Communities of Salt and Light
"You are the salt of
the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no
longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are
the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they
light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before
others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. Matthew 5:13-16
Communities of Salt and Light:
Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish was developed by two conference
committees: Domestic Social Policy and International Policy. After review and
approval by both committees, the statement was approved by the Administrative
Board in September 1993 and by the Catholic bishops of the United States at
their General Meeting in November 1993. Communities of Salt and Light:
Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish is authorized for publication
as a statement of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops by the
undersigned.
The parish is where the Church
lives. Parishes are communities of faith, of action, and of hope. They are
where the gospel is proclaimed and celebrated, where believers are formed and
sent to renew the earth. Parishes are the home of the Christian community; they
are the heart of our Church. Parishes are the place where God's people meet
Jesus in word and sacrament and come in touch with the source of the Church's
life.
One of the most encouraging signs of the gospel at work in our midst is the
vitality and quality of social justice ministries in our parishes. Across the
country, countless local communities of faith are serving those in need,
working for justice, and sharing our social teaching as never before. Millions
of parishioners are applying the gospel and church teaching in their own
families, work, and communities. More and more, the social justice dimensions
of our faith are moving from the fringes of parishes to become an integral part
of local Catholic life.
We welcome and applaud this growing recognition of and action on the social
mission of the parish. We offer these brief reflections to affirm and support
pastors and parish leaders in this essential task and to encourage all parishes
to take up this challenge with renewed commitment, creativity, and urgency.
In the past decade, we have written major pastoral letters on peace and
economic justice and issued pastoral statements on a number of important issues
touching human life and human dignity. But until now, we have not specifically
addressed the crucial role of parishes in the Church's social ministry. We
offer these words of support, encouragement, and challenge at this time because
we are convinced that the local parish is the most important ecclesial setting
for sharing and acting on our Catholic social heritage. We hope that these
reflections can help pastors, parish staffs, parish councils, social concerns
committees, and other parishioners strengthen the social justice dimensions of
their own parish life. This focus on the social mission of the parish
complements and strengthens the call to evangelization found in our statement Go
and Make Disciples: A National Plan and Strategy for Catholic Evangelization in
the United States.
We offer a framework for integration rather than a specific model or new
national program. We seek to affirm and encourage local parish commitment and
creativity in social ministry. We know pastors and parish leaders do not need
another program to carry forward or more expectations to meet. We see the
parish dimensions of social ministry not as an added burden, but as a part of
what keeps a parish alive and makes it truly Catholic. Effective social
ministry helps the parish not only do more, but be more— more of a reflection
of the gospel, more of a worshiping and evangelizing people, more of a faithful
community. It is an essential part of parish life.
This is not a new message, but it takes on new urgency in light of the
increasing clarity and strength of Catholic social teaching and the signs of
declining respect for human life and human dignity in society. We preach a
gospel of justice and peace in a rapidly changing world and troubled nation.
Our faith is tested by the violence, injustice, and moral confusion that
surround us. In this relatively affluent nation, a fourth of our children under
six grow up in poverty. 1 Each year in our nation, 1.6 million
children are destroyed before birth by abortion. 2 And every day,
40,000 children die from hunger and its consequences around the world.3
In our streets and neighborhoods, violence destroys the hopes, dreams, and
lives of too many children. In our local communities, too many cannot find
decent work, housing, health care, or education. In our families, parents
struggle to raise children with dignity, hope, and basic values.
Our faith stands in marked contrast to these grim realities. At a time of
rampant individualism, we stand for family and community. At a time of intense
consumerism, we insist it is not what we have, but how we treat one another that
counts. In an age that does not value permanence or hard work in relationships,
we believe marriage is forever and children are a blessing, not a burden. At a
time of growing isolation, we remind our nation of its responsibility to the
broader world, to pursue peace, to welcome immigrants, to protect the lives of
hurting children and refugees. At a time when the rich are getting richer and
the poor are getting poorer, we insist the moral test of our society is how we
treat and care for the weakest among us.
In these challenging days, we believe that the Catholic community needs to be
more than ever a source of clear moral vision and effective action. We are
called to be the "salt of the earth" and "light of the
world" in the words of the Scriptures (cf. Mt 5:13-16). This task belongs
to every believer and every parish. It cannot be assigned to a few or simply
delegated to diocesan or national structures. The pursuit of justice and peace
is an essential part of what makes a parish Catholic.
In urban neighborhoods, in suburban communities, and in rural areas, parishes
serve as anchors of hope and communities of caring, help families meet their
own needs and reach out to others, and serve as centers of community life and
networks of assistance.
