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THOU ART A PRIEST
FOREVER A VADEMECUM for Priests - Archdiocese of Bombay |
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The Vademecum begins by describing the personal traits which a diocesan priest shares with all those called to the Sacred Priesthood, viz. a divine vocation to personal sanctity and to service in the Church and society at large. A priest is “chosen from among men for things that pertain to God” (Heb 5:1). On the day of his ordination he was admonished by the Bishop to “imitate what you handle” and to “treat sacred things in a holy manner”. His vocation was not because of his merits, intellectual talents or spiritual gifts, but a gratuitous calling from God. Nor was it for his personal gain, but solely for God’s greater glory. “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and have appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last” (Jn 15:16). The Sacred Priesthood unites three challenging dimensions in a priest’s life: human, Christian and sacerdotal. All these are closely interrelated and must be carefully cultivated. Human qualities A priest must have such human and humane traits of character that others may see in him a true gentleman who, in the words of John Henry Cardinal Newman, is “one who never inflicts pain, who carefully avoids whatever may cause a jar or a jolt in the minds of those with whom he is cast, his great concern being to make everyone feel at ease and at home...” (from The Idea of a University). A diocesan priest must acquire interpersonal and managerial skills, and learn the art of using properly his time and talents, as well as the human resources available around him. He must know how to tackle personal stress, and to share responsibility with his co-workers. He should learn to appreciate the wisdom and experience of his elders, as well as the enthusiasm and zeal of those junior to him. A priest should be involved in a process of constant intellectual and spiritual renewal, thus avoiding the risk of becoming stagnant in his vocation. Furthermore, he must be a natural educator of human values, by word and example. Christian virtues A priest must excel in Christian virtues as portrayed in the life and teachings of Our Blessed Lord. This would mean living Gospel values in an exemplary manner, especially the Beatitudes and Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. He will pay particular attention to Our Lord’s command to forgive “seventy times seven” and to the new commandment He gave His disciples at the Last Supper to “love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). A priest will teach, by word and example, those entrusted to his pastoral care how to be Spirit-filled and Spirit-led, viz. how to combat the “fruits of the flesh” and to produce the “fruits of the Spirit”: peace, joy, love, faithfulness, forbearance, perseverance, unity, purity, self-control, etc. (Gal 5:19-23). Sacerdotal traits Through his sacerdotal ordination a priest enters in a special way into Christ’s triple role of prophet, priest and king. He must therefore necessarily show the sacerdotal traits of being a Man of God and a Man for Others. Man of God As a Man of God he will irradiate everywhere and at all times the sense of the sacred in such a way that it is felt by those around him, especially when he administers the Sacraments and the sacramentals. These must be performed, not as mere rituals recited by rote, but as spiritual signs of God’s presence and action in the lives of those he is ministering unto. While celebrating the Sacraments, he is acting in the person of Jesus Christ as Head of the Church. He will pay particular attention to the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and to the Sacrament of Penance, because it was precisely for these that he has been ordained a priest. As a natural consequence of being a Man of God, a priest will also be a Man of Prayer. He prays the Breviary every day as the official spokesman of all humankind before God. He will nurture a great love for Our Lord in the Blessed Eucharist and take time off frequently to be in His sacred presence. He will receive the Sacrament of Penance regularly, make a spiritual Retreat at least every two years, and will nurture his spiritual life with daily meditation, spiritual reading, and a filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. A priest should regularly examine whether his lifestyle is becoming of a Man of God. Man for Others A diocesan priest is supposed to be “a people’s priest”. He has to interact with the men, women, youth and children, Christians and people of other faiths, who live in the area entrusted to his pastoral care. He will be “all things to all of them” (1 Cor 9:22). In imitation of Jesus the Good Shepherd, he will be their leader, friend and guide. He will be specially alert to their spiritual, social and even material needs, and will pay particular attention to each one’s sensibility and character, always bearing in mind the total detachment from persons and things expected of him as a priest of Jesus Christ: a sign of this is his solemn commitment to a life of celibacy and perfect chastity. As a Man for Others he is called to form people in Christian belief and values, and to proclaim God’s Word through homilies, catechesis and other forms of the teaching ministry which should communicate effectively the Christian message of peace and goodwill, and the universal brotherhood of human beings under the fatherhood of God. In dealing with women, a priest must recognise their dignity and the role they have played in the history of salvation. He will treat them with delicacy and respect, bearing in mind Jesus’ warm and welcoming attitude towards His blessed Mother, Martha and Mary Magdalene, the women who assisted Him on His journeys, the Samaritan woman, the one ailing for many years, the woman caught in adultery, and others. Celibacy can be lived in a healthy way when a priest learns to live with a “circumcised heart”, maintains the proper boundaries and treats those involved in parish activities as mature collaborators. Called to be in the world but not of it, a diocesan priest will be wary of getting involved in worldly pursuits or of being closely associated with persons engaged in party politics or monetary speculations. He must be totally transparent and accountable, especially in financial affairs. A priest needs to house in himself the contradiction, best seen in the life of Jesus Christ, by combining mercy with justice, human warmth with spiritual depth, attachment to mission with detachment from worldly matters. Even though the adage that “the habit does not make the monk” is true, a priest’s attire should reflect his identity and make him recognisable everywhere, e.g. by wearing a Cross