May/June 2006

Part 2

What “good”  is being promoted when the Church certifies and commissions its lay ecclesial ministers? Are there Gospel values involved in this practice?

There are two gospel values being promoted in the credentialing and public recognition of lay ecclesial ministers. The first is stewardship. The second is eucharist.

Like the servants given talents, in the Gospel story, we are expected to use the talents entrusted to us to reap a profit for the master. He will return for an accounting of “what we did with what we were given.” The gospel writer tells us it is the servant who is faithful when entrusted with small things  that is entrusted with more responsibility. This is because the servant has demonstrated good stewardship of the master’s resources.

Likewise, when a person gifted for pastoral leadership faithfully seeks out formation and mentoring, the “pastoral gifts” have been cultivated - and that is good stewardship.  We credential those who have exercised good stewardship of their pastoral gifts and we entrust them with responsibility to serve our faith community.

A second value comes into play when we publically recognize that lay ecclesial ministers are called and gifted by God. As a eucharistic people we return our gifts to God in the form of offering or service, as an act of thanksgiving. Commissioning is a celebration of God’s providence supplying all that we need to be faithful disciples, growing in holiness and communion.




Next week we will look at:

Why should lay pastoral ministers invest the time and energy to “go through the process” of being credentialed and recognized?