Books by Mark F. Fischer

• Pastoral Councils in Today’s Catholic Parish (Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications – Bayard, 2001).
• I Like Being in Parish Ministry: Pastoral Council (Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications – Bayard, 2001).
• Four Ways to Build More Effective Parish C ouncils: A Pastoral Approach, edited with Mary Margaret Raley (Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications – Bayard, 2002).
• The Foundations of Karl Rahner: A Paraphrase of the Foundations of Christian Faith, with Introduction and Indices (New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company – a Herder and Herder Book, 2005).

16. Apostolorum successores

Congregation for Bishops, Apostolorum successores, “Directory for the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops.”

This “Directory” is available at the official Vatican web site.

Pope John Paul II, during an audience on 24 January 2004 with Cardinal Giovanni Battista (Prefect of the Congregation) and Francesco Monterisi (Secretary to the Congregation) approved the present Directory and ordered its publication. It was published in Rome on 22 February 2004.

Introduction

“The present Directory, an updated and revised version of the one issued on 22 February 1973, has been prepared by the Congregation for Bishops in order to offer to the “Shepherds of Christ’s flock” a useful guide that will help them to exercise more fruitfully every aspect of their complex and difficult pastoral ministry in the Church and in the modern world. . . . Significantly, this Directory is being published shortly after the promulgation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Gregis, which brought together the ideas and proposals of the Tenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, held in 2001 and devoted to a study of the episcopal ministry under the heading: “The Bishop, minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the hope of the world”.

122. Forms of Preaching

a) The Homily. As an integral part of the liturgy, which is the source and summit of the Church’s entire life (359), the homily is the most excellent and, in a certain sense, the sum of all forms of preaching. The Bishop should seek to expound Catholic truth in its fullness, in simple, familiar language, suited to the capacities of his hearers, focusing – unless particular pastoral reasons suggest otherwise – on the texts of the day’s liturgy. He should plan his homilies so as to elucidate the whole of Catholic truth.

b) Pastoral letters. On special occasions in the life of the diocese, the Bishop should also propose doctrine by means of pastoral letters and messages, addressed to the whole Christian community. These may appropriately be read out in Churches and oratories and also distributed in printed form among the faithful. In drafting these letters, the Bishop may wish to enlist the help of his advisers, of the presbyteral council and, if the case so warrants, of the diocesan pastoral council. These groups may suggest topics to be treated, present-day objections to be refuted, or they may point out issues arising in the diocese on which it is appropriate for the Bishop to speak authoritatively.

181. Diocesan Pastoral Structures

In order to ensure that the curia is also equipped to direct apostolic work (535), it is good to establish other offices or commissions, temporary or permanent, when there are sufficient resources available. These offices have the task of carrying out diocesan programmes and examining various pastoral and apostolic initiatives (such as those in the area of the family, education or the social apostolate). With the aid of the presbyteral and pastoral councils of the diocese, the Bishop studies the proposals put forward by these offices and makes the necessary decisions.
In order to determine which offices or commissions to establish, the Bishop will evaluate the particular needs and the local customs of the diocese, applying the guidelines of the Holy See and the recommendations of the Episcopal Conference. Whichever administrative model is adopted, it is important to avoid establishing and maintaining atypical structures of government that somehow replace or compete with those envisaged in canon law, since this would by no means promote the efficacy of pastoral governance. There is a corollary at parish level: the pastoral council and the parish priest should fulfil their respective roles effectively, avoiding any hint of congregationalism (536).