The roots of this call to justice
and charity are in the Scriptures, especially in the Hebrew prophets and the
life and words of Jesus. Parish social ministry has clear biblical roots.
In the gospel according to Luke, Jesus began his public life by reading a
passage from Isaiah that introduced his ministry and the mission of every
parish. The parish must proclaim the transcendent message of the gospel and
help:
bring "good news to the
poor" in a society where millions lack the necessities of life;
bring "liberty to
captives" when so many are enslaved by poverty, addiction, ignorance,
discrimination, violence, or disabling conditions;
bring "new sight to the
blind" in a culture where the excessive pursuit of power or pleasure can
spiritually blind us to the dignity and rights of others; and
"set the downtrodden free"
in communities where crime, racism, family disintegration, and economic and
moral forces leave people without real hope (cf. Lk 4:18).
Our parish communities are measured
by how they serve "the least of these" in our parish and beyond its
boundaries-the hungry, the homeless, the sick, those in prison, the stranger
(cf. Mt 25:31). Our local families of faith are called to "hunger and
thirst for justice" and to be "peacemakers" in our own
communities (c£ Mt 5:6,9). A parish cannot really proclaim the gospel if its
message is not reflected in its own community life. The biblical call to
charity, justice, and peace claims not only each believer, but also each
community where believers gather for worship, formation, and pastoral care.
Over the last century, these biblical mandates have been explored and expressed
in a special way in Catholic social teaching. The central message is simple:
our faith is profoundly social. We cannot be called truly "Catholic"
unless we hear and heed the Church's call to serve those in need and work for
justice and peace. We cannot call ourselves followers of Jesus unless we take
up his mission of bringing "good news to the poor, liberty to captives,
and new sight to the blind" (cf. Lk 4:18).
The Church teaches that social justice is an integral part of evangelization, a
constitutive dimension of preaching the gospel, and an essential part of the
Church's mission. The links between justice and evangelization are strong and
vital. We cannot proclaim a gospel we do not live, and we cannot carry out a
real social ministry without knowing the Lord and hearing his call to justice
and peace. Parish communities must show by their deeds of love and justice that
the gospel they proclaim is fulfilled in their actions. This tradition is not
empty theory; it challenges our priorities as a nation, our choices as a
Church, our values as parishes. It has led the Church to stand with the poor
and vulnerable against the strong and powerful. It brings occasional
controversy and conflict, but it also brings life and vitality to the People of
God. It is a sign of our faithfulness to the gospel.
The center of the Church's social teaching is the life, dignity, and rights of
the human person. We are called in a special way to serve the poor and
vulnerable; to build bridges of solidarity among peoples of differing races and
nations, language and ability, gender and culture. Family life and work have
special places in Catholic social teaching; the rights of the unborn, families,
workers, immigrants, and the poor deserve special protection. Our tradition
also calls us to show our respect for the Creator by our care for creation and
our commitment to work for environmental justice. This vital tradition is an
essential resource for parish life. It offers a framework and direction for our
social ministry, calling us to concrete works of charity, justice, and
peacemaking.4
In responding to the Scriptures and
the principles of Catholic ,social teaching, parishes are not called to an
extra or added dimension of our faith, but to a central demand of Catholic life
and evangelization. We recognize the sometimes overwhelming demands on parish
leadership and resources. We know it is easier to write about these challenges
than to carry them out day by day. But we believe the Church's social mission
is an essential measure of every parish community, and it needs more attention
and support within our parishes.
Our parishes are enormously diverse-in where and who they serve, in structures
and resources, in their members and leaders. This diversity is reflected in how
parishes shape their social ministry. The depth and range of activity are most
impressive. Across our country, parishioners offer their time, their money, and
their leadership to a wide variety of efforts to meet needs and change
structures. Parishes are deeply involved in meeting their members needs,
serving the hungry and homeless, welcoming the stranger and immigrant, reaching
out to troubled families, advocating for just public policies, organizing for
safer and better communities, and working creatively for a more peaceful world.
Our communities and ministries have been greatly enriched and nourished by the
faith and wisdom of parishioners who experience injustice and all those who
work for greater justice.
There has been tremendous growth of education, outreach, advocacy, and organizing
in parishes. From homeless shelters to prayer services, from food pantries to
legislative networks, from global education programs to neighborhood
organizing, parishes are responding. But in some parishes the social justice
dimensions of parish life are still neglected, underdeveloped, or touch only a
few parishioners.
We have much to learn from those parishes that are leading the way in making
social ministry an integral part of parish ministry and evangelization. We need
to build local communities of faith where our social teaching is central, not
fringe; where social ministry is integral, not optional; where it is the work
of every believer, not just the mission of a few committed people and
committees.
