RESTRUCTURING By Bishop Francis Alleyne
For the better part of my first year in the Diocese I was trying to familiarise myself with every aspect of Church – geography, composition of parishes, function of parishes, state of Commissions (youth, family & life, religious education, liturgy, justice and peace. inter-faith and inter-Christian outreach) and the work of societies/solidarities (St. Vincent de Paul, Ladies of Charity, ministries to the sick, imprisoned, elderly etc.) and more. There is quite a network of complex dynamics associated with the life of a Diocese and in this Diocese a lot was happening.
Out of these first impressions and having some knowledge of the state of things, and with consultation, I began to formulate some ideas that I believed could be enriching to our Church. Here I will present some of these ideas especially those that affect and impact directly upon the parish communities. I invite you, the parishioners, people of God, to dream and plan with me. I want you to imagine; if you were given the management of the Church what would be the areas of concern that would come to mind and what would you recommend by adding, correcting or improving on what exists? In reflecting and dreaming together I would like us all to start with the same premise: that we love our Church and we want what is best for it. It can be so easy to start by finding fault and pointing fingers or being suspicious or judgmental about the views of others. (About the Bishop it has already been said: “He’s only here one year and already he wants to change up everything” and “A whole year and a half and he has not done anything yet” and “He only wants to bring a set of things from Trinidad”). Whatever I encourage or promote will come from my knowledge, understanding and experience of Church. It will flow from the love of Church and seeking the growth and well-being of all.
I would like to see greater involvement, participation and ownership of the Church by you, the laity, the people of God. I see the Church poised to take off in number of ways and I see the people who can make that happen.
A top priority for me is to make available to everyone the means to learn more about their faith. It has been very encouraging to me to hear many people express their interest in this area. I hope that the desire to know and live the faith in deeper ways rests in every heart. In practical terms it would mean the Diocese making available to the faithful, courses, literature, seminars, catechesis etc. and the faithful availing themselves to become more familiar with the teachings of our faith; scripture, doctrine, tradition, history etc. I would like to see the enrichment of our ministries: catechetics, music, lectors, ministers of the word and Eucharist, ministry around the sanctuary and church, ministry to the sick and imprisoned etc. These are not reserved for ordained ministers. Ministers chosen from their communities and commissioned can effectively address these needs. The main qualifications are the love and enthusiasm for God’s Kingdom.
There is always need for efficient and effective management of the Church’s temporal goods; finances, buildings, property, furnishings etc. I want to see every church property in good and aesthetic repair, evidence that something serious and special is taking place managed by serious and special people. Our Church buildings and property ought to have a sacramental dimension; visible, outer sign of a holy and grace-filled community. There are some very good examples of this in the Diocese.
What I am saying to you is not a stop-gap measure. It is not as if the church is unable to do otherwise and therefore is now calling on the faithful to fill needs. This is how a healthy Church community should be living. We are truly Church when all members are participating fully and employing their gifts and ability in the service of the Kingdom and there is no satisfactory alternative to this.
What we are looking at under heading of Restructuring is well rooted in the Documents of the Second Vatican Council and subsequent Church documents. Let me quote a few excerpts. These are taken from the Document “Lumen Gentium” “The Church in the Modern World”.
But there are certain things which pertain in a special way to the laity, both men and women, by reason of their condition and mission……For their pastors know how much the laity contribute to the welfare of the entire Church. They also know that they were not ordained by Christ to take upon themselves alone the entire salvific mission of the Church toward the world. On the contrary they understand that it is their noble duty to shepherd the faithful and to recognize their ministries and charisms, so that all according to their proper roles may cooperate in this common undertaking with one mind. (LG 30)
The lay apostolate, however, is a participation in the salvific mission of the Church itself. Through their baptism and confirmation all are commissioned to that apostolate by the Lord Himself. Moreover, by the sacraments, especially holy Eucharist, that charity toward God and man which is the soul of the apostolate is communicated and nourished. Now the laity are called in a special way to make the Church present and operative in those places and circumstances where only through them can it become the salt of the earth. Thus every layman, in virtue of the very gifts bestowed upon him, is at the same time a witness and a living instrument of the mission of the Church itself "according to the measure of Christ's bestowal".(197)
Besides this apostolate which certainly pertains to all Christians, the laity can also be called in various ways to a more direct form of cooperation in the apostolate of the Hierarchy. This was the way certain men and women assisted Paul the Apostle in the Gospel, laboring much in the Lord.(198) Further, they have the capacity to assume from the Hierarchy certain ecclesiastical functions, which are to be performed for a spiritual purpose.