which is visible on his garments. Besides using the mandatory vestments when administering the Sacraments and sacramentals, a priest should maintain a certain decorum in dress, behaviour and code of conduct when on duty in the parish office, at public meetings, social functions, etc.: it could be the cassock, kurta/sherwani with a clerical collar/band-gala and cross, or a shirt with a clerical collar. DIOCESAN PRIESTS AS A PRESBYTERIUM Together with their Bishops, the diocesan priests form a presbyterium. This is not a gathering for social purposes, but connotes a profound union of mind and heart of the priests in the Archdiocese with their Bishop and amongst themselves, by virtue of the commitment undertaken on the day of their sacerdotal ordination when, placing their hands in his, they promised him and his successors respect and obedience. This binds them into a fraternity dedicated to the service of God and His people, and involves their personal relationship with their Bishop and with each other.St Ignatius of Antioch says that priests should be harmoniously united with their Bishop “as the strings fitted to a harp”, knowing that the respect and obedience they show him “are not so much to him as to the Father of Him who is Bishop of us all, Jesus Christ” (from Letter to the Ephesians, 4, and Letter to the Magnesians, 3). As for relationships between the priests themselves, they should be inspired by the words of St Paul: “Let your love be genuine… love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one another in showing honour. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practise hospitality” (Rm 12: 9-13). The Presbyterium: A Fraternal Community The priests in a given diocese must work as a TEAM, i.e. Together Everyone Achieves More! This involves a commitment to work together toward an agreed vision and a willingness of the team members: first, to subordinate individual accomplishments and personal preferences in order to achieve the common goal; second, to be accountable to and to submit to the appointed leadership in the Church. To give power to the TEAM (Together Everyone Achieves More), one can add the letter ‘S’, meaning Spiritually, and make TEAM turn into STEAM: Spiritually Together Everyone Achieves More. STEAM is a mighty force which, when correctly harnessed and channelled, has the potential to accomplish mighty deeds, because it is God’s Holy Spirit, who works in the lives of priests, who will achieve His plans and purposes through them. A TEAM filled with, and dependant upon, the Holy Spirit is a powerful instrument in the hands of God! Servant leadership Both individually and as a Team, priests are involved in servant leadership. This entails an ability to recognise the dignity of all persons, men and women, as created by God in His own image and likeness. The life and teachings of Our Blessed Lord, His ways of dealing with people should serve as an example on which to model their priestly life. Once this is done, relationships with strangers, confreres, parishioners and superiors will take on a very different dimension: the Gospel dimension! In the Servant Parables, Jesus - who had come “not to be served, but to serve and to give His life in ransom for many” (Mt 20:28) - has indicated the qualities He requires or reproves of in those whom He would no longer call servants, but His friends: - A faithful and wise servant gives his fellow-servants their portion of food at the proper time (Mt 24:45-51, Lk 12:42-46). - When a servant returns from a hard day’s work, he should still be available to do his master’s bidding: “We are unworthy servants, we are only doing our duty” (Lk 17:7-10). - The unforgiving servant, who forgets the many mercies he has received, is severely censured by the master (Mt 18:23-35). - The “good and faithful” servants keep watch when the master is away and await his return (Mk 13:33-37, Lk 12:35-40). They use the talents he has left with them before going on a journey, for he will expect more from those to whom he has given more (Mt 15:14-30). - Labourers called at different hours to work in the master’s vineyard, are paid the same salary at the end of the day (Mt 20:1-16). - The unfaithful servant tampers with the debtors’ accounts so as to be in their good favour (Lk 16:1-13). - Servants holding responsible positions, who abuse their authority and ill-treat their fellow-servants, are severely reprimanded by the master (Mt 24:45-51). People have much in common, but each person is a world by himself/herself. Each is different in many ways. These differences require that justice and righteousness be meted out to people according to their particular aspirations and abilities, and not in a stereotyped manner. This concept of human dignity rejects the idea of using people as commodities or economic tools. Pastoral PrioritiesIn the Archdiocese of Bombay, priests will give the first priority to their personal sanctification and to that of the faithful through the Sacraments and Christian meditation. Thereafter, the following subjects are to be considered a priority and must be attended to by them all: - Small Christian Communities - Parish Community Centres - Family, Youth and Pro-Life Apostolate - Lay Ministries - Community Welfare Fund - Lay Associations, Ecclesial Movements and New Communities - Popular Piety and Devotions - Prayer Groups and the Healing Ministry THE PARISH PRIEST Being appointed a Parish Priest is a mark of confidence which the Bishop places in a priest’s ability to lead a given portion of the diocesan flock. It implies a serious responsibility to co-ordinate the ministry of his parish team and the faithful in matters spiritual, social and material. A Parish Priest will foster a spirit of genuine communication with his Assistants and parishioners, and will build up a loving, caring and sharing fellowship among them. The quality of this communication must be authentic if the parish is to function effectively and everyone can experience a fulfilling relationship. Authentic communication is based on mutual trust, and trust in turn is based on willingness to forgive, and forgiveness is based on love. In each parish there should be a mechanism for dealing with grievances and misunderstandings, hurts and conflicts which can arise among the various members of the parish community. A Parish Priest will welcome the presence and the apostolate of consecrated men and women in the parish. He will entertain cordial relations with them and invite them to partake in the parish activities and festivities. With them he will organise the celebration of the Day of Consecrated Life in the parish every year on February 2, Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. In case there are Religious Women working in parish-related institutions, he will give them the monthly