New Foundations for a Theology of Ministry

Richard R. Gaillardetz, Ph.D.

Queen of Peace Catholic Parish

 2000 households  4 weekend masses (1 in Spanish)  2 priests  2 permanent deacons  Part-time youth minister, part-time director of liturgical music, full-time coordinator of Christian formation, (all lay)  Over 200 lectors, ushers, eucharistic ministers and catechists

Queen of Peace Reaps the Fruit of the Council’s Reforms

 Parishioners have taken “ownership” of parish life  Pastor encourages lay ministries  Many parishioners are active in one or more “ministries”  Women play an important role in parish ministry

Festering Conflicts

 Parochial vicar does not feel respected by lay ministers  Lay ministers complain parochial vicar is too clerical   One deacon preaches well, the other does not Priests’ preaching isn’t much better  Liturgical music is good but lectors are mediocre   Salaries for lay ministers are quite low Staff bickers over ministerial “turf”

What is Ministry?

 Christian ministry is the public activity of a baptized follower of Jesus Christ, flowing from the Spirit's charism and an individual subject to the personality, formal generally preparation, commissioning and ordering of church leadership, and undertaken on behalf of that Christian community to build up the body of Christ and to proclaim, serve and realize the kingdom of God.

Implications of This Definition of Ministry:

     Ministry and discipleship are not the same thing Ministry is public and accountable Ministry is not volunteerism: Charisms for ministry must be discerned by the community and/or its leadership “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear”—Basic human wholeness is vital All ministry is ordered ministry

An Alternative Vision: The Church is an Ordered Communion

 All Christians are “ordered” within the community by baptism   Early church comprised of many “orders”: catechumens, penitents, widows The church is “ordered” ministerially as well

What Distinguishes Ministries?



The classical Catholic view

: ministry determined by sacramental powers 

The classical Protestant view

: ministry determined by delegated authority

Vatican II:

 The Spirit dwells in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful, as in a temple. In them he prays on their behalf and bears witness to the fact that they are adopted sons. The Church, which the Spirit guides in way of all truth and which he unified in communion and in works of ministry, he both equips and directs with hierarchical and charismatic gifts and adorns with his fruits. By the power of the Gospel he makes the Church keep the freshness of youth

(Lumen gentium

# 4)

.

Vatican II:

 For the exercise of this apostolate, the Holy Spirit who sanctifies the People of God through ministry and the sacraments gives the faithful special gifts also, "allotting them to everyone according as he wills” in order that individuals, administering grace to others just as they have received it, may also be "good stewards of the manifold grace of God" , to build up the whole body in charity. From the acceptance of these charisms, including those which are more elementary, there arise for each believer the right and duty to use them in the Church and in the world for the good of men and the building up of the Church, in the freedom of the Holy Spirit who "breathes where he wills". This should be done by the laity in communion with their brothers and sisters in Christ, especially with their pastors who must make a judgment about the true nature and proper use of these gifts, not to extinguish the Spirit but to test all things and hold for what is good

(Apostolicam actuositatem

)

.

Ordained Ministry



Bishop

: pastoral leader of the local church (diocese); link to universal church; presides over the preaching and teaching of the apostolic faith 

Priest

: pastoral leader of the parish— “conductor” of the parish’s “symphony of charisms”; presides over the preaching and teaching of the apostolic faith 

Deacon

: serves the bishop and priest in their exercise of pastoral leadership

Installed Ministry (Lay Ecclesial Ministry)

   Might include full and part time lay diocesan and parish ministers… who engage in diverse ministerial relationships (e.g., faith formation, youth ministry, RCIA, liturgy, peace and justice) requiring:  long term stability    ritual installation significant ministry formation and financial remuneration

Commissioned Ministry

   Might include members called forth from the community … to engage in diverse ministerial relationships (e.g., lectors, cantors, catechists)… requiring:  short term stability   ritual installation limited ministry formation

Hope for the Church of the Third Millennium:

 A church alive to its baptismal call to serve the coming reign of God  A church committed to the priority of Christian discipleship over any other Christian identity  A church that celebrates the legitimate diversity of ministerial relationships  A church that neither fears authority, nor obsesses over it but is committed to authority exercised in humble service