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(Archived 8/25/2002)
Dear Parishioners,
From the beginning to the end, from his healings to his washing of the feet at the Last Supper to his crucifixion, Jesus' ministry of serving others shines through. Consequently, in the early church, service was valued. To be for the church meant to be willing to serve the members of the church and the church as a whole community. Time and energy and organization were dedicated to that purpose, as we discover in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul's epistles.
Here in the United States light has been shed in recent years by the institutional church on the matter of lay ministry. In 1980, for the fifteenth anniversary of Vatican II's Decree on the Laity, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops provided a pastoral statement, Called and Gifted: Catholic Laity 1980, for reflection by other members of the church. Called and Gifted affirmed the emergence of the lay people into ministry.
The hierarchy, applauding the "solidarity between laity and clergy" which bears the fruit of "effective ministry and witness to the world," reminds clergy and laity:
Baptism and confirmation empower all believers to share in some form of
ministry. Although the specific form of participation in ministry varies
according to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, all who share in this work are
united with one another.
We are convinced that the laity is making an indispensable contribution to
the experience of the people of God and that the full import of their
contribution is still in a beginning form in the post-Vatican II church.
A strong sense of identity, of belonging to the same community, of being responsible for one another, and of always being under the judgment of the gospel, made the first Christian gatherings ideal: There is no question they promoted many ministries and celebrated a variety of gifts. By giving close scrutiny to our local congregations, by renewing the lift of the parish, by seeing ourselves "planted where we are," we have a better change to overcome the tensions that arise as people, cleric and lay, come together in the name of the lord.
Without evaluation, accountability, and the like, it is easy for the ordained or non-ordained minister to slip into individualism and idiosyncrasy. Lack of any measurement can lead to self-doubt as well, it is often troublesome for the clergy, for instance, not to have some indication of "how they're doing"-a favorite question-not to have a sense of competency. For a long time, some people have thought is odd that all kinds of measurements, passing grades, tests, and graduations were demanded before ordination and none whatever afterward. It was hard educational and competence battle to get into the priesthood or the ecclesial ministry and no battle at all to stay there. To this extent, ministry of all kinds, including the priesthood and episcopacy, ought not to escape what the rest of the world (theoretically) demands: "give an account of your stewardship."
And so sisters and brothers, assessing where we are at and where we are going as we serve God's reign together is certainly a good goal now. With a "principle before personalities" attitude I hope that quality ministry will be built upon and flourish at St. Bridget as a living witness of Christ's reality in our world today.
Pax Christi,
Father Scott