remuneration stipulated in the Archdiocese. The new Parish Priest will appreciate the goals mentioned in the vision and mission statements of the parish, and consider how he could pick up the baton of his predecessor and bring these goals to fruition. Leader of a CommunityA Parish Priest must be both a Manager and a Leader: these two concepts are not the same and interchangeable. As a Leader: - He will promote the spiritual growth among members of the community he is in charge of. He has to model this on his personal holiness. - He needs to promote correct use of time, talents and the other charisms his parishioners are blessed with. He will be sensitive to the their various needs and respond to them adequately. - He will know how to delegate powers to his Assistants and lay leaders. Delegation is not a mere distribution of work, nor does it imply becoming disinterested in the task delegated. It means trusting the person delegated and assuring him/her of his personal interest and support, because he is as much responsible for the outcome of the task as the one to whom it has been entrusted. - The Parish Priest will be true to the hallmark of a leader, which is credibility and integrity. As long as one sees a priest striving to live out his vocation in all sincerity, one will respect and follow him, even if he fails at times; but if one finds a huge gap between what he preaches and how he lives, then he will not be able to earn the trust and the respect of his parishioners. - In fine, the most important quality required for a Parish Priest to be an effective leader is self-knowledge. He should know himself well. The more he is aware of his strengths and weaknesses, the more he will be in a position to understand them in his colleagues and subordinates. Besides self-knowledge, there are three other important qualities which every Parish Priest must possess: (i) confidence in himself and others; (ii) knowledge of the work he is put in charge of; (iii) ability to communicate: As a general rule, the Principle of Subsidiarity should prevail in the Archdiocese, whereby matters and problems should be tackled progressively at the following levels: Parish, Dean, Zonal Bishop, Archbishop. SACRED LITURGY The Liturgy is a visible sign that the Church is a community of praise and worship. At every liturgical celebration - be it in private or in public, in word or in song, in the performance of the Sacraments and sacramentals or in the recitation of the Breviary - a priest must lead the members of his assembly into Jesus’ intimate Abba-experience and make them aware of the “communion of saints” in the Church Universal, so as to mingle their worship with the Magnificat of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Hallelujah and Hosanna of the Angels and Saints in heaven, with the Kyrie eleison of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and with the Maranatha and Benedictus of all the faithful on earth. Liturgical ceremonies must therefore “exude and instil a sense of the sacred, be awe-inspiring and Spirit-filled, something similar to what Moses felt in the presence of the Burning Bush (Ex 3:1-17). They must not be just a protocol of rituals done out of routine, like a body without a soul. Hence, they should be well prepared and well animated” (from the 2001 Archdiocesan Post-Synodal Letter). The Parish Priest is responsible for the worship, prayer and the spiritual formation of the people of his parish. It is he who will co-ordinate the schedule for the Eucharistic celebrations, funerals, marriages, homilies, etc., or he may delegate these duties to one of the Assistants. He must necessarily give particular attention to the celebration of the sacred mysteries enshrined in the Sacraments. He will see that the Sacraments are performed according to the approved liturgical texts, with dignity and decorum and, above all, with a sense of the sacred. Together with the parish team, the Parish Priest will plan the homilies on Sundays and days of obligation, taking care to make them Scripture-based, relevant to the daily life of his parishioners, and completely devoid of party politics or centred on canvassing for funds. While every effort is made in order to improve the celebration of the Sacraments and sacramentals in the parishes, priests would do well to remember that SCCs are indeed one of the ideal places where catechesis on the community dimension of the celebration of the Sacraments could be imparted. For this purpose, priests should make diligent use of the book “The Community Meets Jesus in the Sacraments”. For Sacraments other than the Holy Eucharist (e.g. Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage), if the priest is wearing a cassock, it would suffice that he puts on a surplice and stole. Otherwise, he should wear an alb and a stole. The Holy Oils of Chrism, Catechumens and for the Anointing of the Sick should be preserved in a safe and honourable place in the church/sacristy. The Sacraments Sacrament of Baptism The Parish Team will help parents to accept joyfully the gift of life given them and through them to their children. As the parents/god-parents prepare for the baptism of their children/god-children, he will make them aware of their serious responsibility to educate them in the love and fear of the Lord. Adults preparing for the Sacraments of Christian Initiation would do well to follow the Adult Catechumenate restored by the Second Vatican Council, as indicated in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Permission of the Archdiocesan Curia is needed before non-Christian adults or baptised non-Catholics can be received into the Catholic Church. Sacrament of Confirmation The Sacrament of Confirmation - which indicates a call to spiritual maturity in Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit - is normally administered to young adults (pre-adolescents) who are deemed to have reached the “age of discretion”. For practical purposes, this maturity of mind and heart could be presumed in students who are studying in Standard XI or those who are about 16 years of age. Before receiving this Sacrament, the candidates should be given intensive training in catechism for a period of 12 months. This will also be an opportune moment to introduce them to daily personal prayer and to community service which should be characteristic of adult Catholics. The Parish Priests should take this responsibility seriously and appoint Religious and/or other trained lay personnel to undertake this training programme, if they cannot do it themselves. The occasion of Confirmation can provide an excellent opportunity to organise meetings/seminars where experts in Christian psychology could interact with the parents of the candidates on how they should handle their teenaged children. SACRED LITURGY (contd.)
Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist. 1. The Parish Priest will see to it that the liturgical norms are carefully observed in the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He will not allow aberrations of any kind to enter into this most sacred function of a priest. When he is not sure of something, he will consult the Zonal Bishop or Archbishop’s House. 2. When celebrating the Eucharist, the main celebrant must use the alb, stole and chasuble, while the concelebrants could use only the alb and stole. No exceptions are permitted as far as this requirement is concerned. If any priest from outside or within this Archdiocese wishes to celebrate the Eucharist in any of our Churches, religious houses or institutions, it should be made very clear that this may be done only when he is vested in the above manner. 2. The brief pauses for personal reflection recommended during the Mass should be strictly observed: e.g. before the confession of sins, after the invitation “Let us pray”, after the readings and the homily, at Communion time. These moments must enhance the awe and respect due to the Sacred Mystery being performed and to the Divine Guest received in Holy Communion. The faithful should be taught how to spend these precious moments in praise, worship, thanksgiving and intercession. 4. Only a priest or a deacon may give the homily at Holy Mass. As far as possible, it should be based on the readings of the Mass or on the special themes chosen by the Archdiocese. Personal opinions, sympathies or antipathies should never be expressed from the pulpit. On special occasions - e.g. on Days dedicated to the Laity, to Vocations, to the Consecrated Life, etc. - religious women and laypersons could be invited to speak after the post-Communion. 5. Special care must be taken in the preparation of the Mass for Children and Youth. From their tender years they should be introduced to the sacredness of the liturgical ceremonies and taught the value of silence and meditation. The choice of hymns must be conducive to making the liturgy meaningful and impressive. Where the performance of skits is deemed useful to stress the theme of the Mass, they should be performed before the Sacred Liturgy begins. 6. In some parishes and institutions an unauthorised practice has been introduced of giving prasad to persons of other faiths, while Catholics are receiving Holy Communion. Given the mind of the Church that private devotions should not be mixed with the Sacred Liturgy, the said practice must be forthwith discontinued. Prasad (flowers, sweets….) could be distributed after the Mass to all those who wish to receive it (including Catholics). In some Oriental Churches, blessed bread is distributed to adults and children after the liturgical services. In the early Church, catechumens were not permitted to participate in the Eucharist, and were sent home immediately after the homily. 7. The 12 points of liturgical adaptation in India, proposed by the C.B.C.I. and approved by the Holy See on April 25, 1969, are allowed in the Archdiocese. These are found in the first pages of the Roman Missal. Indian dance is allowed only as an entrance rite on special occasions, while the aarti can be performed at Mass as per the aforementioned C.B.C.I. norms. When the aarti is being done, it is much more meaningful if the whole congregation accompanies the act in song, rather than just listening passively to a song played on a tape recorder. 8. Particular care must be given to the formation, performance and dress of the altar servers. Regular courses/seminars could be given to them in order to deepen their awareness of the sacred mysteries and functions which they are called to assist, and the dignity and respect which go with it. 9. Lectors must be well-chosen and trained, if necessary, to proclaim - and not just declaim - the Word of God in an audible and understandable manner. Their dress must reflect Christian modesty and sobriety. 10. The Parish choir too should receive special attention. “Church music is a necessary and integral part of solemn liturgy.... Music and song are not, in fact, a simple decoration or ornament on top of the liturgical action. On the contrary, they are a single reality with the celebration, allowing the faithful to enter into and to interiorise the divine mysteries” (Pope John Paul II’s address to the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, January 19, 2001). Church music should therefore be conducive to prayerful, communitarian and personal recollection and meditation, and not lead to distraction or dissipation. The hymns chosen at the religious functions must enhance the awe and respect due to the sacred mystery being enacted. The accompaniment to choral and community singing should be sober, without drowning the singing itself. All music, lyrics and accompaniment with a mundane flavour or beat should be eliminated. 11. Gregorian chant in Latin is to be encouraged: it binds the faithful to the Church Universal. At least the Missa de Angelis, the Credo III and the Salve Regina should be known in the Archdiocese. 12. Priests could, for example on Sundays and Feast-days, render the celebration of the Holy Eucharist more solemn by singing parts of the Liturgy, e.g. Initial greeting, Orations, Gospel, Preface and introduction to the Our Father, the Final salutation, etc.: the tones of the Gregorian chant could be used for this purpose. 13. If the congregation has normally persons belonging to different language groups, care must be taken to cater to their language sensibility in the choice of hymns, the readings at Mass, the prayers of the faithful, etc.
