Sharing a ministry

BY: MGR PAUL NADAL

I would like to start this brief series on the priestly and pastoral ministry since Vatican II by giving a brief overview of some of the pastoral developments which have taken place since the council in South Africa, with reference also to the archdiocese of Durban, which I serve as a priest.

Prior to Vatican II, Catholic identity and spirituality was given first and foremost in the home and in the many Catholic schools run by the Church. In that spirituality the Mass always took pride of place.

There were, however, many other devotional practices—benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, devotion to First Fridays in honour of the Sacred Heart, May devotions to Our Lady, strict Lenten fasts, family rosary, and many societies and sodalities which formed us and nourished us spiritually.

Vatican II brought about a new vision with many changes. The changes that touched the people most directly were the liturgical changes in the celebration of Mass and the sacraments. Mass was now in the language of the people and the altar faced them.

Much was done to introduce the teachings of Vatican II. Here I mention a few.

At the national level:

• A new catechism, The People of God series, was introduced in 1969. Adapted and translated into 12 indigenous languages, it tries to bring the vision of Vatican II into the religious instruction classroom.
• An interdiocesan consultation was held in 1980. After wide consultation (and much to my surprise), the theme that emerged was “Catechetics or Religious Instruction”. In those apartheid years many of us thought it would be social justice and liberation.
• In 1989 the bishops launched the pastoral plan with its theme of “Community Serving Humanity”.

In the archdiocese of Durban the first ever diocesan synod was held in 1968 (more would take place on a regular basis). The theme that emerged was “Formation”. Bible services or study were introduced and encouraged for the first time.

After 1968, the diocesan pastoral council was introduced and parishes were encouraged to create parish pastoral councils. After 1987, the archdiocese of Durban chose the Renew process as its way of implementing the Pastoral Plan.

Perhaps the greatest thing to emerge from Renew was the formation of faith-sharing groups. At a diocesan level the Renew process was followed by a three year “Follow Me” process.

The last synod was held in 2007with the theme “Evangelisation. Mini parish synods have been held in many parishes.

The Synod Implementation Committee in conjunction with the adult formation team has produced material which has concentrated on personal evangelisation. This year the archdiocese will undertake an evaluation of the process and decide on a way forward.

How has all that has affected the priestly and pastoral ministry?

Without exception all those who have been involved in the emergence of new ministries in the Church—whether it be liturgical ministries, or ministries of religious education, Bible study, spiritual counselling, missionary outreach, visitation of the sick and elderly—will cite the leadership and disposition of the pastor as perhaps the most significant factor in the promotion of ministries.

I do not think it an exaggeration to say that the development of pastoral ministries will depend on the judgment, initiative and support of the pastor. That has been my experience in the many years I worked nationally and locally in the field of catechetics and religious education.

The development of faith-sharing groups, Small Christian communities and new parish ministries is without doubt one of the most significant developments taking place in parishes today. None of this can happen until priests see their ministry—that is the Church’s ministry—as a shared and collaborative ministry.

This must in no way be seen to detract from the different ministries within the total ministry of the Church, that is the ordained and non-ordained ministry of the Church.

This is the first part in Mgr Paul Nadal’s series on the priesthood and ministry.