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Towards a New Model of Diocesan Management Structures and Proficiency in the Post-Vatican Two Roman Catholic Church

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Towards a New Model of Diocesan Management Structures and Proficiency in the Post-Vatican Two Roman Catholic Church View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Unisa Institutional Repository TOWARDS A NEW MODEL OF DIOCESAN MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES AND PROFICIENCY IN THE POST-VATICAN TWO ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH by CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL SLATERS Submitted in accordance with the requirement for the degree of DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY In the subject of PRACTICAL THEOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER : DR C HUGO i DECLARATION Student Number 3309-468-3 I declare that Towards a New Model of Diocesan Church Management Structures and Proficiency in the Post Vatican Two Roman Catholic Church is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. Christopher Michael Slaters………………………………Date………………… ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I acknowledge with gratitude the professional guidance and encouragement given patiently to me by Dr. Carel Hugo throughout this research. I am deeply indebted to various individuals who have assisted me most generously in so many ways namely: Dr Jennifer Slater O.P., Mr Cedric Pringle, Mrs Helen Pringle, Mrs Renée Morrison, Miss Alison Taylor, Mrs Lynn Peffer and Mr Keith van der Westhiuzen. My sincere thanks to the Right Reverend Michael Coleman, Bishop of the Diocese of Port Elizabeth who provided the financial assistance for the completion of this work. I am most grateful to the forty research participants. Through your participation and comments I have gained a boldness to enter more fully into a participatory managed local Church. I wish to thank family and friends who provided inspiration, love and interest throughout this project. Sincere thanks goes to the parish of St Francis Xavier and St Martin de Porres, East London. Thanking those who have been part of this research journey is a satisfying task but nothing gives me more fulfilment than to thank our Lord Jesus Christ for faithfully accompanying me on this my Emmaus Journey (Luke 24:13-35). iii DEDICATION To the People of God. iv SUMMARY The topic of diocesan Church management structures which I present in this research emerges from concerns concerning the comprehensive implementation of the Second Vatican Council in this regard. It is an attempt to examine, comprehend and present the responses and opinions of members of a diocesan Church in a systematic, clear and simple manner to concerns such as: should diocesan Church management structures change? If so, how should diocesan Church management structures change? What should be the main focus and priority of diocesan Church management structures? Do the current management structures of the diocesan Church respond adequately to the needs of the People of God? Since the Catholic Church has a complex management structure, the entire examination thereof is beyond the scope of this research. However, the aim of this investigation is to critically examine the diocesan management structures of a contemporary local Church. The challenge of this research is to ascertain how ecclesial management, as a vital aspect in the Church, is responding to the challenges of the Second Vatican Council to make the Church not only relevant, but allowing full participation and representation of her members in the management of the diocesan Church. v KEY TERMS Church, Diocese, Local Church, Laity, Management, Church Management, The Second Vatican Council, Code of Canon Law, Canon, Ecumenical Council, People of God, Hierarchy, Presbyterium, Presbyteral Council, College of Consultors, Diocesan Synod, Diocesan Pastoral Council, Diocesan Curia, Vicariates, Vicars Forane, Parish, Parish Pastor, Stewardship, Collaboration, Power, Authority, Vision. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION...............................................................................................i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................................................... ........ii DEDICATION................................................................................................iii SUMMARY....................................................................................................iv KEY TERMS...................................................................................................v CHAPTER ONE: BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH 1.1 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................1 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM................................................1 1.3 THE AIM AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY............................................4 1.4 PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE ISSUE...................................................6 1.5 METHODOLOGY......................................................................................8 1.5.1 A practical theological approach........................................................9 1.5.2 A qualitative research........................................................................11 1.5.3 The data source.................................................................................13 1.5.4 The sample........................................................................................14 1.5.5 Data generation method....................................................................15 1.5.6 The pilot study...................................................................................17 1.5.7 Data collection...................................................................................18 1.5.8 Data sorting and organising...............................................................19 1.5.9 Analysis and interpretation of the data..............................................20 vii 1.5.10 Presentation of the research results.................................................21 1.5.11 Ethical considerations......................................................................21 1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS..........................................................................24 1.6.1 Church..............................................................................................24 1.6.2 Diocese.............................................................................................25 1.6.3 Management......................................................................................26 1.6.4 Church management..........................................................................27 1.6.5 Second Vatican Council......................................................................27 1.7 CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT.......................................................................27 1.8 CONCLUSION........................................................................................29 CHAPTER TWO: THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL AND ITS SELF-UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHURCH 2.1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................30 2.2 THE ECCLESIAL VISION OF POPE JOHN XXIII...........................................31 2.3 THE ECCLESIAL DOCUMENTS OF THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL....................................................................................... ........33 2.4 THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL ON THE CHURCH................................................................................... ......37 2.4.1 The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church..........................................38 2.4.2 The Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.............................................................................................39 2.5 THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL’S SELF-UNDERSTANDING OF THE CHURCH.........................................................................................41 viii 2.5.1 The Church as Mystery.......................................................................41 2.5.2 The Church as the People of God.......................................................45 2.6 INTERNAL ORDERING OF THE CHURCH..................................................48 2.6.1 The Church as Hierarchical.................................................................48 2.7 CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………….50 CHAPTER THREE: THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF A ROMAN CATHOLIC DIOCESAN CHURCH 3.1 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................53 3.2 THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE OF A DIOCESAN CHURCH................................................................................................54 3.2.1 Diocesan Bishop.................................................................................57 3.2.2 Presbyterium.....................................................................................59 3.2.3 Presbyteral Council............................................................................61 3.2.4 College of Consultors.........................................................................65 3.2.5 Diocesan Synod..................................................................................66 3.2.6 Diocesan Pastoral Council..................................................................68 3.2.7 Diocesan Curia...................................................................................69 3.2.8 Vicariates and Vicars Forane...............................................................70 3.2.9 Parishes and Parish Pastors................................................................72 3.3 SUMMARY AND FINDINGS......................................................................72 3.4 CONCLUSION........................................................................................77
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