In the case of gnosticism, one is dealing with an abstract faith that is purely intellectual and made up of knowledge that is far from lived reality; meanwhile, pelagianism leads us to depend on our own abilities, thus ignoring the action of the Holy Spirit.

We know that there is a mysterious interplay between the action of God and that of human beings.  The proclamation of the Gospel comes through men and women like us, who give credibility to what they say through the witness of their lives, together with their interpersonal relationships that inspire trust and hope. 

In these times, marked as they are by indifferentism, individualism and the exclusion of others, the rediscovery of our familial relationship with one another is paramount and integral to evangelization – to bringing the Good News to others. 

Pastoral conversion challenges a parish to be a place that brings people together and fosters long-term personal relationships, thereby giving people a sense of belonging and being wanted.  We are called to notice, respect and encounter one another, wherever we are on the journey.  And this ‘culture of encounter’ is conducive to dialogue, solidarity and openness to others, because it is person-centered. 

As we continue to reflect on what all this will practically mean for us, let’s together find new and meaningful ways to truly master the “art of accompaniment”. We know, based on past experiences, that if deep roots are planted, the parish will continue to become a place where solitude is overcome.  It will also be a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey.

Today we honor our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Sorrows, as the faithful disciple and exemplar of faith.  As Jesus was raised on the cross, His Mother Mary stood by Him, sharing His sufferings. It’s in that spirit that I pray that our Church will be united with Christ in His suffering and death and so come to share in His rising to new life. 

And when the challenges of pastoral conversion become too challenging or uncomfortable, let’s look to the example of Mary, and unite our sufferings to our Lord, facing them with courage, love, and trust.

Again, there will be more to follow on this in the coming weeks.  For now, know how blessed we are to have you as members of our community of faith here at St Teresa of Avila. 

Blessings!

Instruction "The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church", of the Congregation for the Clergy, 20.07.2020

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/07/20/200720a.html

Fr Bob's Message on Pastoral Conversion

8 September 2024

Dear Friends:

Welcome to Fall 2024!

As I look at my calendar, I ask myself where did the summer go? I hope that you were able to take some time to relax and refresh, away from the normal push and pull of everyday life.  I am always grateful for some time away to pray, think, and read … which I must confess is always necessary to begin a new Fall.

In the next weeks you will hear a lot about the theme of pastoral conversion.  Cardinal Tobin has called a meeting with all the priests of our Archdiocese later this month to focus on it.  In short, it really means that we need to look more closely as to where the Church needs to be going, and more so how can we better work together to make sure that as Church, we are all faithful to our mission.

Pastoral conversion is one of the central themes in the "new phase of evangelization" that the Church is called to foster today, whereby Christian communities be ever more centers conducive to an encounter with Christ.

On this, Pope Francis said that: 

If something should rightly disturb us and trouble our consciences, it is the fact that so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light, and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life. More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: "Give them something to eat (Mk 6:37)."

We all know that parishes have a long history, and from the outset, have played a fundamental role in the life of Christians and in the development and pastoral work of the Church.  "The parish" has origins all the way back to the time of Saint Paul. Several of the Pauline texts show us the formation of small communities as domestic churches, which the Apostle simply calls a "house".  With these "houses," we get a foretaste of the birth of the first "parishes."  

We all know that times have changed, societies have changed, and now also the Church must change if we are to survive and continue to bring the Good News of Jesus to the next generation. Specifically, that means that parishes must also change.

Today, the territorial configuration of the parish must confront a peculiar characteristic of our contemporary world, whereby increased mobility and the digital culture have expanded the confines of existence. On the one hand, people are less associated today with a definite and immutable geographical context, living instead in "a global and pluralist village"; on the other hand, the digital culture has inevitably altered the concept of space, together with people's language and behavior, especially in younger generations.

To respond to our new realities, the parish is called upon to read the signs of the times, while adapting both to the needs of the faithful and to historical changes. A renewed vitality is required that favors the rediscovery of the vocation of the baptized as a disciple of Jesus Christ and a missionary of the Gospel.

In short, that means that you, people who "are the Church" must take a bigger role in how the Church lives and moves and grows.  In order to promote the centrality of the missionary presence of the Christian community in the world, the ministry and mission of priests, together with the lay faithful, have the task of being the "salt and light of the world." Together, and shoulder to shoulder, we are charged with the adequate reading of the signs of the times and of giving witness to coherent evangelical living.

Given the above-mentioned changing realities, and the results of multiple studies, it is clear that the current parish model no longer adequately corresponds to the many expectations of the faithful, especially when one considers the multiplicity of community types in existence today. 

It is true that a characteristic of the parish is that its rootedness at the center of where people live from day to day. However, the parish territory is no longer a geographical space only but also the context in which people express their lives in terms of relationships, reciprocal service, and ancient traditions. As a result, any pastoral action that is limited to the territory of the parish is outdated.  This is something that parishioners themselves observe when their parish appears to be more interested in preserving a nostalgia for former times as opposed to looking to the future with courage. 

As we come back to the "normal" days of Fall, I invite you to stay tuned, be informed, follow along our sharing of the themes of pastoral conversion.  Also, and perhaps most importantly, please pray with and for me as together we prepare for our future.

There will be more to follow on this in the coming weeks.  For now, know how happy we are to have you as members of our community of faith here at St Teresa of Avila.  Together, no doubt, we can do great things for the Lord.

Blessings!

RSM

Instruction "The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelising mission of the Church", of the Congregation for the Clergy, 20.07.2020

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/07/20/200720a.html