14. St. Paul’s words to the Corinthians - “As often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes again” (1 Cor 11:26) - should make everyone conscious of the fact that whoever partakes of the Lord’s banquet participates in the mystery of the Lord’s death and resurrection, and becomes the herald of the Good News of His salvation. There is, therefore, an intimate relationship between ‘celebrating the Eucharist’ and ‘announcing Christ’. Entering into communion with Him in the memorial of Easter means, at the same time, becoming missionaries of the event which this rite renews on our altars through the ministry of the ordained priesthood; it means making the Paschal mystery actual in every age, until the Lord returns. Christ, the living bread from heaven, is the only One who can satiate the hunger of the human heart in every time and in every part of the earth. However, He does not want to do it alone, and therefore, as in the multiplication of the loaves, wishes the participation of His disciples. Therefore, after having celebrated the Eucharist, both the priests and the faithful should remind themselves of their responsibility to carry this mystery to every sector of the parish: through the life of the SCCs, they must transform the milieu and the world around them. 15. Holy Mass should normally be celebrated in the church. When the participants are so numerous that the church cannot contain them, it could be held in the church compound, parish hall, or in open spaces. It may be celebrated in private homes on special occasions (anniversaries, birthdays, jubilees, etc.) when the persons concerned are housebound. The Zonal Bishop must be contacted for the necessary permission. Holy Mass should, however, not be celebrated in public halls which are normally used for mundane functions (like dances, parties, etc.), nor as a matter of convenience to be combined with a reception, e.g. on the occasion of marriages. The so-called “Floor Masses” in buildings is forbidden. Group Masses are allowed only for Small Christian Communities. 16. The Parish Priest will carefully supervise the preparation of children for First Holy Communion. They should receive it on reaching the age of reason (i.e. around seven years) and after having made their sacramental confession (can.914). The catechism teachers should be trained to be their formators, by word and example, so that “according to their capacity they understand what the mystery of Christ means, and are able to receive the Body of the Lord with faith and devotion” (can.913,§1). The Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum states: “Apart from exceptional cases, it is not particularly appropriate for First Communion to be administered on Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper. Another day should be chosen instead, such as a Sunday between the Second and the Sixth Sunday of Easter, or the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or on the Sundays of Ordinary Time, since Sunday is rightly regarded as the day of the Eucharist” (n.87). During the period of preparation for First Holy Communion, meetings/seminars could be arranged for the parents of the candidates to underline their “first and primary” responsibility in the faith formation of their children and also with regard to parenting in general. 17. The Parish Priest will see to it that the Archdiocesan directives with regard to the celebration of the so-called “box” and “pluri-intentional” Masses are strictly followed. These Masses can be celebrated only twice a week, i.e. one of each or twice of either of them every week. The celebrant will take the normal stipend of one Mass and credit the remaining amount offered by the faithful into the Community Fund of the parish. The faithful should be informed about this practice and, in case anyone would prefer to have a separate Mass for his particular intention, it should be sent with the stipend received for it to Archbishop’s House which will provide for its celebration. 18. Certain parishes/institutions have, in the past, received donations in cash or properties from benefactors who linked their generosity with the obligation to have a certain number of Masses celebrated every year for their intention or for the repose of the souls departed. These are known as Bequest Masses. Although the Archdiocese has discontinued accepting Bequest Masses, Parish Priests are reminded of their serious obligation to see that the ones already accepted are being annually fulfilled. It is a matter of justice and loyal gratitude before God and towards the benefactors. Normally, at the beginning of each year, the Bequest Masses should be entered into the Parish Mass Book. In case the parish has problems to accommodate them, they could be sent at the normal stipend to Archbishop’s House which will provide for their celebration. On the occasion of his transfer, a Parish Priest should give, the list of Bequest Masses to his successor. In case of a diminution of income, Parish Priests have been advised how to act according to the provisions in the Code of Canon Law (can.1308). 19. The Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion must be carefully chosen and diligently prepared according to the norms established by the Archdiocese. They should not be too numerous. They should be persons of good repute, esteemed in the parish community and available, whenever necessary, to help in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass and to the sick, elderly and the homebound. Their names could be announced at Sunday Mass, before being submitted for approval to the Zonal Bishop and thereafter inducted in the ministry. This approval is normally given for a year: the list of such ministers should be reviewed every year by the parish team and confirmed by the Zonal Bishop, after which the ministers should renew their commitment for the year ahead. The Extraordinary Ministers may function “only when the priest or deacon are lacking, when the priest is prevented by weakness or advanced age or some other genuine reason, or when the number of faithful coming to Communion is so great that the very celebration of Mass would be unduly prolonged” (Redemptionis Sacramentum, 158). The availability of such Ministers in a given parish does not dispense the priests of the parish team from helping in the distribution of Holy Communion, even at daily Mass. The Ministers must not communicate by themselves, but should receive Holy Communion from the priest celebrant before distributing it to others. They are not allowed to open/close the Tabernacle, unless the celebrant is physically unable to do so. Besides the above functions, the Eucharistic Ministers are also authorised to help priests in the blessing of throats on the Feast of St Blaise (February 3) and in the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday. The Parish Priest should organise periodical recollections and seminars for the Extraordinary Ministers. 20. The Blessed Sacrament Chapels, where the Eucharist Lord is solemnly exposed, must be cared for with love and devotion. Parish Priests would do well to solicit the cooperation of individuals, associations and prayer groups to organisae a schedule of daily adoration, so that at any given moment there will be someone in prayer humbly interceding before the Lord and Saviour of all humankind.
