One of the ways in which we want to support the life of a faith community is by offering formation and resources for ministries which are at the service of the mission of Christ in your Parish and Families of Parishes.
What is Ministry?
Ministry is serving God and one another in the Church. The model of leadership in the Church is servant leadership as Jesus taught us:
“whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45).
"For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve”St. John does not give us the words of institution when recounting the Last Supper. Instead, he recounts Jesus washing the disciples’ feet:
“After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you” (John 13:12-15).
Who can Minister?
Ministry isn’t just for clergy. Pope Francis reminded us that all the Christian faithful (lay people, clergy and religious) are called to ministry through their Baptism. Baptism is the first Sacrament we receive as Catholics. It is the sacrament through which we become members of God’s family, the Church.
We are reborn to a new life as children of God the Father, brothers and sisters of Jesus and temples of the Holy Spirit. Believers are called by name to be part of this family and are drawn together and constituted as a family by the Holy Spirit. No family is perfect, and there are always members of the family with different temperaments, but there is one fundamental bond: faith.
Each member of God’s family is called to the mission of that family: to bear witness to the love of God in Jesus Christ, and inviting others to share in that redeeming love through faith and the sacramental life of the Church.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The ministry of the faithful, and of laypeople in particular, stems from the gifts that the Holy Spirit distributes within the family of God. St. Paul said taught:
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
God doesn’t give all the gifts to just a select few. The Holy Spirit bestows all sorts of gifts and talents to each member of the family of the Church so that we might work together.
You are called and you are gifted! Each member of the Christian faithful is called to ministry through Baptism and equipped for ministry through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but what comes next?
Formation for Mission
The Church recognises that it is only right and just that people who devote themselves to service within the Church are given the “appropriate formation required to fulfil their function properly and to carry out this function conscientiously, eagerly, and diligently” (Code of Canon Law, paragraph 231 §1). In other words, if you have been asked, or have volunteered, to take on a ministry within the Church, you should receive formation to allow you to carry out this ministry with confidence and joy.
The Office for Mission and Ministry offers a variety of formation and training.
What is the difference between training and formation?
Training involves the process of developing the skills and knowledge of members of ministry teams to perform their roles effectively. Formation goes deeper than that.
Formation is the process of shaping individuals or groups to become a team with a shared purpose. Take, for example, the Ministers of the Word. They are not just a group of individuals who read at Mass. They are members of a ministry team which is exercised in the service of the assembly, helping them to hear the living word of God, enabling them to begin pondering that word in their hearts and beginning to respond to it in prayer.
Another example is the Parish Pastoral Council/Assembly. This is not like any other group (e.g., sporting, cultural, or social) which meet. It is a “faith-filled leadership group through which priests and people work together as co-responsible partners in furthering the mission of Christ in their own parish” (Living Communion, Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference). Members of the Pastoral Council/Assembly share the same values, beliefs, and attitudes that guide behaviour and decision-making.
Formation for ministry teams includes:
- A significant period of prayer so that we may hear the Holy Spirit
- Exploring the purpose and role of the ministry team within the context of the Church and the mission of Christ
- Practical training and resources
- Working together and supporting each other as Parishes within a Family of Parishes
- Time to bond and socialise as a group
- Ongoing support
Formation and training are both important. A well-formed team is more likely to benefit from effective training, while training can help to refine and improve the formation of a team.
Please contact us if you wish to discuss the ministry needs of your Parish/Family of Parishes.
Resources
It may also be helpful for ministry teams to have resources which they can use as part of their own ongoing formation. We are gathering resources which we feel might be of benefit to you and will be adding resources for other ministries. If you have a particular request for a resource, please contact us and we would be happy to accommodate you.
