The Vibrant Parish a Place to Encounter the Living Christ
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Ukrainian Catholic Church The Vibrant Parish a place to encounter the Living Christ Supplemental Material Lviv 2013 2 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ This material was prepared by the Working Group for the implementation of the project Vision 2020 of the UGCC. Material compiled by: Rev. Taras Barshchevskyj, Rev. Mychajlo Harvat, Rev. Volodymyr Dzan, Rev. Andrew Staddytskyj, and Vitaliy Tokar. Author of the Biblical-Theological reflections and themes for sermons: Rev. Andrew Onuferko. Author of the Sermons: Bishop Benedykt Aleksiyjchuk, Rev. Taras Barshevskyj, Rev. Volodymyr Hrutha, SJ., Rev. George Rolasa, Andrew Nahiryjak, Rev. Evhen Popovich. The Vibrant Parish – a place to encounter the Living Christ. Supplemental Material. Lviv, 2013. – 108 c. The aim of this material is specifically to assist pastors in the presentation of the key aspects of the “Vibrant Parish” to the faithful of their parishes. Every chapter deals with one of the six element of the vibrant parish, based on Sacred Scripture, the works of the Fathers of the Church, the Catechism of the UGCC, and the Codex of Canons of the Eastern Church. Biblical-Theological reflections are also included, themes for sermons, and examples of homilies on various themes (for priests and their assistants). We are confident that this material will assist the faithful, especially pastors to further the work of revitalization of parish life in our Church. 3 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Dearly Beloved in Christ! The Church exists to direct people to God, and to lead them to eternal blessedness.1 The task of pastors, catechists, and community leaders is to continual find new ways implement of these aims of the Church of Christ, in a practical manner. In this spirit the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, which took place in Brazil 2011, authorized the implementation of the program “The Vibrant Parish, a Place to Encounter the living Christ” the UGCC until the year 2020, as the common goal for our entire Church. His Beatitude Sviatoslav in his presentation of the program for the development of the UGCC announced: “Our priority should be the development of the parish community. Through the development and revitalization of the parish, we lead to the development of the entire Church.” The aim of the various groups promoting the program of revitalization of the UGCC until the Year of our Lord 2020 – is to assist priests, catechists, community leaders, youth leaders and all the faithful to realize this great vocation of our church community, and everyone involved in the process of the renewal of our parish communities. Our Church Leaders have stated that every parish is to be a place: 1) where the truths of our faith are to be practiced in the daily lives of every believer (Word of God and catechism (kerygma)); 2) where the faithful take active participation in the liturgical, sacramental and prayer life of the parish (Liturgy and prayer); 3) where consideration is given to the needy; both in the parish community and outside of it. (Service to one’s neighbour (diakonia)); 4) where leadership of the Bishop and clergy along with the cooperation of the laity work for the common good by the implementation of one’s gifts (time, talent, and treasure). (Leadership – stewardship of gifts); 5) where the spiritual unity of Christ’s Church is promoted, especially the unity of all Christians (Ecumenism). (Communion – unity (koinonia)); 6) where witness of one’s life in Christ is manifest, invites others to participation. (Missionary spirit). The aim of the material contained in this publication is to present the key aspects of the “Vibrant Parish” to the parish faithful. Every chapter deals with one of the six fundamental 1His Beatitude Lubomyr Husar, Sermon on the occasion of the opening of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, 2001. 4 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ aspects of the Vibrant Parish, based on Sacred Scripture, the heritage of the Church Fathers, the Catechism of the UGCC, and the Codex of the Canons of the Eastern Churches. Biblical- theological reflections are also presented (on the basis of handbook (guidebook) for the clergy), themes for sermons, and examples of homilies based on a particular theme (for priests and their assistants). We trust that this publication will assist our faithful, and especially pastors to promote a truly profound revitalization of parish life in our Church. Working Group for the implementation of the project Vision 2020 of the UGCC. From the Pastoral Letter of His Beatitude Sviatoslav to the clergy, religious and all the faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Church “The Vibrant Parish – a place to encounter the Living Christ” Dearly Beloved in Christ! Introduction Our Lord Jesus Christ before his ascension into heaven instructed his disciples, saying: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mat 28:18-29). This commission of Christ to proclaim the Good News was given not only to the first disciples, the apostles, it is directed to the Church in all times, even to the end of the ages. The Ukrainian Catholic Church, in fulfilling this commission of our Divine Savior, speaking through the Bishops of its Holy Synod five years ago, defined “Holiness of a united people of God” as the goal of her ministry. Holiness is God’s gift, and the vocation of every Christian. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification,” St. Paul reminds us in the letter to the Thessalonians (1 Th 4:2). The parish is the place where Christian holiness most often germinates, grows, and matures. For this reason the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in 2011, in its concern for the spiritual renewal of our entire Church, focused its particular attention on the parish, that foundational portion of the People of God, which strives for holiness under the guidance of its bishop as father and teacher of the faith. The program, which the Holy Synod approved, is called, “The Vibrant Parish - a place to encounter the living Christ.” The goal of this pastoral program is to help all the faithful of our Church to learn “to live in order to please God” (1 Th 4:1), and thus to grow in holiness and unity in Christ Jesus. In this Pastoral Letter, I would like to reflect on the key components of a vibrant parish. 5 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SECTION 1 The Word of God and the Catechesis (Kerygma) Understanding of the truths of the faith and their place in daily life. From the Pastoral letter of His Beatitude Sviatoslav The Word of God “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,” St. Paul teaches us in the Epistle to the Colossians (Col 3:16). Through the Word of God we come to know Christ, we encounter Him, and enter into a living relationship with Him. “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ,” said St. Jerome. In our parishes we want to follow the example of the first Christians so that the Word of God might become the foundation of our ecclesial, parochial, family, social, and personal life. I strongly urge pastors to diligently prepare their homilies based on the proclaimed Word of God in such a way that this Word might become “living and active” in the life of our parishioners, capable of nourishing them, giving them answers to real issues of the day, and inspiring them to service. The Word of God should bear visible fruit in our everyday lives because only those who keep this Word, that is, obey it, will be called blessed in the Lord (see Lk 11:28). In our parishes there should not be a single family which does not own a Bible. I encourage all our faithful to read the Sacred Scriptures on a daily basis; this is done ideally through participation in parish bible study groups or through prayerful reading at home. The newly published Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, “Christ our Pascha,” is another essential volume which should become a handbook of faith for all the members of our Church – children, youth, and adults. The Catechism, according to Metropolitan Andrei (Sheptytsky), is the foundation of Christian life. On this occasion I wish to emphasize that all the members of our Church have a personal responsibility throughout their whole lives to acquire an ever deeper knowledge of the truth of the Holy Faith, while the clergy must not neglect their responsibility of teaching the faith to their parishioners, not only through preaching, but also through catechetical instruction. When we speak of catechesis, we understand this to be a continuous process of entering into the mystery of the Church, to be applied not only to children who are preparing to receive the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments). Permanent and continuous formation for various age groups - children, youth, adults, and the elderly – is an essential component of the vibrant parish. Finally, I would to emphasize that just as it is with the Bible, so too the Catechism of our Church should be a handbook for each member of our community as it is a most valuable aid for a proper understanding and reading of the Word of God. 6 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Biblical Sources Deut. 6: 4-9 Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. Take to heart these words which I command you today. Keep repeating them to your children.