SACRED LITURGY (contd.)
The Archbishop requests priests to enthusiastically support genuine expressions of popular piety and devotions to God the Father, to Our Lord Jesus – especially in the Eucharist, to the Holy Spirit, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the Angels and Saints, and to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The meaning and purpose of popular devotions, and how they should lead to authentic Christian living, have been explained at length by the Archbishop in The Examiner (November 10, 2001). PRAYER GROUPS AND THE HEALING MINISTRY Priests will encourage the Prayer Groups and the Healing Ministry in their parishes and will follow the criteria given by the Archbishop in The Examiner (March 21 and 28, April 4, 1998), the salient points of which are as follows: 1. In the Archdiocese of Bombay, only one charismatic prayer group has been allowed to be extra-parochial: Jeevan Jal (Dhobi Talao). All other charismatic groups and ministries should be parish-based, unless permitted otherwise. 2. The Ministry of Guidance and Service to the charismatic prayer groups in the Bombay Archdiocese has been entrusted to the Bombay Service Team of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR). It must receive full collaboration from the priests and the faithful, so that the CCR in the Archdiocese may bear much fruit by being “fully Catholic and fully charismatic”. 3. No one from outside the Archdiocese of Bombay may exercise, or be invited to exercise, a charismatic ministry in the parishes without the previous explicit permission – for the time being – of the Archbishop. In seeking such a permission, the persons concerned must have a valid testimonial from their own local Bishop. Even if such a document is produced, it does not mean that the Archbishop will automatically grant permission. 4. While there is no objection to a collection being taken to cover the material expenses of a given ministry, no collection must be made in favour of the persons from outside or inside the Archdiocese who have conducted the ministry. They could, of course, be given a modest thanksgiving offering. This is in keeping with the Gospel teaching that the labourer is worthy of his wages. 5. As all over the world, so also in the Bombay Archdiocese the Holy Spirit is leading some of the Catholic faithful to gather together in Covenant Communities. Such Spirit-filled communities, where the members commit themselves to help each other in the pursuit of sanctity and work together, in deep communion with their Bishop, towards building up the local Church, are to be commended and supported. 6. Priests must discourage their parishioners from frequenting certain spirituality centres which, even though they have many praiseworthy aspects, fail to take into account the ecclesial reality of those who frequent them, by ignoring the community-building process which is being carried out in parishes, and discouraging practices which are permitted in the post-Vatican II Catholic Church (insisting, for instance, that Holy Communion be received only in the mouth or on bended knees, etc.). Besides, their vociferous mode of expressing praises to God and their excessive emphasis on physical healings tend to distract many from the true discipleship of Jesus Christ manifested in bearing one’s cross with joyful patience and love. 7. The Healing Ministry in this archdiocese, has been entrusted to Jivan Vikas Trust which is directly responsible to the Archbishop. It conducts healing prayer services in favour of the sick, elderly and disabled and must be welcomed and given every support and facility in the parishes and institutions of the Archdiocese. This ministry is most appreciated by the persons who attend the prayer services: besides being prayed over, many receive personal counselling, while many others are led to make peace with God through the Sacrament of Penance. LAY ASSOCIATIONS, ECCLESIAL MOVEMENTS AND NEW COMMUNITIES The Parish Team will follow with particular attention the guidelines regarding Lay Associations, Ecclesial Movements and New Communities given by the Archbishop in The Examiner (December 11, 1999). This document explains the constituent elements of Catholic associations, movements and communities, and their collaborative role with diocesan initiatives. Their activities should always be in harmony with the parish/diocesan pastoral plan.