184. The Pastoral Council
Ideally, every diocese should establish a diocesan pastoral council, although not bound to do so by canonical discipline, thus expressing through this institution the participation of all the faithful, of whatever canonical state, in the Church’s mission. The pastoral council is composed of members of the faithful: clerics, members of institutes of consecrated life and especially laity (556). It falls to the council, under the authority of the Bishop, to “investigate and consider matters relating to pastoral activity and to formulate practical conclusions” (557). Its statutes are established and, when necessary, modified by the Bishop (558).
Even though the council does not, strictly speaking, represent the faithful, it should truly reflect the entire portion of the People of God which constitutes the particular Church. Its members should be chosen “with consideration given to the different areas of the diocese, social conditions and professions, and the role which they have in the apostolate whether individually or jointly” (559).
All the members of the pastoral council should be in full communion with the Catholic Church, outstanding in firm faith, good morals and prudence (560). It is for the Bishop to decide the method of electing members, by means of appropriate indications in the statutes: for example, by entrusting to parishes and other institutions the right to propose candidates. However, perhaps by the practice of confirming the election of members, the Bishop reserves to himself the right to exclude those who do not appear suitable.
The Bishop convokes the council at least once a year. He proposes the questions to be treated, he chairs the meetings, he decides whether or not it is appropriate to publish the themes considered and he determines how to reach conclusions (561). The council is therefore of a consultative nature (562). It should always be characterized by proper respect both for episcopal jurisdiction and for the autonomy of the faithful (as individuals or in associations). It should never claim the authority to direct or coordinate activities beyond its competence. Nevertheless, the Bishop should give due consideration to the opinions of the members of the council insofar as it is an expression of the responsible collaboration of the ecclesial community with his apostolic office.
The Bishop may propose themes for the council to discuss in connection with the pastoral activity of the diocese (563): these include the pastoral plan, various catechetical, missionary and apostolic initiatives, ways of improving the doctrinal formation and sacramental life of the faithful, assistance for the pastoral ministry of the clergy, and various means of raising public awareness regarding concerns of the Church.
For maximum effectiveness, the meetings of the council should be preceded by suitable preparation, arranged with the help of the pastoral institutions and offices of the diocese. It is helpful if the Bishops discuss the activity of diocesan pastoral councils at meetings of the Episcopal Conference, so that each Bishop in his own diocese can profit from the experience of others. The pastoral council ceases when a diocese is vacant (564) and it may be dissolved by the Bishop when it does not fulfil the tasks assigned to it.
Footnotes
(535) Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church Christus Dominus, 27.
(536) Cf. Code of Canon Law, cc. 519, 536.(556) Cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 512 § 1; JOHN PAUL II, Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte, 45.
(557) Cf. SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL, Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church Christus Dominus, 27; Code of Canon Law, c. 511.
(558) Cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 513 § 1.
(559) Cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 512 § 2.
(560) Cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 512 § 1.
(561) Cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 514 § 1.
(562) Cf. ibid.
(563) Cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 511.
(564) Cf. Code of Canon Law, c. 513 § 2.

15. The Priest, Pastor and Leader

Congregation for the Clergy, “The Priest, Pastor and Leader of the Parish Community.”

This “Instruction” from the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy was published on August 4, 2002 over the signatures of Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos (Prefect of the Congregation) and by Csaba Ternyak (Secretary of the Congregation and Titular Archbishop of Eminenziana). Pope John Paul II approved the instruction and ordered its publication. Accessed on July 30, 2007 and downloaded from the official Vatican website.

Paragraph 26

Like the diocesan pastoral council [117], the provisions of law foresee the constitution of a pastoral council at parochial level, should such be considered opportune by the Bishop, having heard his council of priests [118]. The basic task of such a council is to serve, at institutional level, the orderly collaboration of the faithful in the development of pastoral activity which is proper to priests [119]. The pastoral council is thus a consultative organ in which the faithful, expressing their baptismal responsibility, can assist the parish priest, who presides at the council [120], by offering their advice on pastoral matters [121] “The lay faithful ought to be ever more convinced of the special meaning that their commitment to the apostolate takes on in their parish»; hence it is necessary to have «a more convinced, extensive and decided appreciation for “Parish Pastoral Councils”[122]. There are clear reasons for such: In the present circumstances the lay faithful have the ability to do very much and, therefore, ought to do very much towards the growth of an authentic ecclesial communion in their parishes in order to reawaken missionary zeal towards nonbelievers and believers themselves who have abandoned the faith or grown lax in the Christian life [123].

“All of the faithful have the right, sometimes even the duty, to make their opinions known on matters concerning the good of the Church. This can happen through institutions which have been established to facilitate that purpose: [...]the pastoral council can be a most useful aid…providing proposals and suggestions on missionary, catechetical and apostolic initiatives [...] as well as on the promotion of doctrinal formation and the sacramental life of the faithful; on the assistance to be given to the pastoral work of priests in various social and territorial situations; on how better to influence public opinion etc.”[124]. The pastoral council is to be seen in relation to the context of the relationship of mutual service that exists between a parish priest and his faithful. It would therefore be senseless to consider the pastoral council as an organ replacing the parish priest in his government of the parish, or as one which, on the basis of a majority vote, materially constrains the parish priest in his direction of the parish.

In accordance with the norms of law on just and honest administration, organs which have been established to consider economic questions in a parish, may not constrain the pastoral role of the parish priest, who is the legal representative and administrator of the goods of the parish [125].

Footnotes

[117] Cf. SECOND VATICANCOUNCIL , Decree Christus Dominus, n. 27; CIC can. 511-514.

[118] Cf. CIC., can. 561 § 1.

[119] Cf. Ibid., can. 536 § 1.

[120] Cf. Ibid., can. 536 § 1.

[121] CONGREGATION FOR CLERGY, PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE LAITY, CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SACRAMENTS, CONGREGATION FOR BISHOPS, CONGREGATION FOR THE EVANGELIZATION OF PEOPLES, CONGREGATION FOR THE INSTITUTES OF CONSECRATED LIFE AND THE SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE, PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF LEGAL TEXTS, Instruction on certain questions regarding the collaboration of the non-ordained faithful in the sacred ministry of priests Ecclesiae de mysterio (15 August 1997), Practical Provisions, art. 5: l.c., pp. 867-868.