For too many parishioners, our social teaching is an unknown tradition. In too
many parishes, social ministry is a task for a few, not a challenge for the
entire parish community. We believe we are just beginning to realize our
potential as a community of faith committed to serve those in need and to work
for greater justice.
The parishes that are leaders in this area see social ministry not as a
specialized ministry, but as an integral part of the entire parish. They weave
the Catholic social mission into every aspect of parish life-worship, formation,
and action. They follow a strategy of integration and collaboration, which
keeps social ministry from becoming isolated or neglected.
A framework of integration might include the following elements.
Anchoring Social Ministry: Prayer and Worship
The most important setting for the Church's social teaching is not in a food
pantry or in a legislative committee room, but in prayer and worship,
especially gathered around the altar for the Eucharist. It is in the liturgy
that we find the fundamental direction, motivation, and strength for social
ministry. Social ministry not genuinely rooted in prayer can easily burn itself
out. On the other hand, worship that does not reflect the Lord's call to
conversion, service, and justice can become pious ritual and empty of the
gospel.
We support new efforts to integrate liturgy and justice, to make clear that we
are one people united in faith, worship, and works of charity and justice. We
need to be a Church that helps believers recognize Jesus in the breaking of the
bread and those without bread. Eucharist, penance, confirmation, and the other
sacraments have essential social dimensions that ought to be appropriately
reflected in how we celebrate, preach, and pray. Those who plan and preside at
our worship can help the parish community understand more clearly the spiritual
and scriptural roots of our pursuit of justice without distorting or imposing
on the liturgy.
Our social ministry must be anchored in prayer, where we uncover the depths of
God's call to seek justice and pursue peace. In personal prayer, the reading of
the Scriptures, and quiet reflection on the Christian vocation, we discover the
social mission of every believer. In serving those in need, we serve the Lord.
In seeking justice and peace, we witness to the reign of God in our midst. In
prayer, we find the reasons, the strength, and the call to follow Jesus in the
ways of charity, justice, and peace.
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The consistent life ethic is the
theme around which social ministry is organized at St. Isaac Jogues Parish in
Orlando, Florida. The parish respect life coordinator works with other parish
leaders on activities and advocacy in such areas as pro-life, aging,
disabilities, and social justice. Together, they try to root their work in
prayer and in the common theme of the dignity of human life. In November,
they sponsor a Consistent Life Ethic Prayer Service, to which they invite
members of the parish and members of other nearby churches. In January, they sponsor
a prayer service that focuses on nonviolence--before and after birth. On St.
Francis Day, they sponsor a blessing of animals. "We hope these events are
opportunities for conversion," say parishioner Deborah Shearer. "In
addition to times of prayer, they are opportunities for education on the full
meaning of respect for life." |
Sharing the Message: Preaching and Education
We are called to share our social teaching more effectively in our parishes
than we have. Our social doctrine is an integral part of our faith; we need to
pass it on clearly, creatively, and consistently. It is a remarkable spiritual,
intellectual, and pastoral resource that has been too little known or
appreciated even in our own community.
Preaching that reflects the social dimensions of the gospel is indispensable.
Priests should not and need not impose an agenda on the liturgy to preach about
justice. Rather, we urge those who preach not to ignore the regular opportunities
provided by the liturgy to connect our faith and our everyday lives, to share
biblical values on justice and peace. Week after week, day after day, the
lectionary calls the community to reflect on the scriptural message of justice
and peace. The pulpit is not a partisan rostrum and to try to make it one would
be a mistake, but preaching that ignores the social dimensions of our faith
does not truly reflect the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our social doctrine must also be an essential part of the curriculum and life
of our schools, religious education programs, sacramental preparation, and
Christian initiation activities. We need to share and celebrate our common
social heritage as Catholics, developing materials and training tools that
ensure that we are sharing our social teaching in every educational ministry of
our parishes. Every parish should regularly assess how well our social teaching
is shared in its formation and educational ministries.
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Young people learned firsthand
about the social mission of the Church at St. Mary's Parish in Richmond,
Virginia. Beginning in junior high school, every religious education class
selects a single social issue on which to focus both direct service and
advocacy during the school year. Last year the class, whose issue was
homelessness, served food at a homeless shelter and assisted with a
parish-sponsored sheltering program. They also wrote to their state
legislators encouraging increased funding for homeless programs and a state
Earned Income Tax Credit (ETC) to help the working poor. |
Supporting the "Salt of the Earth": Family, Work, Citizenship
Our parishes are clearly called to help people live their faith in the world,
helping them to understand and act on the social dimensions of the gospel in
their everyday lives.