The Vademecum speaks of the visitation of the homes of the parishioners as the most important duty of priests in a parish, after the celebration of the Eucharist, the administration of the Sacraments and preaching the Word of God. Along with his parish team a Parish Priest should organise systematically annual visits to every one of his parish families, apart from the Easter Blessing visit. A Parish Priest should endeavour to visit every family in his parish during his tenure of office, by rotating the zone in his charge. If possible, he must not exclude those of other faiths. When visiting the homes of their parishioners, the parish team will pay particular attention to the sick, elderly and homebound, and will not ignore - wherever possible and feasible - those who are casual churchgoers, those who have left the Church to join religious sects, and persons of other faiths. They will likewise be alert to the many talents their parishioners are endowed with, and their willingness to use them for building up the parish community. They will also be quick to discern any vocations to the priesthood or the consecrated life and direct them to the Archdiocesan Vocation Promoter. Other services The Vademecum encourages every Parish Priest to establish lay ministries and to give his parishioners the maximum possibility to develop their talents and to further their mission to be the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world”. He will appreciate the “cells” already existing in the parish, and establish new ones according to the needs of the parishioners. The parishioners should be warmly recommended to attend courses aimed at deepening their spirituality and knowledge of the Church’s doctrine: as, for instance, those on Christian Meditation, the Ministry of the Word programme, the Catechists’ Training Course and the Institute for Ministries and Faith Enrichment programme held at the Archdiocesan Catechetical Centre, the Theology for the Laity courses conducted by groups such as “Deepen Your Faith” and “Wellsprings”, and the FIAMC’s Course for the Laity on “Issues in Bio-Medical Ethics”. Among the various initiatives aimed at reaching out to the poor and the marginalised, the following are worth a special mention: 1. The building up of Small Christian Communities is a very important and basic ministry in the Archdiocese. Every priest should be actively involved in these communities and should learn how to run them effectively in view of hastening the day when all the members of the community will be of one mind and heart, and will leave no one in want due to their mutual love and helpfulness. The Office for the Formation and Involvement of the Laity in the Mission of the Church (FILMC) is monitoring the work of the SCCs in the Archdiocese. Its many publications will be useful for the working of the SCCs in every parish. 2. Special attention should be given to the establishment and functioning of Community Centres in every parish. If, for any reason, a Parish Priest is not able to be the Director of the Centre, he could appoint someone else (priest, religious or layperson) to that office and consider himself as the Manager of the Centre. The relationships between them both should be spelt out within the framework of the Rules and Regulations of the Federation of Community Centres, which regulates also the salaries to be paid to the co-workers in the Centre. 3. The establishment of a Community Fund in every Parish is an Archdiocesan policy. It aims at generating funds primarily for the welfare of the have-nots of the parish community, so that the poor, weak and helpless could be cared for, no one would go to bed hungry at night, no child would be deprived of education because the parents could not afford the fees, and no one would die for lack of medical aid. Every Catholic is encouraged to contribute at least one per cent of his/her gross income to it. Of course, those who opt to give more are welcome. No one must be forced into this scheme, and much less penalised if he/she does not give any contribution, e.g. by being denied the Sacraments, School admission or Christian burial. The amount collected will be distributed according to the guidelines issued by the Archdiocese. It will be wise for the Parish Priest to consult the Zonal Bishop if he wishes to have another plan of disbursement of the Community Fund, or effect a change in the plan of his predecessor. This initiative will make the Church in every parish in the Archdiocese a “family of families”, a truly caring and sharing community of love, like the ones at the beginning of the Christian era. Transparency and accountability should be the hallmark of the use of the Community Fund, which could even be displayed on the Church Notice Board.
4. Parish Priests have been advised about giving donations to needy parishes
in the Archdiocese. The permission of the Archbishop is necessary for any
donation to persons outside the Archdiocese or for these persons to make
collections in the parish premises. THE PARISH ADMINISTRATION Besides being a pastor, the Parish Priest is also an administrator. This would involve him in the administration of parish finances and properties, reporting to the Archdiocesan Finance Office and to the Charity Commissioner, and sending certain collections to Archbishop’s House. The Parish Priest will work with the Parish Finance Committee to plan and to make recommendations pertaining to the fiscal life of the parish, and prepare an annual budget. This is required by Canon Law which states: “Each parish has to have a Finance Committee to help the Parish Priest in the administration of the goods of the Parish, without prejudice to Canon 532. It is ruled by the universal law and by the norms laid down by the Diocesan Bishop, and it is composed of the members of the faithful selected according to the said norms” (can.537). Their term of office will be for three years. As far as fund-raising initiatives are concerned, while it is necessary to collect funds for laudable purposes and admitting that certain benefits could accrue from initiatives like fund-raising fetes, fairs and other forms of entertainment, it is noted that, at times, they have degenerated into a vulgar display of a culture which is offensive to Christian modesty and decorum and leads inevitably to an erosion of sound moral values. This, of course, projects a negative image of the Catholic community and its institutions. In fact, sometimes little attention might be paid to the character and reputation of those invited to animate an event, the ambiguous messages they convey by their lyrics, and the lower human instincts which pop, hard rock music and certain dances are known to arouse. The directives in vogue in the Archdiocese are hereby strongly reiterated (cfr Cardinal Simon Pimenta’s circular dated December 10, 1993). The Parish Priest will be zealous to preserve the parish church’s heritage: this includes altars, furniture, works of architecture, painting, sculpture, as well as fittings, liturgical furnishings, vestments, musical instruments, etc. He will not dispose of them without previously consulting the Zonal Bishop. Creating an inventory and cataloguing these items would certainly provide a rich source of the historic and creative role of the Christian community. The roadside crosses, many of which have a historical significance, should be the object of particular reverence and veneration by all the faithful. Some of them have a historical significance, as they were erected to commemorate a special event or as thanksgiving for favours received, e.g. when the plague epidemic in Mumbai ceased many years ago. Besides recalling Christ Jesus’ painful suffering and death for our redemption and His glorious resurrection, these crosses are reminders of God’s countless other mercies towards us and beckon us to pray and intercede for the Church and our homeland, and for humanity at large. Parish Priests must therefore consider how best they can keep the crosses in their respective parishes well maintained all throughout the year. They will also encourage Catholics to decorate the wayside crosses with candles and, wherever possible, to organise groups to pray before them, so that the crosses become a silent, yet eloquent, witness of the faith of the Catholic community. Parish Priests are required to comply with the archdiocesan directive given to them on February 3, 2000 to erect a Memorial to the Unborn Children in their parish cemetery. This should serve as a constant reminder of the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception, and should invite those passing by to pray for the aborted babies, for their parents and for all those who have participated in destroying innocent lives even before they could see the light of day. (This item was not mentioned in the Vademecum because of an oversight.)