[122] Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles laici (30 December 1988), n. 27; l.c., p. 441.

[123] Ibidem.

[124] SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE CLERGY, Circular Letter Omnes christifideles (25 January 1973), nn. 4; 9.

[125] Cf. CIC, cann. 532 and 1279, §1. )

14. Novo millennio ineunte

Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte (“At the Beginning of the New Millennium”), January 6, 2001.

Accessed online on September 11, 2007 from the official Vatican website.

Paragraph 29

“I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:20). This assurance, dear brothers and sisters, has accompanied the Church for two thousand years, and has now been renewed in our hearts by the celebration of the Jubilee. From it we must gain new impetus in Christian living, making it the force which inspires our journey of faith. Conscious of the Risen Lord’s presence among us, we ask ourselves today the same question put to Peter in Jerusalem immediately after his Pentecost speech: “What must we do?” (Acts 2:37).

We put the question with trusting optimism, but without underestimating the problems we face. We are certainly not seduced by the naive expectation that, faced with the great challenges of our time, we shall find some magic formula. No, we shall not be saved by a formula but by a Person, and the assurance which he gives us: I am with you!

It is not therefore a matter of inventing a “new programme”. The programme already exists: it is the plan found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition, it is the same as ever. Ultimately, it has its centre in Christ himself, who is to be known, loved and imitated, so that in him we may live the life of the Trinity, and with him transform history until its fulfilment in the heavenly Jerusalem. This is a programme which does not change with shifts of times and cultures, even though it takes account of time and culture for the sake of true dialogue and effective communication. This programme for all times is our programme for the Third Millennium.

But it must be translated into pastoral initiatives adapted to the circumstances of each community. The Jubilee has given us the extraordinary opportunity to travel together for a number of years on a journey common to the whole Church, a catechetical journey on the theme of the Trinity, accompanied by precise pastoral undertakings designed to ensure that the Jubilee would be a fruitful event. I am grateful for the sincere and widespread acceptance of what I proposed in my Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente. But now it is no longer an immediate goal that we face, but the larger and more demanding challenge of normal pastoral activity. With its universal and indispensable provisions, the programme of the Gospel must continue to take root, as it has always done, in the life of the Church everywhere. It is in the local churches that the specific features of a detailed pastoral plan can be identified — goals and methods, formation and enrichment of the people involved, the search for the necessary resources — which will enable the proclamation of Christ to reach people, mould communities, and have a deep and incisive influence in bringing Gospel values to bear in society and culture.

I therefore earnestly exhort the Pastors of the particular Churches, with the help of all sectors of God’s People, confidently to plan the stages of the journey ahead, harmonizing the choices of each diocesan community with those of neighbouring Churches and of the universal Church.

This harmonization will certainly be facilitated by the collegial work which Bishops now regularly undertake in Episcopal Conferences and Synods. Was this not the point of the continental Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops which prepared for the Jubilee, and which forged important directives for the present-day proclamation of the Gospel in so many different settings and cultures? This rich legacy of reflection must not be allowed to disappear, but must be implemented in practical ways.

What awaits us therefore is an exciting work of pastoral revitalization — a work involving all of us. As guidance and encouragement to everyone, I wish to indicate certain pastoral priorities which the experience of the Great Jubilee has, in my view, brought to light.

. . . .

Paragraph 45

Communion must be cultivated and extended day by day and at every level in the structures of each Church’s life. There, relations between Bishops, priests and deacons, between Pastors and the entire People of God, between clergy and Religious, between associations and ecclesial movements must all be clearly characterized by communion. To this end, the structures of participation envisaged by Canon Law, such as the Council of Priests and the Pastoral Council, must be ever more highly valued. These of course are not governed by the rules of parliamentary democracy, because they are consultative rather than deliberative;29 yet this does not mean that they are less meaningful and relevant. The theology and spirituality of communion encourage a fruitful dialogue between Pastors and faithful: on the one hand uniting them a priori in all that is essential, and on the other leading them to pondered agreement in matters open to discussion.

To this end, we need to make our own the ancient pastoral wisdom which, without prejudice to their authority, encouraged Pastors to listen more widely to the entire People of God. Significant is Saint Benedict’s reminder to the Abbot of a monastery, inviting him to consult even the youngest members of the community: “By the Lord’s inspiration, it is often a younger person who knows what is best”.30 And Saint Paulinus of Nola urges: “Let us listen to what all the faithful say, because in every one of them the Spirit of God breathes”.31

While the wisdom of the law, by providing precise rules for participation, attests to the hierarchical structure of the Church and averts any temptation to arbitrariness or unjustified claims, the spirituality of communion, by prompting a trust and openness wholly in accord with the dignity and responsibility of every member of the People of God, supplies institutional reality with a soul.

