FEBRUARY
1999 TAPESTRY
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Ordained Ministry in the Church
This year we have spoken a lot about ministry.
I have asked the ministry heads in our community to speak on a weekend
about their ministries. I have written about ministry in Tapestry,
Caritas, and at F.R.E.E. I have focused purposely on lay ministry.
My hope is that all Catholics realize their responsibilities in the Church.
The area that I have not spoken much about is ordained ministry.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders consists of three levels:
deacon, priest, and bishop. Ordination is permanent like baptism
and confirmation. When persons are ordained, they no longer belong
to the lay state.
Where does the notion of Orders come from?
In the New Testament, after Jesus ascended to heaven, he entrusted the
Church to his disciples. They began setting up leaders in all the
towns and villages they entered. These early leaders were called
presbyters or elders (priests). In some regions there would be an
overseer (episcopos) to guide and direct the church. The episcopoi
would be known in time as bishops. Those who were called to serve
the community, especially with baptism and the care of the sick, were diaconi
(deacons). This threefold leadership function would be refined over
the next three centuries, but it was evident from the very beginning of
the Church.
The deacon’s primary function in the first four
centuries was to prepare catechumens for entry into the church. They
would assist the bishop in their baptism at the Easter Vigil. From
the 5th to the 20th centuries the diaconate disappeared as a separate ministry.
It was simply a step to priestly ordination. It wasn’t until after
Vatican II that the permanent diaconate was restored. The role of
the permanent deacon today is similar to that of the first few centuries.
Deacons are ordained to assist the priest and bishop in doing the work
of Christ in the parish or institution they are assigned to.
Priesthood has grown in responsibility through the
years. In the early centuries the bishop did most baptisms.
It was the bishop who was the primary teacher in the community. The
bishop was also seen as the spiritual head of the church. Today,
priests have assumed most of those roles. The bishop is still the
head of the diocesan church, but his role has become much more administrative.
Priests today are more like the bishops of the first
centuries. They are teachers and healers, they baptize, reconcile
sinners, and preside at Sunday Eucharist. They run the financial
affairs of a parish (and school) and are viewed as the shepherds of thier
particular communities.
The bishop presides at diocesan functions, confirmation,
and ordinations. He is responsible to the pope for the proper affairs
of his diocese. The bishop stands as successor to the apostles.
When the bishops of a region or of the world gather together in counsel,
they call on the Holy Spirit to guide them. Jesus guaranteed that
the Spirit would stay with the Church. Therefore, the highest level
of authority in the Church are the decrees that come from an Ecumenical
Council (i.e. Vatican II).
Jesus prayed at the Last Supper that the Church
would be one as the Father and He were one. At Vatican II, the Church
declared that the most evident sign of unity is when the bishop presides
at liturgy with his priests, deacons, and laity joined together in prayer
around the table of the Lord. Ordained ministry needs lay ministry.
We cannot meet the needs of the entire Church. Likewise, the laity
need the ordained to bring order and unity to their ministries. When
all work together, honor is given to God and the Church is built into the
Body of Christ on earth.
Peace,
Fr. Chris
FASTING
Fasting is a traditional form of discipline in our Church history. On a
fast day, one full meal is allowed. Two other meals, sufficient to maintain
strength, may be taken according to each one's needs, but together they
should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted,
but liquids, including milk and juices, are allowed. Fast applies to those
persons between the ages of 18 and 59 inclusive.
Aside from the required fast directive with regard to Days of Fast
and/or Abstinence, people find that fasting can be done at other times,
in other ways, like giving up television for the day, refraining from criticizing
others, or putting others first instead of ourselves.
We invite and encourage you to join your brothers and sisters in our
parish by offering a day of fasting and prayer for the intentions that
are published in our parish bulletins.
TOGETHER IN PRAYER
Just as Jesus intercedes continually to the Father on
our behalf, we are invited to do likewise for our family, friends, and
total strangers who cross our paths.
Intercessors are those people who are willing to
make a commitment to pray for the intentions of the parish on a daily basis.
This is done at home, at the time that best fits your schedule or routine.
It is an honor to carry out this heartfelt task
and a joy to watch God's miraculous ways unfold in the lives of our brothers
and sisters.
Intercessors meet two times a year: one Saturday
morning for breakfast in February; one Saturday evening in July/August
for pot-luck supper.
If you think God is asking you to be an intercessor
for others and would like to know more about this ministry, come to our
February 6 breakfast meeting at 8:30 A.M. in room 3.
A PRAYER FOR HELP!
So far today, Lord, I’ve done all right. I haven’t gossiped; I haven’t
lost my temper; I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or over
indulgent. I’m very thankful for that. But in a few moments, Lord, I’m
going to get out of bed. And from then on, I’m going to need a lot of help!
(Copied from “Our Daily Bread”).
THE COUNCIL ON AGING OF VOLUSIA COUNTY FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM
AND SENIOR COMPANION PROGRAMS have openings for seniors 60 and older
who would enjoy working with special needs children in Volusia County schools,
or assist the frail elderly to remain in their homes by providing companionship.
Individuals with limited income who qualify:
- work 20 hours per week and receive:
- a modest federal stipend
- travel reimbursement
- liability insurance coverage
- a great deal of satisfaction
For additional information and an appointment, call Dan Feinbaum at
Council on Aging of Volusia County at:
- West Volusia (904) 736-7747
There is no better exercise
for the heart
than reaching down and
lifting someone up!!!
MINISTROS ORDENADOS POR LA IGLESIA
Este año hemos hablado mucho sobre los ministerios.
He solicitado que los líderes de los ministerios en nuestra comunidad
hablen en cada fin de semana sobre sus ministerios. He escrito sobre
los ministerios en nuestras publicaciones, Tapíz, Caritas y FREE.
He enfocado a propósito sobre el ministerio de los laicos.
Mi esperanza es que los católicos se hagan conscientes de su responsabilidad
dentro de la Iglesia. Sin embargo, un area sobre el cual no he hablado
mucho es sobre los ministros ordenados.
El Sacramento de la Santa Ordenación
consiste de tres niveles: diaconado, sacerdocio y obispado. Dicha
ordenación es permanente, en forma similar a la del bautismo y la
confirmación. Cuando una persona es ordenada, ya no pertenece
al laicado.
¿De donde surge la noción de
dichas Ordenaciones? De acuerdo con en el Nuevo Testamento, luego
que Jesús sube al Cielo, El encarga la Iglesia a sus discípulos.
Ellos empiezan a asignar líderes en todos los pueblos y poblados
a los que llegan. Estos antiguos líderes eran llamados presbíteros
o ancianos (sacerdotes). En algunas regiones hubo encargados (episcopos)
de guiar y dirigir la Iglesia. Los episcopos fueron posteriormente
llamados obispos. Otros, llamados a servir la comunidad, especialmente
en cuanto al bautismo y el cuidado de los enfermos, se designaron diáconos.
Esta función de liderato en tres fases se refinaría durante
los próximos tres siglos, pero fue evidente desde los primeros inicios
de la Iglesia
La función primaria de los diáconos
durante los primeros cuatro siglos fue de preparar los catecúmenos
para su entrada en la Iglesia. Ellos ayudaban al obispo en el bautismo
durante la Vigilia de Pascua. Entre los siglos quinto y duodécimo
el diaconado desapareció como un ministerio separado. Era
simplemente una etapa en el proceso de ordenación de un sacerdote.
Fue luego del Concilio Vaticano Segundo que el diaconado permanente se
restituyó. El rol del diácono permanente es hoy similar
al de los primeros siglos de la Iglesia. Estos son ordenados para
ayudar al sacerdote y al obispo en la labor de Cristo en la parroquia o
la institución a la que estén asignados.
El sacerdocio a crecido en responsabilidades
durante los años. En los primeros siglos el obispo realizaba
la mayor parte de los bautizos. Era el obispo el principal maestro
en la comunidad. El era visto como la cabeza espiritual de la Iglesia.
Hoy los sacerdotes han asumido esos roles. El obispo sigue siendo
la cabeza de la diócesis de la Iglesia, pero su rol es administrativo
mayormente.
Los sacerdotes son mas parecidos a los obispos
de los primeros siglos. Ellos son maestros y fuentes de sanación,
bautizan, reconcilian los pecadores y presiden en la Eucaristía
Dominical. Ellos corren con las funciones financieras de una parroquia
( y escuela) y son vistos como pastores de un comunidad en particular.
El obispo preside las funciones diocesanas, la confirmación
y las ordenaciones. El es responsable ante el Papa de los asuntos
propios de su diócesis. El puesto del obispo es de sucesor
de los apóstoles. Cuando los obispos de una región
o del mundo se reunen en consejo, ellos llaman al Espíritu Santo
para que los guie. Jesús garantizó que el Espíritu
se quedaría dentro de la Iglesia. Por lo tanto, el nivel mas
alto de la autoridad en la Iglesia procede de los decretos que surgen de
los Concilios Ecuménicos (por ejempo, el Vaticano Segundo).
Jesús oró en la Ultima Cena
para que la Iglesia sea una, como el Padre y el Hijo son uno. En
el Concilio Vaticano Segundo, la Iglesia declaró que el signo mas
evidente de la unidad es cuando el obispo preside la liturgia con sus sacerdotes,
diáconos y laicos, unidos en oración alrededor de la mesa
del Señor.
Los ministros ordenados necesitan la ayuda del ministerio de
los laicos. Solos no podemos satisfacer las necesidades de toda la
Iglesia. Igualmente, los laicos necesitan de los ordenados para traer
orden y unidad a sus ministerios. Cuando todos trabajamos juntos,
se hace honor a Dios y se construye la Iglesia como Cuerpo Místico
de Cristo en la Tierra.
Paz,
Padre Chris
AYUNO
El ayuno es unda forma tradicional de disciplina en la historia de nuestra
lglesia. En dia de ayuno, se penmite comer una comida normal completa.
Las dos otras comidas deben ser suficientes para mantener el vigor; se
pueden tomar según las necesidades de cada cual, pero sus cantidades
no deben exceder en total a una comida completa normal.
En adición a lo requerido por las directivas de ayuno en los
Dias de Obligaciõn de Ayuno o Abstinencia, las personas pueden considerar
conveniente ayunar en otras ocasiones, de otras maneras, por ejemplo dejando
de ver televisiõn por el dia, o dejar de criticar a otros, o dando
preferencia a otros sobre nosotros.
Invitamos y estimulamos a ustedes a unirse a sus hermanos y hermanas
de la parroquia ofreciendo un dia de ayuno y oraciõn por las intenciones
que se publican