National statements, diocesan structures, or parish committees can be useful,
but they are no substitute for the everyday choices and commitments of
believers-acting as parents, workers, students, owners, investors, advocates,
policy makers and citizens.
For example, parishes are called to support their members in:
building and sustaining marriages of quality, fidelity, equality, and
permanence in an age that does not value commitment or hard work in
relationships;
raising families with gospel values in a culture where materialism,
selfishness, and prejudice still shape so much of our lives;
being a good neighbor; welcoming newcomers and immigrants; treating people of
different races, ethnic groups, and nationalities with respect and kindness;
seeing themselves as evangelizers who recognize the unbreakable link between
spreading the gospel and work for social justice;
bringing Christian values and virtues into the marketplace
treating co-workers, customers, and competitors with respect and fairness,
demonstrating economic initiative, and practicing justice;
bringing integrity and excellence to public service and community
responsibilities, seeking the common good, respecting human life, and promoting
human dignity;
providing leadership in unions, community groups, professional associations,
and political organizations at a time of rising cynicism and indifference.
In short, our parishes need to encourage, support, and sustain lay people in
living their faith in the family, neighborhood, marketplace, and public arena.
It is lay women and men, placing their gifts at the service of others (cf. 1 Pt
4:10), who will be God's primary instruments in renewing the earth by their
leadership and faithfulness in the community. The most challenging work for
justice is not done in church committees, but in the secular world of work,
family life, and citizenship.
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"In this situation, what does
love--the commitment to others and the needy among us--require?" This
kind of question might be posed by one of eighteen Vocation Reflection Groups
sponsored by St. Martha's Parish in Akron, Ohio. Open to all in the
community, the groups are organized by occupation--lawyers, educators,
counsellors, journalists, and others--as well as one general group for those
who do not fit in the other seventeen. They meet monthly to reflect on their
work and to discuss how they can apply their beliefs and values in their
workplaces. Fr. Norman Douglas, pastor of St. Martha's, helps lay
facilitators from each group plan each meeting. Occasional workshops and
panels provide in-service educational credits. During Sunday liturgies, Fr.
Douglas also tries to acknowledges how people's work life is related to
ministry. For example, when the readings focus on Jesus as healer, those
involved in health care occupations are invited to stand after communion for
a special blessing. "We try to infuse the spirituality of all of life
into what is already going on in the parish," explains Fr. Douglas.
"We focus on practical spirituality lived out in the real world." |
Serving the "Least of These": Outreach and Charity
Parishes are called to reach out to the hurting, the poor, and the vulnerable
in our midst in concrete acts of charity. Just as the gospel tells us our lives
will be judged by our response to the "least of these," so too our
parishes should be measured by our help for the hungry, the homeless, the
troubled, and the alienated-in our own community and beyond. This is an area of
creativity and initiative with a wide array of programs, partnerships with
Catholic Charities, and common effort with other churches. Thousands of food
pantries; hundreds of shelters; and uncounted outreach programs for poor
families, refugees, the elderly, and others in need are an integral part of
parish life. The parish is the most significant place where new immigrants and
refugees are welcomed into our Church and community. A Church that teaches an
option for the poor must reflect that option in our service of those in need.
Parish efforts to meet human needs also provides valuable experience,
expertise, and credibility in advocating for public policy to address the
forces that leave people in need of our charity.
Catholic teaching calls us to serve those in need and to change the structures
that deny people their dignity and rights as children of God. Service and
action, charity and justice are complementary components of parish social
ministry. Neither alone is sufficient; both are essential signs of the gospel
at work. A parish serious about social ministry will offer opportunities to
serve those in need and to advocate for justice and peace. These are not
competing priorities, but two dimensions of the same fundamental mission to
protect the life and dignity of the human person.
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St. Augustine's Parish in Spokane,
Washington, combines service to those in need in the local community with
international outreach. When Catholic Charities purchased the former Shriners
Hospital, the parish social concerns committee mobilized volunteers to sort
through the beds, wheelchairs, and other medical equipment that it contained
and ship it to West Africa for use in a children's hospital in Ghana. What
was not shipped was auctioned, with proceeds of the auction used to convert
the hospital structure into apartments for single parents and their children. |
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Queen of the Most Holy Rosary
Parish on Long Island, New York, had a well-established outreach program that
offered food, clothing, and financial assistance for rent and other needs.
