South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 18, Ed. 1 Friday, May 6, 1988 Page: 8 of 20
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May 6, 1988—8
Second Diocesan Synod
Synod
From page 7
begin the task of providing the clergy
and people of our Diocese with models
for these para-liturgies.
That Communion Services for weekdays
be emphasized as a means of providing
access to Holy Communion when Hass
cannot be offered because of priests'
vacations, sickness, days off, or
clergy conferences. Where possible
there should be at least one Mass
celebrated in an area, enabling those
gi
sbi
rea,
persons who regularly participate at
daily Mass to attend.
VII. THE PARISH AHD PASTORAL CARE
27. In the Gospels, Jesus identified
himself as the Good Shepherd who knows and
cares for the flock (cf. Jn. 10:11-16) and
contrasts that image of pastoral care with
that of the hired hand who does a job, simply
for the pay it brings (cf.Jn. 10:12-13).
Jesus chose Apostles and gave them a mission
which was to shepherd and care for the
Church, the People of God (cf. Lk. 9:1-6).
But He also chose disciples and sent them out
to the towns and villages to proclaim the
reign of God and to do their part in the work
of the harvest (cf. Lk. 10:1-20).
28. After His resurrection and His
return to the Father, the Apostles gathered
together and chose another apostle to complete
their number (cf. Acts 1:15-26). When their
own ministry of preaching and prayer became
encumbered by the social demands of looking
after widows and orphans, they chose deacons
for this ministry (cf. Acts 6:1-6). After
the Pentecost event, the early Church recog-
nized that the Spirit’s gifts for building up
the Church and serving the People of God were
also given to other members of the community
(cf. 1 Cor. 12:1-11). The members of the
Church shared everything in common to meet
each others' needs (cf. Acts 2:44-45). Their
lving was in response to the favor of God
iown to them in Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Cor.
8:8-15), and was also seen as a means of
building the Kingdom as well as caring for
each other (cf. 2 Cor. 9:1-15).
29. Though much has changed in our
society and in the structure of our parishes
since those early times, the truth of the
early Church's experience, founded in the
teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, is a
guide for us today in the governance of
our parochial life. Our pastors have a
demanding place in our parishes as they ful-
fill, in accordance with the legitimate
authority given to them by the law of the
Church and the mandate of the bishop, their
vocation in the manner of the Good Shepherd.
All others—prtests, deacons, religious, and
laity—who are members of our parishes must
take their proper place and assume their
responsibilities for sharing with him in the
pastoral care of the Church. By their own
response to their baptismal calling and to
the gifts of the Spirit given to them for the
service of the People of God, our parishes
will reflect more and more the first parish
community of Jerusalem (cf. 1 Pt. 5:1-11).
As a means of helping to create that reality,
we, the Second Synod of the Diocese of Corpus
Chrlstl, recommend:
a) That every pastor be given the neces-
sary help and assistance by diocesan
departments and parish organizations
and movements for renewing our
parishes as Spirit-filled communities
of prayer, holiness, learning, service,
fellowship, generosity, and love.
Diocesan programs for implementation
on the parish level should be developed
from grassroots consultation on the
parish level rather than initiated
from Chancery departmental levels.
b) That every pastor and parochial vicar
• ■ es in ■ ------—
ns, r
into all areas of .
relinquishing those resp
which can be aptly done by c
non-ordalned persons and allowing
qreater time and personal energies for
them to minister in those areas which
are uniquely and most pastorelly their
own. Looking to the future, much of
the ordinary administrative duties
in our parishes Invite the participa-
tion of deacons, religious, and laity
parochial life,
______I ie responsihilltle
which can be aptly done by deacons
which presently occupy pastors could
be assumed by a salaried or volunteer
staff person.
That every parish have an active
Parish Council and Finance Council
which would share the responsibility
for the pastoral care and life of our
parishes and missions. Each mission
should have a representative on the
Parish Council of the mother parish.
All councils must be accountable to
the pastor and the rest of the parish
community.
That parishioners be invited both
personally and through a stewardship
program of time and talent to become
active in the many areas of parish
life, so as to encourage a broad range
of participation in the ministerial
life of the parish. A person or group
of individuals should be designated in
each parish who will coordinate the
invitation, training, assignment,
evaluation, and accountability of
parish volunteers.
e) That individual parishioners who have
leadership qualities be encouraged by
the pastor and others to participate
in training which will ensure future
leadership for the parish in particu-
lar, and the diocese in general. All
parish leaders must be rooted in a
healthy and active spiritual life.
f) That every parish, with the assistance
of diocesan departments, look seri-
ously at developing its members'
skills for working with specific needs
in ministry, such as youth, older
adults, chemically dependent persons,
divorced or separated individuals, the
handicapped, and those suffering from
life threatening diseases such as
AIDS. Where cost is a factor in this
training, special consideration should
be given to those parishes least able
to pay for it.
g) That a stewardship program of time,
talent, and treasure be developed by
every parish and mission, with the
diocesan Development Office undertak-
ing a program of providing training
for pastors, priests, deacons, reli-
gious, and laity of our parishes in
the theology and practical implementa-
tion of stewardship. The intent of
this diocesan-wide effort would be to
mandate that stewardship be the
principal manner of securing operating
funds for oil parishes and missions.
Within five years, all other means of
fundraising, such as Bingo, which
serve as a regular and major source of
parish income be phased out. This
does not include special and occasion-
al fundraising activities such as
barbecues, jamaicas, and parish
festivals. Besides developing a
healthy spirituality as part of the
Gospel message, stewardship will
enable those members of the parish or
mission who were regularly involved
with fundraising to enter into other
areas of service in the apostolate.
All parishioners, including our
children and youth, must become a part
of the stewardship program. The
laity, principally through the parish
Finance Council, must assume responsi-
bility for making stewardship work in
all our parishes and missions by their
own witness, in the pulpit, and in
their personal contacts.
h) That every parish in our Diocese
become an active member of the Nation-
al Stewardship Council so that it can
participate in the benefits of its
education programs and guidance in
Implementing and sustaining steward-
ship as a way of financing the opera-
tions and activities of our parishes
and missions.
That as a part of our stewardship to
the larger Church, every parish and
mission actively participate in the
Catholic Sharing Appeal (CSA) as an
essential part of its stewardship
program. Further, each parish should
share with other parishes its resour-
ces according to its means.
That neighboring parishes cooperate
with each other in providing a common
ministry to specific needs, sharing in
the cost of professional staff persons
for such programs as religious educa-
tion, youth ministry, social services,
business manager for administration,
and in other areas of parochial minis-
try.
That an appropriate form of consulta-
tion with parish councils be developed
by the bishop when there is a vacancy
in a pastorate, so that any specific
needs of the parish can be determined
and given consideration in the assign-
ment of a new pastor.
Sec Synod, page 9
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Freeman, Robert E. South Texas Catholic (Corpus Christi, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 18, Ed. 1 Friday, May 6, 1988, newspaper, May 6, 1988; Corpus Christi, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth840530/m1/8/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .