本堂神父每週話語
二零一零年三月七日
 
     
大家好﹐

在接下來的幾個星期裏﹐我邀請你們一起反省在堂區生活中非常重要的一個組織：堂區牧民議會。

堂區牧民議會並非一項新事物﹔教會早就有這構思﹐尤其在梵蒂岡第二次大公會議後所帶來充滿變化的時期。1965年出版的《教友傳教》法令（Apostolicam Actuositatem）就提及這種結構。

  教區內﹐盡可能﹐要設置各種委員會﹐幫助教會的傳教事業﹐不拘是在傳播福音、聖化人靈方面﹐或者在慈善事業、社會等事業上；在這些事上﹐聖職人員、修會會士都要和教友配合起來工作。這類委員會可以有助於教友各種組織和事業彼此間的協調﹐當然應顧及到各方面的特性和獨立。

這種委員會﹐在可能範圍內﹐也要在本堂區、在本堂區之間、在各教區之間、在全國甚至國際之間成立起來。（26）
可以看到﹐即使堂區牧民議會在當時只是一個建議﹐現今已發展成在全球各地堂區中﹐設立讓本堂神父諮詢的團隊﹐已是很普遍的情況。

當這個組織的性質被人誤解時﹐很多問題會油然而生。有人可能會認為﹐牧民議會是堂區中的最高權力機構。但是教會法明確指出﹐牧民議會在所有問題上只享有諮詢權。這個平信徒的組織﹐按他們的專長向本堂神父提供意見﹐改進堂區生活﹐從而能更好的回應教友需要。教會的教導是﹐議會不是堂區論壇或測試意見之處。相反﹐牧者諮詢議會﹐裨能從議會的探討﹐反省和建議中受益。

巴拉馬打教區對堂區牧民議會法規（2005年11月出版）也指出﹐議會成員任期應為兩年。

現在又是我們這小團體的牧民議會更替之時﹐又是時候讓你們理解其性質並參與其運作。希望事情能藉此而啟動﹐使我們能以更新的精神來投入這對教會和堂區都很重要的服務。

牧民議會是整個堂區的代表組織﹔司鐸、神職人員和平信徒一起工作﹐形成一個基督徒團體﹐旨在找出並回應﹐天主子民精神和物質上的需要。

如果你想對牧民議會知道更多﹐我會在接下來的幾週繼續寫這題目。你也可以在聖堂外或通過電郵與我聯絡。

我會邀請大家在這重要的時間祈禱﹐讓聖神帶領我們組成我們當得的牧民議會。

主內平安

莫靖龍神父
(此乃莫神父書信之翻譯，內容以英文原稿為準)
 
Hello Everybody,

In the following weeks I want to invite you all to reflect in a very important structure in the life of the Parish: The Parish Pastoral Council.

Parish Councils are not something new; the idea has been present in the Church especially after the era of changes brought about by the Second Vatican Council. In the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (Apostolicam Actuositatem) published in 1965 is one of the documents where this kind of structure is mentioned.

  In dioceses﹐ insofar as possible﹐ there should be councils which assist the apostolic work of the Church either in the field of evangelization and sanctification or in the charitable﹐ social﹐ or other spheres﹐ and here it is fitting that the clergy and Religious should cooperate with the laity. While preserving the proper character and autonomy of each organization﹐ these councils will be able to promote the mutual coordination of various lay associations and enterprises.

Councils of this type should be established as far as possible also on the parochial﹐ interparochial﹐ and interdiocesan level as well as in the national or international sphere. (26)
As you can see﹐ even when Parish Councils were presented as a suggestion﹐ it is now common practice in Parishes all over the world to have a team that the Parish Priest consults for specific items.

Many problems arise when the nature of this structure is misinterpreted﹐ some people may think that the Pastoral Council is the highest level of authority in a given Parish. However﹐ Church Law clearly states that the Pastoral Council has a consultative vote in all matters. It is a structure where Lay people﹐ based on their own expertise give advice to the Parish Priest so the life of the Parish answers better to the needs of the people. The Church teaches that councils are not parish forums or sounding boards. Rather﹐pastors consult councils so that they might benefit from the council’s work of study﹐reflection, and recommending conclusions.

It is also stated in the Statues for Parish Councils in the Diocese of Parramatta (published November 2005) that Membership of the council shall be for a period of two years.

So it has come the time to renew the Pastoral Council in our little community. A time frame has been set to start getting people involved and interested on the nature and structure of the Council. Hopefully this will get things rolling and really get us all in the mood for the renewal of this important service for the Church and for the Parish.

The Pastoral Council is a representative body of the whole parish﹐ priests﹐ religious and laity﹐ working together to form a Christian community which seeks out and responds to the spiritual and material needs of all God’s people.

If you want to know more about the Parish Council﹐ I will continue to write about it in the following weeks. You can also contact me outside the Church and also by e-mail.

I will invite you all to pray in this important time so the Holy Spirit will guide us in getting the Parish Council that we deserve.

Peace in Jesus

Fernando