Many who sought help wanted to work, but could not find jobs. Many lacked
training and education, and some had been in jail. With support from Catholic
Charities of Rockville Centre, parishioners established a job training and
referral service. Volunteers help the unemployed identify training programs
and jobs through local papers and other employment services. Parishioners
identify jobs in their own companies or odd jobs at home. A parishioner with
a background in personnel helps with résumés and interviewing skills. Clients
with little work experience are offered volunteer opportunities at the
parish. Recently, the local Department of Labor set up an outreach site at
the parish. "We're acting on church
teaching about the dignity of work," explains Louise Sandberg,
coordinator of outreach for the parish. "We're happy that so many people
have gotten jobs." |
Advocating for Justice: Legislative
Action
Parishes need to promote a revived sense of political responsibility calling
Catholics to be informed and active citizens, participating in the debate over
the values and vision that guide our communities and nation. Parishes as local
institutions have special opportunities to develop leaders, to promote
citizenship, and to provide forums for discussion and action on public issues.
Religious leaders need to act in public affairs with a certain modesty, knowing
that faith is not a substitute for facts, that values must be applied in real
and complex situations, and that people of common faith and good will can
disagree on specifics. But parishioners are called to use their talents, the
resources of our faith, and the opportunities of this democracy to shape a
society more respectful of the life, dignity, and rights of the human person.
Parishes can help lift up the moral and human dimension of public issues,
calling people to informed participation in the political process.
The voices of parishioners need to be heard on behalf of vulnerable
children-born and unborn-on behalf of those who suffer discrimination and
injustice, on behalf of those without health care or housing, on behalf of our
land and water, our communities and neighborhoods. Parishioners need to bring
our values and vision into the debates about a changing world and shifting
national priorities. Parishes and parishioners are finding diverse ways to be
political without being partisan, joining legislative networks, community
organizations, and other advocacy groups. In election years, parishes offer
nonpartisan voter registration, education, and forums to involve and inform
their members. This kind of genuine political responsibility strengthens local
communities as it enriches the witness of our parishes.
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Parishioners at Corpus Christi
Parish in Roseville, Minnesota, are expanding their social ministry to
include legislative action. They have set up a parish phone tree with more
than thirty members who call or write their elected representative on policy
issues affecting children and the poor. As a part of "Voices for
Justice," the legislative network of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and
Minneapolis, they receive regular "action alerts" on state and
federal issues. At each Mass one recent Sunday,
the parish advocacy group spoke in support of a proposal to provide state
financing and child care for welfare mothers to complete their education.
Postcards were made available in the church vestibule, and over 400
parishioners wrote to their legislators in support of the program. "We think social justice is
an integral part of living our faith," explains parishioner Nonnie
Andre. "We need to make the system work for all peopole. We can't just
stand back and say we wish it would work. We need to make it work. We need to
be the voices for those who have no voice in legislation decisions. |
Creating Community: Organizing for
Justice
Many parishes are joining with other churches and groups to rebuild a sense of
community in their own neighborhoods and towns. Parish leaders are taking the
time to listen to the concerns of their members and are organizing to act on
those concerns. These kind of church-based and community organizations are
making a difference on housing, crime, education, and economic issues in local
communities. Parish participation in such community efforts develops leaders,
provides concrete handles to deal with key issues, and builds the capacity of
the parish to act on our values.
The Campaign for Human Development has provided vital resources to many
self-help organizations empowering the poor to seek greater justice. Parish
support and participation in these organizations help put Catholic social
teaching into action and to revitalize local communities.
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In the south Phoenix, Arizona,
neighborhood where St. Catherine Parish is located, gangs ruled the streets
and drive-by shootings were terrorizing the community. St. Catherine's
parishioners decided they had to do something. They contacted an organizer
from the Valley Interfaith project, which is funded by the Campaign for Human
Development, and conducted a six-month series of meetings focused on the
problems in the neighborhood and the need for community leaders and developed
a six-point plan with the police and local schools to take back their
neighborhood. Street violence was reduced, and the number of parents
participating in school events went from twenty to two hundred. Plans are
underway with the city of Phoenix to build a multicultural recreation center
in the community. And St. Catherine is now working with other churches in
Phoenix on wider issues on justice. |
Building Solidarity: Beyond Parish Boundaries
Parishes are called to be communities of solidarity. Catholic social teaching
more than anything else insists that we are one family; it calls us to overcome
barrier of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, economic status, and nationality.
We are one in Christ Jesus (cf. Gal 3:28)—beyond our differences and
boundaries.