PRIESTS “ON THE STAFF” full responsibilities of a Parish Priest because of age, ill health or other reasons, but are still able to perform pastoral duties. These are, in particular: - Priests who have reached the retirement age (75 years) and can still help out in a parish, and priests who are sick but are able to look after themselves and assist in parish activities; - Parish Priests who are in relatively good health, but are unable to continue bearing the responsibility of running a parish for reasons deemed important by the Team of Bishops; - Priests who, for personal reasons other than the above, need a pause in their pastoral responsibilities. These priests are sometimes appointed On the Staff of a parish and are expected to help in parish duties together with the other members of the parish team. THE ASSISTANT PRIESTThe Code of Canon Law defines Assistant priests as “co-operators with the Parish Priest and sharers in his concern who, by common counsel and effort with the Parish Priest and under his authority, labour in the pastoral ministry” (can.545,§1). Unless it is otherwise expressly provided for in the Bishop’s Letter of Appointment, the Assistant priest is the Parish Priest’s qualified helper in the entire parochial ministry, so that, by their joint efforts, they can provide efficient pastoral care of the flock for which they are both answerable. THE SCHOOL PRINCIPALNormally, when a diocesan priest is appointed Principal of a School, if he is not the Parish Priest, he is also appointed as an Assistant of the parish where he resides. In addition to his usual duties in the School, therefore, he must be available for pastoral services in the parish. This, of course, would differ in each school and parish. As Principal, he will see that the Catholic ethos prevails in the teaching and non-teaching Staff and the students of the School he is entrusted with. He must impress on his teaching Staff that education and character formation must go hand-in-hand. The School teachers must inspire their students by what they are, much more than by what they teach. The Principal must discourage tuitions and create an effective teaching-learning environment in the School which would eliminate the need for students to depend on outside tuitions. The teaching of catechism is obligatory in all schools affiliated to the Archdiocesan Board of Education (ABE): these classes should be held at least thrice a week and be occasions not merely for an exposition of the tenets of the Catholic religion, but moments of deep faith formation, and should complement/be complemented by the Parish Sunday School classes for the same children. When lay teachers are entrusted with the teaching of catechism, they must be carefully selected and their training must be given priority. They should be encouraged to attend the programmes of the Archdiocese. The Principal will follow strictly the Admission Policy of the Archdiocese whereby all admissions are done according to merit, as per the decision of the Supreme Court, and by a panel of at least three persons, which must include the School Manager and Principal. Any monetary or political pressures exerted for admissions will automatically make the application void. Parents should be informed that donations and capitation fees on the occasion of admission are absolutely forbidden, even by law, and that any complaints they may have with regard to persons soliciting monetary favours to obtain admissions must be promptly referred to the Vigilance Cell at Archbishop’s House, giving relevant details of the persons concerned: name, date, place, amount asked, etc. As far as the admission of Catholic students is concerned, the archdiocesan policy is as follows: - It is the right of parents to seek admission for their children in any school of their choice. When submitting the application form, they will attach the baptismal certificate of the candidate and a testimonial from the Parish Priest stating that the parents are practising Catholics. - All Catholic students must be admitted, even if their qualification by merits is low. - In the case of parish schools, preference will be given first to the Catholics of the parish, then to Catholics from other parishes or dioceses. Given the small number of Catholics in most of the parishes in the Archdiocese, a quota of 50 per cent for Catholic admissions could be conveniently, though not exclusively, fixed in order to preserve the minority character of the institution. If, over and above this quota, there are still applications for admission from Catholics, they should be given preference over others. In case any problems arise from this procedure, the assistance of the ABE Secretary should be sought. The Principal will be vigilant in matters such as fund-raising, giving exclusive rights to commercial companies who see captive markets in school children, letting out the School premises to persons who could develop warped priorities in the students. PRIESTS IN SPECIAL MINISTRIES Some diocesan priests have been given specialised ministries in various institutions: e.g. Archbishop’s House, Diocesan Seminary, Clergy Home, Marriage Tribunal, Pastoral Centre, Communication Centre, Diocesan Estate Office, Healing Ministry, Our Lady’s Home, Snehalaya, Joseph Cardijn Technical Institute, Centre for Social Action, FILMC, KRIPA, ABE, Employment and Conciliation Office, Reconciliation Committee, Federation for Centres for Community Organisation, Workers’ Apostolate, Apostleship of the Sea, Language Chaplaincy, etc. These ministries are an integral part of the Archdiocesan pastoral thrust and must be warmly welcomed and encouraged by all sectors of the Catholic community in the Archdiocese. If those involved in these ministries are appointed as “in residence” in some parish, they will get involved in parish duties inasmuch as their special ministry would permit. THE CLERGY HOMEThe Clergy Home in Bandra plays host principally to diocesan priests who, because of age or ill health, have retired after a ministry of toil and suffering. They are now at the sunset of their lives and deserve every respect and consideration as the unsung heroes of the Archdiocese. Besides them, there are those who, though not retired, are deemed to require a moment of pause in their ministry, and others who go there for a short span of time (convalescence, rest, etc.). (Concluded) |
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