Communion of the Church Gives Rise to Mission

(Msgr. Vincent J. Grimalia, V.G., Vicar General of the Diocese, continues his series of descriptions of the Church and their relevance for our Diocese and pastoral planning.)

Our Diocesan Mission Statement looks at the Church and parish from the perspective of the Mystery of Vocation, Communion and Mission. This article begins a reflection of the Church as Mission, while also recognizing that the Church is also a manifestation of Vocation and Communion.

The late pontiff, John Paul II, makes explicit the connection of communion and mission in these words: “Communion and mission are profoundly connected with each other, they interpenetrate and mutually imply each other, to the point that communion represents both the source and the fruit of mission: communion gives rise to mission and mission is accomplished in communion. It is always the one and the same Spirit who calls together and unifies the Church and sends her to preach the Gospel ‘to the ends of the earth’ (Acts 1:8). On her part, the Church knows that the communion received by her as a gift is destined for all people. Thus the Church feels she owes to each individual and to humanity as a whole the gift received from the Holy Spirit that pours the charity of Jesus Christ into the hearts of believers, as a mystical force for internal cohesion and external growth.

“The mission of the Church flows from her own nature. Christ has willed it to be so: that of ‘sign and instrument... of unity of all the human race.’ Such a mission has the purpose of making everyone know and live the ‘new’ communion that the Son of God made man introduced into the history of the world. In this regard, then, the testimony of John the Evangelist defines in an undeniable way the blessed end towards which the entire mission of the Church is directed: ‘That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ’” (1 Jn 1:3). [Christifideles Laici, n.32]

Reflecting further on the vine and the branches, Pope John Paul II discussed the mystery of vocation, communion and mission: 
“The gospel image of the vine and the branches reveals to us another fundamental aspect of the lay faithful’s life and mission: the call to growth and a continual process of maturation, of always bearing much fruit.

“As a diligent vinedresser, the Father takes care of his vine. God’s solicitude is so ardently called upon by Israel, that she prays: ‘Turn again, O God of hosts! / Look down from heaven, and see; / have regard for this vine, / the stock which your right hand has planted’ (Ps 80:15-16). Jesus himself speaks of the Father’s work: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit’ (Jn 15:1-2).” [Christifideles Laici, n.57]

The late pope repeats the importance of communion and the response of the faithful to the vocation or call to holiness, if the mission of the Church is to be effective: “The vitality of the branches depends on their remaining attached to the vine, which is Jesus Christ: ‘He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing’ (Jn 15:5).” [Christifideles Laici, n.57] 

He again recalls each person’s vocation to holiness, communion, mission, responsibility and accountability, that respects our free will: “People are approached in liberty by God who calls everyone to grow, develop and bear fruit. A person cannot put off a response nor cast off personal responsibility in the matter. The solemn words of Jesus refer to this exalted and serious responsibility: ‘If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned’ (Jn 15:6).” [Christifideles Laici, n.57]

Pope John Paul II emphasized throughout his life and ministry the importance of ongoing faith formation, enriched by the Second Vatican Council. As Archbishop of Cracow, he wrote a book, Sources of Renewal, to prepare for an archdiocesan synod on the implementation of the Second Vatican Council. Prayer and study were serious components of the preparation of the synod and the synod process.

In the preface, Father Adam Kubis, editor, stated clearly: “The object of the synod was to enrich the religious consciousness of the people of God and to form mature Christian attitudes, by studying the teaching of Vatican II and considering how best to implement it. The committees and study groups were aided in this work by the ‘Study’ in which their bishop explained to them from the beginning what it was that had to be put into practice. The synod’s fundamental task was to translate the program set forth in the ‘Study’ into the life of the Cracow diocese.” …In other words, to make the teaching alive and life-giving in persons, attitudes, structures and activities.

In his own words, the then-Archbishop Wojtyla, noted that the book looked at the Council and its documents “always from the point of view of translating them into the life and faith of the Church.” To make the enrichment of faith begun by the Second Vatican Council a spiritual renewal that continues to develop and mature, the original documents and documents expressing further development must be studied. This is a most important concern in the Diocese of Scranton at this time as we are preparing for the implementation of the Directives on Parish Pastoral Councils and preparing for parish self-study and pastoral planning for the evangelization of persons and culture, which includes pastoral care of vocations and cultivating a culture of vocation.