Parishes need to be bridge-builders, reminding us that we are part of a Universal
Church with ties of faith and humanity to sisters and brothers all over the
world. Programs of parish twinning, support for Catholic Relief Services,
mission efforts, migration and refugee activities, and other global ministries
are signs of solidarity in a shrinking and suffering world. Advocacy on human
rights, development and peace through legislative networks, and other efforts
are also signs of a faith without boundaries and a parish serious about its
social responsibilities. A key test of a parish's "Catholicity" is
its willingness to go beyond its boundaries to serve those in need and work for
global justice and peace. Working with others for common goals across
religious, racial, ethnic, and other lines is another sign of solidarity in
action.
We hope these seven elements of the social mission of parishes can serve as a
framework for planning and assessing parish social ministry. The more practical
resources that accompany these reflections may offer some help and assistance
in meeting these challenges. National and diocesan structures have materials,
resources, and personnel to help parishes assess and strengthen their social
ministry.
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At Our Lady of the Miraculous
Medial Parish in Los Angeles, California, Catholic Relief Service's Operation
Rice Bowl helps parishioners learn about human needs around the globe and
offers them an opportunity to act to address those needs. Throughout their
Lenten observances--at Masses, in the bulletin, during their Soup
Night--information is provided about the international relief programs funded
by Operation Rice Bowl (ORB) and the importance of support for this program
by U.S. parishes. Families are encouraged to use ORB materials in their own
Lenten programs of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. To supplement the money
raised through individual gifts, parishioners sell bread from a local
"Justice Baker." A portion of the proceeds from these sales is kept
by the parish and contributed to Operation Rice Bowl programs. |
Many parishes have found their
community to integrate more fully the social justice dimensions life enriched
and strengthened by a serious effort of our faith. They have also learned some
lessons.
Rooting Social Ministry in Faith
Parish social action should flow clearly from our faith. It is Jesus who calls
us to this task. Social ministry is an expression of who we are and what we
believe; it must be anchored in the Scriptures and church teaching. With the
eyes of faith, we see every "crack baby" or person with AIDS, every Haitian
refugee or Salvadoran immigrant, every victim of unjust discrimination, and
every person combatting addiction as a child of God, a sister or brother, as
Jesus in disguise. These are not simply social problems, economic troubles, or
political issues. They are moral tragedies and religious tests. Parish social
ministry is first and foremost a work of faith.
The social mission of the parish begins in the gospel's call to conversion; to
change our hearts and our lives; to follow in the path of charity, justice, and
peace. The parish is the place we should regularly hear the call to conversion
and find help in answering the Lord's call to express our faith in concrete
acts of charity and justice.
Respecting Diversity
We are a very diverse community of faith—racially, ethnically, economically,
and ideologically. This diversity should be respected, reflected, and
celebrated in our social ministry. For example, what works in a predominately
African American parish in an urban neighborhood may not be appropriate for a
largely white suburban or rural congregation. The issues, approaches, and
structures may differ, but our common values unite us. Social justice
coalitions across racial, ethnic, and geographic lines can be an impressive
sign of the unity of the Body of Christ.
Leadership: Pastors, Councils, Committees, and Educators
While pursuing social justice is a task for every believer, strengthening
parish social ministry depends on the skill and commitment of particular parish
leaders. Pastors and parish priests have special responsibilities to support
integral social ministry. By their preaching, participation, and priorities,
they indicate what is important and what is not. They can make it clear that
social justice is a mission of the whole parish, not a preoccupation of a few.
They are called to teach the authentic social doctrine of the universal Church.
Other parish staff members and leaders play crucial roles in shaping the
quality of parish social ministry. Parish councils in their important planning
and advisory functions can help place social ministry in the center parish
life. Councils can be a means of collaboration and integration, bringing
together liturgy, formation, outreach, and action into a sense of common
mission. Councils can play a valuable role in assessing current efforts,
setting priorities for the future, and building bridges between parish
ministries.
Many parishes have special committees focused on social concerns. These
structures can play crucial roles in helping the parish community act on the
social justice dimensions of its overall mission. Some parishes have staff
members who coordinate social ministry efforts. This is a promising
development. These committees and coordinators best serve parishes by
facilitating and enabling the participation of the parish community, rather
than simply doing the work on behalf of the parish.
Educators in parish schools, religious education, and formation efforts have
special responsibility to share our tradition of social justice as an integral
part of our faith. They shape the leaders of the future and by, their teaching
and example share the social dimensions of our Catholic faith.
Creative and competent leaders-clerical and lay, professional and volunteer-are
indispensable for effective parish social ministry. They deserve more
assistance, encouragement, financial support, and tools to help them fulfill
these demanding roles. Leadership development efforts and ongoing training help
parishes strengthen their social ministry capacity.