Footnotes

(29) Cf. Congregation for the clergy et al., Instruction on Certain Questions regarding the Collaboration of the Non-ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priests Ecclesiae de Mysterio (15 August 1997): AAS 89 (1997), 852-877, especially Article 5: “The Structures of Collaboration in the Particular Church”.

(30) Regula, III, 3: “Ideo autem omnes ad consilium vocari diximus, quia saepe iuniori Dominus revelat quod melius est”.

(31) “De omnium fidelium ore pendeamus, quia in omnem fidelem Spiritus Dei spirat”: Epistola 23, 36 to Sulpicius Severus: CSEL 29, 193. )

13. Ecclesia in Asia

Ecclesia in Asia, “The Church in Asia.”

Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II presented in New Delhi, India, on November 6, 1999 to more than 100 Asian Bishops. It is based on the work of the April 19 – May 14, 1998 Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops, one of the regional synods called for by the pope as part of preparations for the Jubilee Year 2000. Published in Origins 29:23 (November 18, 1999): 357, 359-384.

Paragraph 25

“Every particular church must be grounded in the witness of ecclesial communion that constitutes its very nature as church. The synod fathers chose to describe the diocese as a communion of communities gathered around the shepherd, where clergy, consecrated persons and the laity are engaged in a ‘dialogue of life and heart’ sustained by the grace of the Holy Spirit.(40)

“It is primarily in the diocese that the vision of a communion of communities can be actualized in the midst of the complex social, political, religious, cultural and economic realities of Asia. Ecclesial communion implies that each local church should become what the synod fathers called a ‘participatory church,’ a church, that is, in which all live their proper vocation and perform their proper role. In order to build up the ‘communion for mission’ and the ‘mission of communion,’ every member’s unique charism needs to be acknowledged, developed and effectively utilized.(41) In particular there is a need to foster greater involvement of the laity and consecrated men and women in pastoral planning and decision making through such participatory structures as pastoral councils and parish assemblies.(42)

“In every diocese, the parish remains the ordinary place where the faithful gather to grow in faith, to live the mystery of ecclesial communion and to take part in the church’s mission. Therefore, the synod fathers urged pastors to devise new and effective ways of shepherding the faithful, so that everyone, especially the poor, will feel truly a part of the parish and of God’s people as a whole. Pastoral planning with the lay faithful should be a normal feature of all parishes.(43)” (Paragraph 25, p. 372)

Footnotes

(40) No. 11: AAS 83 (1991), 260.
(41) Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops, Relatio post disceptationem, 3.
(42) Roman Missal: Eucharistic Prayer I for Masses of Reconciliation.
(43) John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Redemptor Hominis (4 March 1979), 10: AAS 71 (1979), 274.

12. Ecclesiae de mysterio

Instruction on Certain Questions Regarding Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in the Sacred Ministry of Priest (Ecclesiae de mysterio).

Written by a committee consisting of representatives of the Congregation for the Clergy, the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the Congregation for Bishops, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, and the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts. Approved “in forma specifica” by Pope John Paul II and promulgated on August 15, 1997. Available at the official Vatican web site.

(Article 5, §§ 2-5)

§ 2. “Diocesan and parochial Pastoral Councils and parochial Finance Councils, of which non-ordained faithful are members, enjoy a consultative vote only and cannot in any way become deliberative structures. Only those faithful who possess the qualities prescribed by the canonical norms may be elected to such responsibilities.
§ 3. “It is for the Parish Priest to preside at parochial councils. They are to be considered invalid, and hence null and void, any deliberations entered into (or decisions taken) by a parochial council which has not been presided over by the Parish Priest or which has assembled contrary to his wishes.
§ 4. “Diocesan councils may properly and validly express their consent to an act of the Bishop only in those cases in which the law expressly requires such consent.”
§ 5. “Given the local situation Ordinaries may avail themselves of special study groups or of groups of experts to examine particular questions. Such groups, however, cannot be constituted as structures parallel to diocesan presbyteral or pastoral councils nor indeed to those diocesan structures regulated by the universal law of the Church in Canons 536, § 1 and 537. Neither may such a group deprive these structures of their lawful authority. Where structures of this kind have arisen in the past because of local custom or through special circumstances, those measures deemed necessary to conform such structures to the current universal law of the Church must be taken.”

11. Christifideles laici

John Paul II, Pope (Karol Wojtyla), “Christifideles Laici: Apostolic Exhortation on the Laity,” based on the 1987 World Synod of Bishops, January 30, 1987, Origins 18:35 (Feb. 9, 1989): 561, 653-595.

Paragraph number 25

In this sense, the recent synod has favored the creation of diocesan pastoral councils as a recourse at opportune times. In fact, on a diocesan level this structure could be the principal form of collaboration, dialogue and discernment as well. The participation of the lay faithful in these councils can broaden resources in consultation and the principle of collaboration and in certain instances also in decision making — if applied in a broad and determined manner.” (no. 25, p. 573)

Paragraph number 27

The [Second Vatican] council’s mention of examining and solving pastoral problems ‘by general discussion’ [Apostolicam actuositatem, no. 10] ought to find its adequate and structured development through a more convinced, extensive and decided appreciation for ‘parish pastoral councils,’ on which the synod fathers have rightly insisted.(102)” (no. 27, p. 574)

Footnote

102: Cf. Proposition 10 [of the Synod propositions].

10. Synod Propositions, 1987

Synod of Bishops (1987), “Synod 1987: The Synod Propositions,” Origins 17:29 (Dec. 31, 1987): 499-509.

“The church has its full presence in any place under the form of a diocese. Therefore, the use of consultation and collaboration and — in keeping with the subject matter — the principle of decision making will be promoted in a more eminent way by the creation of a diocesan pastoral council, with lay participation, and by appropriate recourse to it. . . . .

“It is in the parish that most Catholics learn that they have been constituted as church (or a portion of the church) and that, at the same time, they experience how to form the church. The collaboration of clergy and men and women religious as well as laity is needed to achieve this. This collaboration requires the consultation of the laity to determine the pastoral needs and aspirations of the community. A more fitting way to reach this goal is the establishment of a pastoral council in which all can take part, whatever their age or condition.” (proposition 10, p. 502)

8. Omnes Christifideles

Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, “Private Letter on ‘Pastoral Councils’” (Omnes Christifideles, 1/25/73), reprinted in James I. O’Connor, editor, The Canon Law Digest, Vol. VII: Officially Published Documents Affecting the Code of Canon Law 1968-1972 (Chicago: Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus, 1975), pp. 280-288. Also published as “Patterns in Local Pastoral Councils,” Origins 3:12 (Sept. 13, 1973): 186-190.

Pastoral Councils (S. C. Cler., 25 January, 1973) Private.

The following letter by the S. C. for the Clergy was addressed to all bishops.

1. All Christians consecrated by the Holy Spirit through the sacrament of Christian initiation “into a spiritual house and a holy priesthood”[1] are called by Christ the Lord himself to cooperate actively in the saving mission of all the priestly people of God.[2] Not all the faithful, however, exercise this common responsibility in the same way but a special task falls to each one, according to his state, in the communion of the Body which is the Church.[3]

There are, first of all, sacred ministers who, chosen from the faithful, are established for hierarchical service[4] and who “from antiquity have been called bishops, priests, and deacons;[5] they, in virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, “particularly and by their own profession are ordained to the sacred ministry,”[6] and by the sacred power which they possess through the exercise of various orders in various ways teach, sanctify and rule the entire People of God in the name and with the authority of Christ.[7] All religious, moreover, whether they are invested with the ministerial priest-hood or not, by the public consecration which they profess in the ecclesiastical community[8] “give splendid and striking testimony that the world cannot be transfigured and offered to God without the spirit of the beatitudes.”[9] Finally, the laity “led by the spirit of the gospel can work for the sanctification of the world from within in the manner of leaven and in this way can make Christ known to others especially by the testimony of a life resplendent in faith, hope and charity.” They “can also be called in various ways to a more direct form of cooperation in the apostolate of the hierarchy.”[10]

2. Therefore the salvific mission of the entire People of God in which all the faithful, according to each one’s status within the Church, have their own proper part and responsibility, cannot be restricted to one mission of the holy pastors or Church hierarchy: “For the pastors know that they themselves were not meant by Christ to shoulder alone the entire saving mission of the Church toward the world but, on the contrary, they understand that it is their noble duty so to shepherd the faithful and recognize their service and charismatic gifts that all, according to their proper roles, may cooperate in this common undertaking with one heart.”[11] Accordingly, the Second Vatican Council has also made this observation: In exercising this pastoral care (bishops) should preserve for their faithful the share proper to them in Church affairs; they should also recognize their duty and right to collaborate actively in the building up of the Mystical Body of Christ.”[12]

3. However, this participation of the faithful in the mission of the Church is not the same as the participation of some who exercise ecclesiastical power. For in the Church, according to the will of its divine Founder, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial priesthood or hierarchy differ in essence and not only in degree.”[13] Accordingly, the pastoral work, namely of teaching, sanctifying and ruling, and the power necessary for it are not bestowed by the Lord on the entire community of the faithful,[14] but are conferred on sacred pastors by a special consecration and canonical mission.[15] Diocesan Bishops “govern the particular churches entrusted to them as the vicars and ambassadors of Christ. This they do by their counsel, exhortations and ex-ample as well as in deed by their authority and sacred power. This power they use only for the edification of their flock in truth and holiness, remembering that he who is greater should become as the lesser and he who is the greater should become as the servant (cf. Lk. 22:26-27). This power which they personally exercise in Christ’s name is proper, ordinary and immediate.”[16]

4. The faithful who are not sealed with the ministerial priesthood, beyond the aforesaid actual participation in the apostolic mission of the Church,[17] are also able to assist in the very pastoral office itself though not in the hierarchy. Therefore, all the faithful “according to the knowledge, competence, or outstanding ability which they may enjoy, are permitted and sometimes even obliged to express their opinion on things which concern the good of the Church,”[18] and this can also be done through institutions which are established for this by law.

