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Posted December 9, 2004
Book: The Catholic Parish: Hope for a Changing World Author: Robert J. Hater Paulist Press, NY, pp. 248 An Excerpt from the Jacket:
Robert Hater provides a roadmap that will guide parishes through an examination and renewal of pastoral ministry relevant to today’s world. Engaging and enthusiastic, this hands-on guide is a must-read for anyone engaged in parish ministry or interested in making the parish a truly Christian community. An Excerpt from the Book: Pastoral Suggestions Paul Wilkes, in Excellent Catholic Parishes, listed eighteen common traits of excellent parishes. Each point in this final section begins by quoting Wilkes’s common traits as a basis for a checklist. Following each of his quotations, my pastoral questions are intended to help parishes evaluate their life and ministry. Wilkes says that excellent parishes . . . 1. Are Looked Upon As Missionary Outposts. To what extent is your parish an integral part of the neighborhood community, seeking to change it for the better while remaining faithful to your Catholic roots? To what degree does your parish appreciate its cultural composition, needs, dreams, and customs and take specific steps to address them in preaching and ministry? 2. Maintain the Edge. How often does your parish evaluate itself, asking how to improve on what is presently being done, especially in the liturgy, to avoid falling into mediocrity? If people do not respond enthusiastically to parish ministry, to what extent is your parish eager to change to ensure parish vibrancy? 3. Have a “Habit of Being.” To what extent does your parish manifest a fundamental orientation that reflects welcome, respect, excellent ministries, connections to real life, and a joyful presence in the liturgy and at other times? In what ways can it be said of your parish that new attendees and regular members are moved by the enthusiasm and eagerness of parishioners to respond to them as persons, concerned about their faith and human needs? Table of Contents:Part One:Refocusing the Vision — Parishes: Past and Present 1. Today’s parishes at a crossroad parishes: the way they were changes in society, changes in parishes historical crossroads in U.S. parishes pastoral suggestions 2. Facing the New Crossroad shifting theological and pastoral perspectives facing the new crossroads internal dynamics facing parish life pastoral suggestions 3. Centering on People’s Needs Catholic identity addressing people’s needs recreating the parish pastoral suggestions Part Two: Grounding the vision — evangelization 4. Evangelization: the heart of parish life and ministry the meaning of evangelization evangelization and the kingdom evangelization and ministry evangelization: the responsibility of the entire Christian community evangelization: family, parish, and work pastoral suggestions Part Three: Living Out the Vision — Chief Aspects of Evangelizing Ministry 6. Catechetical Ministry focusing parish catechesis dimensions of catechesis catechetical personnel pastoral suggestions 7. Liturgical Ministry the meaning of liturgy challenges to liturgy enhancing parish liturgy pastoral suggestions 8. Service Ministry parish ministry and Jesus’ Call to serve social ministry in the family and society pastoral suggestions Part Four: Realizing the Vision — The World and the Parish: Present and Future 9. Challenging a Parish’s Vision society’s basic orientation aspects of American society pastoral suggestions 10. Managing the Parish’s Vision a parish’s fundamental orientation, style, and mission a parish’ mission statement the parish planning process pastoral suggestions 11. Refocusing Parish Ministries through Rites of Passages meeting people’s basic spiritual needs key life moments and sacramental ministry key life moments and extra-sacramental ministry pastoral suggestions |
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