Links to Diocesan Structures
No parish functions totally by itself. Parish leaders often look to other
parishes and diocesan social justice structures for help in fulfilling these
responsibilities. Almost all dioceses have social justice structures that offer
resources and training for parishes. These structures are diverse including
justice and peace commissions, social action offices, CHD funding and education
efforts, rural life offices, and parish social ministry programs of Catholic
Charities. Other diocesan groups also offer opportunities for service and
action for parishes, for example, Councils of Catholic Women, St. Vincent De
Paul Society, Ladies of Charity, ecumenical advocacy and outreach efforts. Many
dioceses offer specific "handles" for parish action-legislative
networks, work on specific issues or needs, convening parish leaders, providing
educational programs coordinating outreach, and so forth. For the most part,
parishes cannot go it alone in this area. It is just as clear that diocesan social
action can only be effective if it builds parish capacity. Good ties between
diocesan and parish efforts are indispensable.
Practicing What We Preach
We also need to try to practice in our own parishes what we preach to others
about justice and participation. Too often we are better at talking about
justice than demonstrating it, more committed to these values in the abstract
than in our everyday ministry. We acknowledge this not to minimize our common
efforts, but to acknowledge how far we have yet to go before we fully close the
gap between our principles and our performance. Sensitive, competent, and
compassionate pastoral care is an expression of justice. Parish plans and
priorities-as well as the use of parish facilities-that reflect the social mission
of the Church are expressions of justice. Investing parish resources in social
justice and empowering the poor are also expressions of justice. Just personnel
policies, fair wages, and equal opportunity efforts are expressions of justice.
Respecting and responding to the cultural and ethnic diversity of the
communities we serve is an expression of justice. Recognizing the contributions
and welcoming the participation of all members of the parish whatever their
race, gender, ethnic background, nationality, or disability-these are integral
elements of parishes seeking justice.
Some Difficulties and Dangers
In reflecting on the social mission of the parish, the opportunities seem
clear. So do some of the difficulties. One danger is the tendency to isolate
social ministry, to confine it to the margins of parish life. Another is for
social action leaders to isolate themselves, treating the parish as a target
rather than a community to be served and empowered.
Another danger is potential partisanship, the temptation to try to use the
parish for inappropriate political objectives. We need to make sure our faith
shapes our political action, not the other way around. We cannot forget that we
pursue the kingdom of God, not some earthly vision or ideological cause.
A significant challenge is to avoid divisiveness; to emphasize the common
ground among social service and social action, education and advocacy, pro-life
and social justice, economic development and environmental commitment.
We need to work together to reflect a comprehensive concern for the human
person in our parish.
Another danger is to try to do too much on too many issues, without clear
priorities and an effective plan of action. Not everyone can do everything, but
the parish should be a sign of unity in pursuing a consistent concern for human
life and human dignity.
The final and most serious danger is for parish leaders to act as if the social
ministry of the Church was the responsibility of someone else. Every believer
is called to serve those in need, to work for justice, and to pursue peace.
Every parish has the mission to help its members act on their faith in the
world.
We close these brief reflections
with a word of support and encouragement for pastors and parish leaders. The
social ministry of the Church is not just another burden, another set of
expectations to feel bad about, though in these demanding days it may sometimes
seem that way.
The social ministry is already a part of your ministry and leadership. We hope
these reflections help you and those you work with to explore how best to carry
out this part of your parish's mission. What is strong already? What can be
further developed? What needs greater attention? How, given limited time and
resources and other obligations, can our parish better share and act on the
social justice demands of the gospel?
The Catholic community has been making steady progress in this area. We seek to
build on and share these achievements. We know from experience that parishes
that strengthen their social ministry enrich every aspect of their parish,
bringing increased life and vitality, greater richness, and community to their
entire family of faith.
We offer our gratitude and admiration to those who are leading and helping our
parishes act on their social mission. We pledge our support to those who pursue
this important challenge with new commitment and energy.
In the gospel, we read how John the Baptist's followers came to Jesus and
asked, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for
another?" Jesus responded in this way: "Go and tell John what you
hear and see: The blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed
to them" (Mt 11:3-5).
These are still the signs of Christ among us-parishes across our country who in
their own ways are caring for the sick, opening eyes and ears, helping life
overcome death, and preaching the good news to the poor.
Today, more than ever, our parishes are called to be communities of
"salt" and "light"; to help believers live their faith in
their families, communities, work, and world. We need parishes that will not
"lose their flavor" nor put their "light under a basket."
We seek to build evangelizing communities of faith, justice, and solidarity,
where all believers are challenged to bring God's love, justice, and peace to a
world in desperate need of the seasoning of the gospel and the light of
Catholic teaching.
