By Most Rev Prakash Mallavarapu, Archbishop of Visakhapatnam
Preaching during the Holy Mass based on the selected Scripture readings is a teaching but it cannot take care of the entire area of faith formation. How to extend our pastoral care to individuals and the Catholic families in a given parish? How to reach out to the number of faith communities in the localities and villages in the parishes? Here, steps have to be taken to get the faithful involved and to take responsibility. People coming to the Church should be complemented with “ the church going to the people in the parish.”
Formation of “Basic or Small Christian Communities, BCCs/SCCs,” is one good and effective way for the celebration of faith and further formation in Christian faith. This involves more time and availability, interest, and dedication from both, the pastors and the faithful, People of God! Similarly, “Lectio Divina” to pray with the Word of God.
Reaching out and catering to different sections of the Community, Children, youth, married couples, women, migrants, etc.:
i) Let us start considering the Christian youth in the given parish or village. In our Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam as a result a gradual process of reaching out to youth, today most of the parishes have youth groups though not all the youth in the parish are coming into the youth group. With regard to faith formation and building up conviction in the youth about Christian faith and about being disciples of Jesus Christ, what and how pastoral care is organized and extended? We know how the present scenario of the digital and Google-ling age is. Exposed to the positivistic mindset that the advancement of science and technology has brought about, how our youth are given or have to be given formation that helps them to be deeply convinced of what Christian faith teaches about God, about the creation, about the fellow human beings, fellow Christians, about Jesus Christ and salvation in Him, about the Church and the sacramental life in the Church, about marriage, family, etc. Who teaches them and how? Thanks be to God that families help and the catechesis on the occasion of receiving First Holy Communion and confirmation, at the time of marriage preparation, etc some help is given. It is important that the pastoral care in the parish gives serious consideration to these concerns of the youth in the Church by deliberate and planned accompanying of our youth. They are the hope of the church tomorrow!
II) Children in the parish: Gone are the days of Catholic schools and boarding homes that could take care to a large extent the upbringing of children in the Catholic Christian faith. Evidently, we know the changes that have come and various other factors that are making it nearly impossible to impart faith formation and catechesis in the school-going age of our children. Today most of our children are studying in schools other than the Catholic schools. Even the availability of children for catechetical instructions has become a serious challenge. What percentage of parents and elders in the families are helping children in matters of faith formation, catechism etc ? Those children who study in schools and hostels away from their village will be missing what the parents and catechists could offer. Some serious thinking and planning should be done at the parish level. Sunday catechism should be well organized wherever possible, especially in the urban parishes. But, how about the rural parishes where most of the faithful in the villages do not come for Holy Mass in parish headquarters of the parish. As part of our pastoral care, with the parish priest in the lead, there should be some collective thinking, planning, and implementing a program of teaching catechism. It is important to involve the parents and other family members.
iii) Married couples, Families, and more especially, women in the families: It is a well known saying, “family is the domestic Church.” In the Catholic Church in all our Liturgical gatherings and prayer meetings, or when retreats are arranged, women participants outnumber the men. In a lighter vein, we hear being said, (Catholic Church) “Sree Sabha” is “Sthree Sabha!” One should not generalize this observation as if men are absent or disinterested in matters of faith. But, we the Catholics should recognize and respect the faith and devotion of women in the families as the strength to the life and mission of the Church.
Our pastoral care in the form of the family apostolate should be positively and effectively extended to all Catholic families. We all know that a woman in the family, and Catholic family is no exception, plays a vital role in all the matters of family life. In matters of faith as well, the contribution of women in the family is important. But, there should be some way to form women in matters of faith. Well informed and enlightened mother along with the father will be a great source of guidance and care for the children in the family. In the parish, we must provide opportunities to women to meet along with other catholic women to share, reflect, and discuss how their catholic faith is helping them in facing or handling the responsibilities and challenges in the day-to-day family life. Such arrangements will also serve as a support system to the family that strengthens and encourages them spiritually and socially. These silent churchgoers, women, should be reached out for their needs to live up to their life in the family. In the male-dominant culture still prevalent in our society, should not the liberating Christian faith be a source of strength?
If self-help groups and “Mahila Mandals” are helping women, can the Catholic faith not also be the source of strength to Catholic women? In the parish can we not have an association or group of Catholic women in the families? These points should come as part of the pastoral concern in the given parish!
Conclusion:
Already in the New Testament times, this concern for different sections
was there and the Apostles spoke about this concern. I am writing to you, little children, beacuse your sins are forgiven for his sake. I am writing to you, Fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the Evil One. I write to you, children, because you know the father. I write to you fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning . I write you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God, abides in you, and you have overcome the Evil one. (1Jn. 2:12-14)