Motivated by this reasoning the Second Vatican Council listed among the cooperators of the diocesan bishop in pastoral work[19] and recommended the Pastoral Council “over which the diocesan bishop himself will preside and in which specially chosen clergy, religious and lay people will participate.”[20]

With this desire of the Council in mind, the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI, in his apostolic letter, Ecclesiae Sanctae, given as a motu proprio on 6 August, 1966,[21] established certain norms on the subject according to which in any diocese an experimental beginning has been made or is being made to establish a pastoral council.

The general session of the Synod of Bishops held in 1971 expressed this opinion: “The pastoral council, in which clergy, religious and laity who are chosen to take part, is to offer after study and consideration, its conclusions as to what is necessary for the diocesan community to organize the pastoral work and to execute it efficiently. The more important it daily becomes for bishops and priests to cooperate in their mutual responsibility, especially through the Priests’ Council, the more desirable it is that in each diocese a pastoral council be established.”[22]

5. The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy, who has the responsibility to deal with pastoral councils,[23] wrote to the presidents of the conferences of bishops on 12 March, 1971, asking that the bishops indicate to this Congregation their recommendations and views of experiments which have already been conducted or of norms that should be established. Moreover, the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy also asked the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Church and the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Nations that they offer their viewpoints. Having done this, the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy thought it expedient to call together a plenary combined congregation to which it invited the Sacred Congregation for Bishops, and the Sacred Congregation for Religious and for Secular Institutes, as well as the Council of the Laity. This plenary congregation met on 15 March, 1972. We herewith briefly present its conclusions, approved by the Holy Father, Pope Paul VI.

6. The replies received and the deliberations held show that it is the common opinion of the Fathers that the establishment of a pastoral council is important and helpful. But since working together requires the mature cooperation of all, it is necessary for individual diocesan bishops[24] to consider, through a common study in the conference of bishops, as well as with their own presbyterates, whether the conditions exist for instituting a pastoral council, and, at the same time, they should work together to foster those circumstances required for the institution and efficient operation of such a council. And if a bishop considers it opportune to institute a pastoral council in his diocese, he should see to it that statutes be drawn up to be approved by him.

7. As far as the composition of the pastoral council is concerned, although the members of the council cannot in a juridical sense be called representatives of the total diocesan community, nevertheless, as far as possible, they should present a witness or sign of the entire diocese, and, therefore, it seems extremely opportune that priests, religious and laity who expound various requirements and experiences take part in the council. The persons, then, appointed to the pastoral council ought to be selected in such a way that the entire composition of the People of God within the diocese is truly represented, taking into consideration the different regions, social conditions and professions as well as the parts which individuals and associations have in the apostolate, especially those who possess noteworthy prestige and prudence.

Among these is it appropriate to appoint laymen and priests who have been chosen for offices exercised throughout the whole diocese. However, all the members of the council should be in full communion with the Catholic Church and able to accept and properly exercise this function in the Church.

Whatever form the bishop freely chooses for determining the composition of his pastoral council, most of the members should be laymen since the greatest part of the diocesan community is made up of the laity.

Besides the priests, permanent deacons, where they exist, should also be chosen for this council. Religious men and women should be named by the bishop with the permission of their own superior. Finally, the number of members of the pastoral council should not be too great so that it is able to carry out effectively the work that is committed to it.

Although the pastoral council is a permanent institution by its very nature, nevertheless, ‘‘with regard to members and activity it can be temporary and perform its function as the occasion demands.”[25] Therefore, it is appropriate for members of the pastoral council, with the exception of those designated according to the norms of its statutes by reason of the office which they hold in the diocese, to be nominated for a period of time determined in the statutes. However, so that the whole council membership will not go out of existence at the same time, it is advisable that for its renewal of membership, a system of rotation be employed in such a way that at stated times a certain number end their membership and new members are named in their place.

8. The pastoral council “enjoys only a consultative voice.”[26] The counsels and suggestions of the faithful which they propose within the confines of their ecclesiastical communion and in the spirit of true unity are of great value for the formation of decisions. The actual obedience and reverence which the faithful must show their sacred pastors does not prevent but rather fosters an open and sincere manifestation of those things demanded for the good of the Church.

