SERVING SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS CAPE COD & THE ISLANDS
t eanc 0 VOL. 25, NO. 30
20c, $6 Per Year
FALL RIVER, MASS., THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1981
Sorting out a tangle: who's a minister? WASHINGTON (NC) - The National Conference of Catholic Bishops Administrative Comittee has approved a proposal to use the term "ministry" in NCCB documents only for ord,ained ministry and designated lay ministry. The proposal by the NCCB Committee on Doctrine fu.rther specified that: - By "ordained ministry" the committee means the official work of people in the orders of bishop, priest and deacon, and - By "designated lay ministry" the committee means the official work of acolyte or reader (lector) carried out by people commissioned in those two canonical offices; any other functions that the Holy See may simi-
larly establish in the future; and functions established by a bishop in charge of a diocese that are important, that are performed in the name of the community and that serve a permanent need of the church. These ministries are exercised by people officially designated to perform them. The Administrative Committee also approved the proposal by the Committee on Doctrine that NCCB-USCC documents use the term "Christian service" to refer to "the response to the call to serve that flows from the sacraments of initiation." Baptism and confirmation are the sacraments of initiation. This response to the call to serve "requires no formal action on the part of ec-
- The use of the term in the c1esiastical authority," the commodern church at large, in Promittee said. At a March meeting in Wash- testant writings, newspaper and ington the 46-member NCCB Ad- magazine articles, articles by ministrative Committee also ap- Scripture scholars, theological proved the circulation among the writings and ecumenical writNCCB-USCC staff of a paper by ings. and ecumenical writings. the Committee on Doctrine, "The The Committee on Doctrine Concept of Ministry." said: "While consistency in A decision on whether or not to publish the 105-page paper NCCB-USCC use of 'ministry' has value, it is premature to atwas postponed. \ tempt a precise definition of the The paper discussed: - The meaning of "ministry" word. A rush to judgment would as used in the Scriptures and dur- only disrupt discussion of the serious theological problems ing the history of the church. which definition raises." - The use of the term in the The committee noted that the documents of the Second Vatican Council, in documents. issued term ministry refers to everyby Pope Paul VI and in docu- thing from celebrating the Euments issued by various bishops' charist and preaching to visiting the elderly and resettling refuconferences.
gees. The definition of the term will also tend to expand, the committee said, unless tendency is checked. Stressing the need for clarification of ministry, the committee said: "If ministers 'by definition act in the name of the church, then bishops, pastors and the people need to know who are ministers and who 'are not. In order to represent the church who are chosen as ministers must receive training in Catholic teaching and complete programs in spiritual formation. Finally, the local church must be in a position to insure stability by developing norms for recruitment and by requiring evidence of commitment before designating individuals as ministers."
Bread for a New World
FATHER REGO
Father Rego dies, Bishop Daniel A. Cronin presided Tuesday at a funeral Mass for Father Edmond Rego, 37, associate pastor of Espirito Santo Church, Fall River, since his ordination in 1976. Father Rego died last Friday at Rhode Island Hospital after a short illness. His funeral was attended by scores of diocesan priest:3 and
religious and many members of Espirito Santo parish. The homilist was Father John J. Oliveira, associate pastor of Father Rego's native parish, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, New Bedford. Father Rego was a tireless worker in the cause of the Portuguese immigrant. Since 1977 he had contributed a PortuTurn to Page Six
Cardinal Gantin referred to each of us in bringing his own LOURDES, France (NC) With the theme "Jesus Christ: the absence of the pope when he contribution to the building up of a 'new world.''' Bread Broken for a New World," arrived at Lourdes July 16: "We all know the shocking acthe 42nd International Eucharis On July 17 more than 5,000 tic Congress concludes today at tion which keeps the pope physi- young people - members of the cally distant from us. But this Eucharistic Movement for the Lourdes. The excitement of the event serious wound injuring the torn Young - heard Cardinal Gantin was somewhat dimmed by the body of our father and letting voice the pope's plea for generabsence of Pope John Paul II, flow forth his blood puts us in osity in responding to vocations still recuperating in Rome from contact and in communion with . to the priesthood and religious the May 13 attempt on his life. his suffering, and with such a life. It was also interrupted on sev- fullness that his absence is transAnother congress speaker was eral occasions by rain which can- formed into a lively presence." Cardinal Emmanuel Nsubuga of celled at least one outdoor liturSymbolic of the continuity of Kampala, Uganda, who asked gy and cut down attendance at eucharistic congresses were two for greater reverence toward the other ceremonies. Masses celebrated under cover Eucharist. Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, pa- of a blue and white circus tent He said that priests from pal legate to the congress, spoke for English-speaking congress Uganda are scandalized when for the absent pope at several participants by Cardinal John they travel to other continents Krol of Philadelphia on July 17 major events during the congress week. Last Sunday he urged and by Australia-born Cardinal and see priests celebrating Mass weekly participation in Sunday James Knox on July 18. Both had sitting' around a table and not Mass at a Eucharistic liturgy hosted previous congresses, Car- wearing vestments. dinnal Knox in Melbourne and telecast throughout Europe. Such priests, the cardinal said, "think the Mass is just a simple It was celebrated on the plain Cardinal Krol in Philadelphia. Although Pope John Paul was meal and that there is no need facing the grotto where the absent in person, he was present to adore Christ in the EucharBlessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernardette 123 years ago. in spirit at the congress. He re- ist." On July 19 a new form of litBefore a congregation of about ferred to it July 19 during an 30,000 in the spiritual capital of Angell,ls talk to people in St. urgically based artistic expression received its world premier. a nation where only one out of Peter's Square at the Vatican. He spoke of the congress five baptized CathoIfcs assists Performed in the underground at Sunday Mass regularly, Car- theme, saying that "communion Basilica of Pius X, "The Burndinal Gantin said: "It was un- in 'the broken bread' engages ing Bush" by Didier Rimaud and thinkable for the first Christians Christian Villeneuve combined to neglect this assembly of bapinstrumental and electronic mustized persons on the very day ic; solo, choral and congregaThe Annual • tional singing; frequent dissonwhich recalled every week • Christ's resurrection, and thus iPETER'S PENCEi ance and occasional harmony; called the day of the Lord. donce; scriptural readings; slide "For a long time the church i COLLECTION projections and audience partidid not need to speak about obcipation. for the charities of ligation and law as the weekly During another event on July participation was taken so much The Holy Father : 19 over 40,000 candles burned for granted," Cardinal Gantin as pilgrims chanted "Ave, Ave, wiil be taken at all : concluded. "Every Sunday we : Ave Maria" and marched in an Masses this weekend : are God's guests. May his spirit evening procession in honor of inspire us to give thanks." Mary, mother of the Eucharist. ,~
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