Notes
U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau
of the Census, 1990.
Allan Guttmacher Institute, 1991.
UNICEF, State of the World's
Children, 1992.
For a more extensive treatment of
Catholic social teaching, see A Century of Social Teaching: A Common Heritage,
A Continuing Challenge. A Pastoral Message of the Catholic Bishops of the
United States on the 100th Anniversary of "Rerum Novarum"
(Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1990).
Discussion/Assessment (Questions)
. . . (W)e believe the Church's
social mission is an essential measure of every parish community . . . . We
need to build local communities of faith where our social teaching is central,
not fringe; where social ministry is integral, not optional; where it is the
work of every believer, not just the mission of a few committed people and
committees" (Communities of Salt and Light, p. 4).
The following questions are based on the framework for integrating social
ministry throughout parish life contained in Communities of Salt and Light.
They are designed to help pastors, parish councils, staff, committees, and
other groups reflect on their parish's social ministry. They provide an
opportunity to do a general assessment that can identify both strengths and
weaknesses in efforts to integrate the Church's social mission into various
aspects of parish ministry. This general assessment can lead to further
discussions by those responsible for each area of ministry.
Anchoring Social Ministry: Prayer and Worship
In what ways does our parish worship
reflect Christ's call to conversion, to service, and to working for justice?
During the liturgy, in what ways is
the gospel's call to build peace, work for justice, and care for the poor
regularly reflected in the general intercessions, in homilies, in our
celebrations of special feast days and holidays, and at other appropriate
times?
How do our sacramental celebrations
help us renew our commitment to reconciliation throughout our lives and
rededicate ourselves to Jesus' message of love and justice, especially for
those in need?
What opportunities for prayer,
scripture study, and reflection on our Christian vocation does our parish
offer? How is our social mission incorporated into these activities?
In what ways are our social ministry
efforts clearly rooted in Scripture and spirituality, and connected to liturgy
and prayer?
Sharing the Message:Preaching and
Education
How effectively does preaching at
our parish reflect the social dimensions of our faith?
In what ways is our rich heritage of
Catholic social teaching integrated into our school curriculum?
our religious education program?
our sacramental preparation program?
our Christian initiation ministry?
our ongoing religious formation and
enrichment for adults?
Supporting the "Salt of the
Earth": Family, Work, Citizenship
Sustaining Christian marriage and
shaping family life around gospel values can be difficult in our culture. What
concrete and practical support does our parish offer
to married couples and to those
preparing for marriage (counsel, retreats, small faith communities)?
to parents (parenting skills
workshops, support groups)?
An important opportunity for living
our faith is through our work, in everyday decisions and actions, in the way we
treat coworkers and customers. How does our parish support our members in
practicing Christianvalues in the workplace?
In what ways are parishioners
providing leadership in unions, community groups, professional associations,
and political organizations? How does our parish support them as they live
their faith in these leadership roles?
Serving the "Least of These':
Outreach and Charity
In what ways is our parish serving
those in need?
How do parishioners become aware of
these opportunities for service and action? 3. How effectively have we involved
our parish community in our social ministry efforts?
What direction do our service
programs provide to our parish efforts in advocacy -in changing the conditions
that create poverty and suffering?
Advocating for Justice: Legislative
Action
How does our parish help
parishioners become better informed on public policy issues that impact the
poor and vulnerable?
In what ways do we encourage our
members to become more active citizens, exercising their right to vote and
participating in public life?
What opportunities does our parish
provide for parishioners to speak and act effectively in the public arena on
behalf of the poor and vulnerable, to bring our values to debates about local,
national, and international policies and priorities?
How effectively have we involved our
parish community in advocacy efforts?
Creating Community: Organizing for
Justice
What community organization exist in
our local community or diocese"
How is our parish participating in
or supporting such efforts?
Building Solidarity: Beyond Parish
Boundaries
In what ways does our parish provide
to our members information about the needs of our brothers and sisters,
especially the poor and vulnerable, in other lands?
What links does our parish have to
people, parishes, or other groups around the globe?
What opportunities does our parish
offer us to act in solidarity on international issues and needs?
Monsignor Robert N. Lynch
General Secretary
NCCB/USCC
ISBN 1-55586-701-4
Fourth Printing, January 1996
Scriptural excerpts from The New American Bible, copyright © 1970 (New.
Testament copyright 1986), the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine,
Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc., Washington, D.C. All
rights reserved. Material from this book may be reproduced for use within a
parish or school after a copy of the book has been purchased. The copyright
prohibits dioceses from reproducing any sections of the book for distribution
to parishes and/or schools.
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