Therefore, the bishop should greatly esteem its propositions and suggestions and seriously consider the judgments on which they agree,[27] preserving the freedom and authority which are his by divine law for his pastoral service to that portion of the People of God committed to his care.

9. It is the function of the pastoral council “to investigate and to weigh matters which bear on pastoral activity, and to formulate practical conclusions regarding them so as to promote conformity of the life and actions of the People of God with the Gospel.”[28] Accordingly, those questions may be committed to its study which, whether indicated by the diocesan bishop or proposed by the council members and accepted by him, refer to pastoral care exercised within the diocese. It is, however, beyond the competence of this council to decide on general questions bearing on faith, orthodoxy, moral principles or laws of the universal Church, for the teacher of the faith in the diocese is always and obviously the bishop alone, with his bond of communion with the head of the episcopal college and its members.[29]

As for those pastoral questions which pertain to the exercise of jurisdiction or governing power, the bishop already has his own senate which assists him with its advice, namely the senate of priests.[30] Nothing prevents the pastoral council, however, from considering questions requiring mandates of a jurisdictional act for execution and proposing suggestions regarding them to the bishop, for in such a case the bishop will consider the matter and make his decision after hearing the priests’ senate, if the case requires.

The pastoral council, therefore, can give the bishop great help by presenting him with proposals and suggestions – regarding missionary, catechetical and apostolic undertakings within the diocese; concerning the promotion of doctrinal formation and the sacramental life of the faithful; concerning pastoral activities to help the priests in the various social and territorial areas of the diocese; concerning public opinion on matters pertaining to the Church as it is more likely to be fostered in the present time; etc. The pastoral council can also be extremely useful for mutual communication of experiences and for proposed undertakings of various types by which the concrete needs of the people of the diocese may become clearer to the bishop and a more opportune means of pastoral action may be suggested to him.

But where the pastoral council exists, there always remains intact the right enjoyed by all Christians, including those who are not members of the pastoral council, of making known directly to their pastors, always in truth and prudence and with the integrity of faith preserved, their needs and desires, and they are to do so with that liberty and confidence which belong to the children of God and brothers in Christ.[31]

10. It is for the bishop to convene the pastoral council according to the needs of the apostolate. The diocesan bishop himself by law is to preside over the council and in particular cases his delegate if he considers it opportune.

But since the investigations and practical conclusions of the pastoral council have the character of information and suggestions which are offered to the bishop, he can accept and mandate for execution the documents worked out by the pastoral council for his discretion and authority, and, if he considers it opportune, he may promulgate them.

“That the purpose of this council actually be accomplished, it is expedient that advance study precede common effort using the assistance, if the case warrants it, of institutes or offices which work to this end.”[32] Wherefore, it may be appropriate that, under the direction of the bishop, a list of questions to be dealt with should be prepared in due time and sent to all the members of the council together with viewpoints or studies which can be useful for the thorough examination of such questions.

11. When a See is vacant, the pastoral council ceases. However, nothing prevents the Ordinary, if the case warrants it, during the vacancy of the See, to call upon the members of the council for their advice.

12. The Fathers of the plenary congregation, taking into consideration the nature of the diocesan pastoral council, feel that there is nothing to prevent the institution within the diocese of councils of the same nature and function, whether parochial or regional as they are called (for various deaneries or social bodies, etc.)

The Fathers, however, believe that it is not opportune, at least for the present, to institute pastoral councils or similar organizations on an interdiocesan, provincial, regional, national or international level. They do not, however, exclude the institution of special organizations of a technical or executive nature, made up of select members of the faithful and who would assist the bishops in their joint conferences.

13. In the present letter, this Congregation wishes to propose principles and general criteria approved by the Holy See, which emanate from consultation with the conferences of bishops and the discussion of the Fathers, and which can help the bishops in carrying out their serious task which pertains to the constitution and performance of a pastoral council. It is our hope, therefore, that the conferences of bishops will be willing to notify this Sacred Congregation concerning their experiences in this matter so that in the future we may take into account, as it should be, their experiences.