Later in his Apostolic Exhortation on the “Members of Christ’s Lay Faithful” (Christifidelis Laici), Pope John Paul II noted: “In this dialogue between God who offers his gifts, and the person who is called to exercise responsibility, there comes the possibility, indeed the necessity, of a total and ongoing formation of the lay faithful, as the Synod Fathers have rightly emphasized in much of their work. After having described Christian formation as ‘a continual process in the individual of maturation in faith and a likening to Christ, according to the will of the Father, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,’ they have clearly affirmed that the formation of the lay faithful must be placed among the priorities of a diocese. It ought to be so placed within the plan of pastoral action that the efforts of the whole community (clergy, lay faithful and religious) converge on this goal.”

At present, our Diocese is preparing for the implementation of the Directives on Parish Pastoral Councils and the development of Parish Mission Statements based on the Diocesan Mission Statement. The Diocese is also is involved in the Meitler Study, a strategic planning process of all secondary and elementary schools. After Parish Pastoral Councils are functioning, a parish self-study will be conducted and lead to parish pastoral planning. Renewal and reorganization of the deaneries is also being studied.

All of these initiatives, to be properly understood, must be seen in the context of the Second Vatican Council’s call to holiness, and the developing awareness of the Church as mystery of vocation, communion and mission. Ongoing faith formation is necessary for every Catholic. To be effective members of parish pastoral councils, parish finance councils, and parish self-study groups, a person must make a commitment to prayer and faith formation. If they are unable to make this commitment to prayer and study, they should not serve.

In a July 2004 Pastoral Letter, Bishop Martino provided a context for current and future Diocesan initiatives, when he wrote: “I also ask you to pray as we begin to plan for the spiritual and pastoral renewal of our Diocese. This will be an arduous, but necessary, endeavor as we progress further into the new century and new millennium. The Holy Father has asked us to engage in a ‘New Evangelization.’ The message of our evangelization is not what will be new. It will be the perennial announcement of the Good News of Jesus Christ. However, it will be new in the ardor of our evangelization work, in the methods we employ, and in the ways we express the Church’s evangelization mission in the new circumstances of today. If we plan without first praying, we will rightly be condemned to failure . . . The spiritual and pastoral renewal of the Diocese of Scranton will mean that we need to look at every one of our structures, i.e., our parishes, schools, institutions, buildings and programs. Are these entities the right ones for the 21st century? Are these entities currently prepared to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ as Jesus intends them to do?” 

We have been reflecting on the Church as vocation, communion and mission. Evangelization is how the Church fulfills the mission that is the Church. When the Church evangelizes, proclaims and witnesses to Jesus Christ and his Gospel to persons and cultures, it is calling people to holiness.

Recently, Pope Benedict XVI stated: “Within the universal call to holiness (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:3) is found the particular vocation to which God summons every individual. In this regard, I encourage you to remain vigilant in your duty to promote a culture of vocation.” [Pope Benedict XVI's Address to the Bishops of Atlantic Canada, May 20, 2006, n.5] 

Likewise, we can agree with the statement that: “Vocation is the very heart of the new evangelization …it is the call of God to man for a new season of truth and liberty.” [New Vocations for a New Europe (In Verbo tuo...) n. 12]

In the Diocesan Pastoral Plan for Vocations, there is a reflection on our Diocesan Mission Statement that likewise makes direct and clear connection between evangelization and promoting pastoral care of vocations, and cultivating a culture of vocations, in these simple and clear words: “We the Catholic faithful … are called.” This statement speaks of vocation; it says we are all called. Through parish self-study and pastoral planning for the mission of evangelization, we answer the call; we respond to our vocation. Evangelization then becomes our work of calling others to their call from God or, in others words, to their vocation.

We are called to holiness and to participate in the Mission of the Church. Through our prayers and study we will be better able to help answer these questions posed by Bishop Martino, as we continue to study and plan: “…we need to look at every one of our structures, i.e., our parishes, schools, institutions, buildings and programs. Are these entities the right ones for the 21st century? Are these entities currently prepared to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ as Jesus intends them to do?”

After prayer and study, we will need the courage and ability to act on what we have learned for the sake of the mission of the Church.