Theological aspects
of the pastoral care of vocations
25. But what theology underpins, inspires
and motivates vocations ministry as such?
The response is important in our context,
because it is a mediating element between the theology of vocation and a
pastoral praxis coherent with it, which is born from that theology and returns
to it. On this discussion, in effect, the Congress expressed the need for
reflection and study, with the intention of discovering the motives which
intimately link people and communities to vocational action and in order to
highlight a better relation between theology of vocation, theology of vocations
ministry and pedagogical-pastoral praxis.
"The pastoral care of vocations springs
from the mystery of the Church and places itself at her
service".(55) The theological foundation of the pastoral care of
vocations, therefore, "can only arise from an assessment of the mystery of
the Church as a mysterium vocationis".(56)
John Paul II clearly recalls, in this
regard, that "concern for vocations is a connatural and essential
dimension of the Church's pastoral work", i.e. to her life and
mission.(57) Therefore, in a certain sense, vocation defines the
deepest being of the Church, even before her work. In the very name, "Ecclesia",
is indicated her vocational make-up, because she is truly an assembly of
those called.(58) Justly, then, does the Instrumentum laboris
of the Congress note that "a unitary vocations ministry is based upon the
vocational nature of the Church".(59)
Consequently, by its very nature, pastoral
work for vocations is an activity ordained to the proclamation of Christ and to
the evangelisation of believers in Christ. This then is the response to our
question: precisely that the theology of pastoral work for vocations is
rooted exactly in the Church's call to communicate the faith. That relates
to the universal Church, but it is attributed in a special way to every
Christian community,(60) especially in the present historical moment of
the old continent. "For this sublime mission of bringing to flower a new
era of evangelisation in Europe, evangelisers who have been prepared in a
particular way are needed".(61)
In this regard it is appropriate to recall
some points of reference, drawn from the present papal magisterium, so that
they may become points of departure for pastoral praxis in the particular
Churches.
a) Once the vocational dimension of the
Church has been highlighted, it can be understood how pastoral work for
vocations is not an accessory or secondary element, with the purpose simply of
recruiting pastoral workers, nor an isolated or partial moment, determined by
an emergency situation in the Church, so much as an activity related to the
very being of the Church and therefore also intimately inserted into
the general pastoral programme of every Church.(62)
b) Every Christian vocation comes from God,
but always arrives at the Church and passes through her mediation. The Church
("ecclesia"), who by her in-built constitution is vocation,
at the same time generates and educates vocations.(63) "Consequently,
the pastoral work of promoting vocations has as its active agents, as its
protagonists, the ecclesial community as such, in its various expressions: from
the universal Church to the particular Church and, by analogy, from the
particular Church to each of its parishes and to every part of the People of
God".(64)
c) Every member of the Church, excluding
no-one, has the grace and the responsibility of caring for vocations. It is
a duty that enters into the vital dynamism of the Church and into its process
of development. Only on the basis of this conviction can pastoral work for
vocations manifest its truly ecclesial aspect and develop a plan of action in
accordance with this, making use also of specific agencies and appropriate
instruments of communion and corresponsibility.(65)
d) The particular Church discovers her own
existential and earthly dimension in the vocation of all of her members to
communion, to witness, to mission, to the service of God and the brothers and
sisters... Therefore she will respect and promote the variety of charisms
and ministries, i.e. the different vocations, all manifestations of the one
Spirit.
e) The hinge of the whole programme of
vocations promotion is the prayer demanded by the Saviour (Mt 9,
38). This extends not only to individuals but to the whole ecclesial
community.(66) "We must pray unceasingly to the Lord of the
harvest, that he will send workers to his Church in order to meet the needs of
the new evangelisation".(67)
However it is useful to remember that
authentic vocational prayer merits this name and becomes effective only when it
creates consistency of life, principally, in the one praying, and associates
itself in the rest of the believing community with explicit proclamation and
appropriate catechesis, in order to encourage in those called to the priesthood
and religious life, as to whatever other Christian vocation, that free, willing
and generous response, which carries into effect the grace of
vocation.(68)
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