[1] Lumen Gentium (hereafter: L.G.), n. 10.
[2] L.G., n. 33: Decree Apostolicam Actuositatem (hereafter: A.A.), n. 3; Decree Ad Gentes, n. 11.
[3] A.A., n. 2; L.G., n. 32 Presbyterorum Ordinis (hereafter: P.O.), n. 2.
[4] L.G., n. 24; P.O., n. 12.
[5] L.G., n. 28.
[6] L.G., n. 31.
[7] L.G., nn. 11, 17 and 35; Decree Christus Dominus (hereafter: C.D.), n. 11; A.A., n. 2; P.O., n. 2.
[8] Perfectae Caritatis, nn. 1 and 5; L.G., n. 44.
[9] L.G., n. 31.
[10] L.G., nn. 31, 33; cf. Pastoral Const. Gaudium et Spes, n. 43; A.A., n. 15.
[11] L.G., n. 30.
[12] C.D., n. 16.
[13] L.G. , n. 10.
[14] Allocution of Pope Paul Vl, 17 May, 1972; allocution of 28 Jan., 1971 to Prelate Auditors, Officials and Advocates of the Tribunal of the Sacred Roman Rota: AAS, 63 (1971), 135 ff.; allocution of 25 Aug., 1971: Scritti e Discorsi, 30, Siena, 1971; allocution of 1 Sept., 1971: ibid., pp. 111-116; allocution of 6 Oct., 1971: ibid., pp. 186-190; allocution of 23 Dec., 1971 to the Cardinals, to the Prelates of the Roman Curia and of the Papal House-hold: AAS, 64 (1972),32.
[15] L.G., n. 21 and explanatory note, n. 2.
[16] L.G., n. 27.
[17] L.G., n. 37
[18] Ibid .
[19] “Those Who Cooperate With the Diocesan Bishop in His Pastoral Task” in the title for numbers 25-35 of Christus Dominus.
[20] C.D., n. 27.
[21] Cf. AAS, 58 (1966), 757-787; reported in C.L.D., 6, pp. 264-298.
[22] “De Sacerdotio Ministeriali,” Part. 2, 11, n. 3, made public law by decree of the Holy Father, 30 Nov., 1971; reported in C.L.D., 7, pp. 341-365 with the cited section occurring on page 364.
[23] Cf. apostolic constitution, Regimini Ecclesiae Universae, 15 Aug., 1967, n. 68. par. 1; reported in C.L.D., 6, p. 340.
[24] Cf. motu proprio. Ecclesiae Sanctae (hereafter: Eccl. Sanc.), I, n. 17 par. 1: C.L.D., 6, p. 275.
[25] EccI. Sanc., 1, n. 16, par. 2; C.L.D., 6, p. 274.
[26] Ibid., I, n. 16, par. 2; C.L.D., 6, p. 274.
[27] Cf. “Servatis servandis.” CIC, can. 105. 1°.
[28] C.D., n. 27; cf. Eccl. Sanc., 1, n. 16, par. 1: C.L.D., 6, p. 274.
[29] Cf. L.G., n. 25; C.D., nn. 12-14.
[30] C.D., n. 27; cf. Eccl. Sanc., 1, n. 15—C.L.D., 6, p. 274, S. C. Cler. Circular letter of 11 April, 1970—reported in C.L.D., 7, pp. 383-390.
[31] L.G., n. 37.
[32] Eccl. Sanc., 1, n. 16, par. 2: C.L.D.. 6, p. 274.

7. Ecclesiae imago

Sacred Congregation for Bishops, Directory on the Pastoral Ministry of Bishops (Ecclesiae imago, May 31, 1973) translation prepared by the Benedictine monks of the Seminary of Christ the King, Mission, British Columbia (Ottawa: Publications Service of the Canadian Catholic Conference, 1974).

Paragraph number 179

“As regards effective organization for the work of caring for souls, besides the broader guidelines mentioned above (cf. n. 176) the bishop shall consider that kind of parish best . . . in which laymen, according to the office given them, take part in the parish pastoral council and take charge of works of the apostolate proper to themselves.” (n. 179, p. 92).

Paragraph number 204 (The Pastoral Council)

“204. The pastoral council is a body set up to investigate and carefully consider whatever pertains to diocesan pastoral activities and to arrive at practical conclusions to help the People of God pattern their lives and actions more closely on the Gospel (CD 27; ES I, 16). By its study and reflection, the council furnishes the judgments necessary to enable the diocesan community to plan its pastoral program systematically and to fulfill it effectively.5

“Although the pastoral council is not mandatory, it is highly recommended.6 It is made up of clergy (deacons, therefore, being in no wise excepted), religious and laity, specially chosen by the bishop (CD 27; ES I, 16).

“The council has only a consultative voice; nevertheless, the bishop has great respect for its recommendations, for they offer his apostolic office the serious and settled cooperation of the ecclesiastical community.

“To make the council’s work more effective, the bishop can order, if the good of the faithful requires it, that in every parish, among the other offices of the apostolate, parish pastoral councils be set up and that these be aligned with the diocesan council. These councils, grouped together according to areas, could choose their representatives to serve on the diocesan council, so that the whole diocesan community may feel that it is offering its cooperation to its bishop through the diocesan council.

“In order that the council may actually achieve this goal, it will be helpful if study precedes their common deliberation; and if the case warrants, the help of institutes or offices that work in the field may be used (ES I, 16; III, 4), as for example, the socio-religious office, the office for the means of social communication, etc.” (n. 204, p. 105)