Upon all the laity, therefore, rests the noble duty of working to extend the divine plan of salvation to all people of each epoch and in every land. Consequently, may every opportunity be given them so that, according to their abilities and the needs of the times, they may zealously participate in the saving work of the Church. (LG 33)
I wonder how often we seriously ponder the meaning of the prayer for vocations that we recite regularly:
God our Father, in Baptism you called me by name and made me a member of your people the Church. I praise you for your goodness I thank you for your gifts.
What is this membership we speak of? What are the gifts for which we thank God in this prayer? Membership, in an authentic definition of Church, means involvement, ownership, cooperation, expression of gifts and more. It has been said, somewhat as a joke, that in the past the role of the lay person in the Church was to pray, pay and obey. Is that the kind of Catholic we are? Is that the kind of Catholic we want to be? What is the best definition that we can give to being Catholic and member of the Church? Maybe we have not given recent and serious thought about what it is to be a Catholic. During the process of restructuring let us do this. I came across an editorial in a 1979 issue of the Catholic Standard which began:
“One of the most persistent myths concerning the Church is that Catholics do not have to think. All their decisions, it is thought, are made for them in Rome.” (CS Dec 2nd 1979 pg 4)
Going back to our prayer for vocations; “…called me by name and made me a member of your people the Church…”, let us, through that prayer examine membership, baptism, myths and our truest role and responsibility as members of the Church. In the same prayer while we petition the Father to “raise up generous and dedicated leaders” to serve in specific ways we also pray; “send your Sprit to guide and strengthen me that I may serve your people following the example of your Son Jesus Christ…”. It is a tall order to serve following the example of Jesus. Meditating on the crucifix can help us appreciate the depth of sacrifice, love and commitment in the way that Jesus served.
The most important part of Restructuring that would challenge each of us is in examining our expectations and notions of our Church and being members. We have all been taught our faith, we have expectations, we take things for granted and it is not easy to put aside impressions and perceptions that are firmly registered in our minds and entertain concepts that are new to us. But sometimes that is what we have to do. In fact it is what we do in the normal process of growth and maturing. It is what we do when we upgrade our computer or adopt new habits and disciplines because of new information about fitness and health. How much more important it is, then, to seek fuller understanding or our faith that would free and motivate us to live it more fittingly, more appropriately for our time and circumstance? Restructuring in the first place is something that has to take place in our hearts and understanding. In the light of this it is important that all our hearts are open to what the Spirit is saying in the Church.
While, in visiting parishes, I am addressing myself to the laity, we, the clergy, also have to embark upon the same process of examination, reflection and conversion. To quote again from “Lumen Gentium”:
Let the spiritual shepherds recognize and promote the dignity as well as the responsibility of the laity in the Church. Let them willingly employ their prudent advice. Let them confidently assign duties to them in the service of the Church, allowing them freedom and room for action. Further, let them encourage lay people so that they may undertake tasks on their own initiative. Attentively in Christ, let them consider with fatherly love the projects, suggestions and desires proposed by the laity. (LG 37)
We, the clergy, have work to do. We have to examine the confidence we have in the laity. I am familiar with the stories of people who have been put down by priests and bishops, have had their ideas dismissed or have not been listened to. We need to bring these things before God for healing and peace to allow the restructuring of new ways.
A great many wonderful
things are to be hoped for from this familiar dialogue between the laity and
their spiritual leaders: in the laity a strengthened sense of personal
responsibility; a renewed enthusiasm; a more ready application of their talents
to the projects of their spiritual leaders. The latter, on the other hand, aided
by the experience of the laity, can more clearly and more incisively come to
decisions regarding both spiritual and temporal matters. In this way, the whole
Church, strengthened by each one of its members, may more effectively fulfill
its mission for the life of the world.
(LG 37)
Restructuring also involves the reorganising of structures and redistribution of resources. The Diocese has already been presented with the plan for the Georgetown area to be implemented at Pentecost this year. In time I hope to apply similar arrangements to other areas in the Diocese. What I have said to you so far is grounded in the official documents of the Church and the existing policies and programmes in the Diocese. What I am asking is that we take them seriously, lift them from the pages on which they are written and give them life.
I want this to be a time when we can examine ourselves and the life in our church with openness and objectivity. What is really going on? What is working? What is not? What are our hopes for new life, growth and development? What would we like to see in five years? Give that some thought; talk about it among yourselves and let us keep up a lively dialogue and reflection.
Personal formation in the faith can be undertaken by each person. When is the last time you read something about your faith? Pick up your bible, read the instructions in the missals about the Mass and other sacraments. Some may have access to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, volumes of church documents and teachings are available on the net and as we go along I intend to have articles and documents published in the Catholic Standard.