CCRS Ecclesiology:What does it mean for the

Church to be Church?

Session IIRevd Dr Gareth Leyshon

Archdiocese of Cardiff

CCRS Ecclesiology

Session II:Cardinal Dulles – Models of Church Our local community – the ParishMinistries: Ordinary and ExtraordinaryMid-Course Feedback

CCRS Ecclesiology

Dulles: Models of the Church

Models by Dulles

Model 1: INSTITUTIONVisible SocietyVisible StructuresHostage to History?

Robert Bellarmine: the Church is a society “as visible and palpable as the community of the Roman people, or the kingdom of France, or the Republic of Venice.”

Models by Dulles

Model 2: MYSTICAL COMMUNIONInterior CommunionMystical BodyPeople of GodLacks need for structures?

Dulles: A “supernatural organism vivified by the Holy Spirit.”

Models by Dulles

Model 3: CHURCH AS SACRAMENTVisible sign of an invisible realityA symbol which really is that which it symbolisesWhat about Mission?

Henri de Lubac: “If Christ is the Sacrament of God, the Church is for us the sacrament of Christ; she represents him, in the full and ancient meaning of the term, she really makes him present.”

Models by Dulles

Model 4: CHURCH AS HERALDThe ‘receptacle’ of the Word of GodResponsible for proclaiming that Word

A witness to the message.Too distant from Christ?

Richard MacBrien: “The Church [is a] community which holds aloft, through the preached Word, the wonderful deeds of God in the past, particularly his mighty act in Jesus Christ.”

Models by Dulles

Model 5: CHURCH AS SERVANT Respects distinction of Church and World

Church seeks to reconcile and healMakes Kingdom PresentFocus on human need rather than God?

Loses prophetic dimension?

William Temple (Archbishop of Canterbury): “The Church is the only organisation which exists for those who are not its members.”

TASK 3

How well does your assigned model fit your

parish?

Feedback from last week’s assigned task:

What roles does your parish have which are not seen in the Sunday

assembly but are an important part of being

church?

People: A God’s Eye View

People: A God’s Eye View

God Chose Israel

Some were baptised...

... Gentiles too ...

... and filled with God’s Spirit.

Christ chose APOSTLES...

... who ordained deacons ...

... and elders (prebyters).

Behold, the Church!

What about religious?

A mark on the soul?

Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders

confer a “character”.

Religious profession does not.

The Hierarchy

Bishop Priest Deacon Confirmed Christian Baptised Christian Catechumen Non-Christian

EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY Archbishop; Pope Dean (Archdeacon)

The Hierarchy

Bishop Priest Deacon Confirmed Christian Baptised Christian Catechumen Non-Christian

HONOURS

Monsignor, Canon

Papal awards

Ministers of the Sacraments ORDINARY

Bishop, for Confirmation EXTRAORDINARY – when neccessary

Priest, confirming a student Lay Ministers of Holy Communion

ILLICIT – shouldn’t, but it works Society of Pius X priest celebrating Mass

INVALID – it doesn’t work A deacon attempts to anoint a sick person A non-ordained person conducts Eucharist

REMEMBER!

There’s more to being

Church than Mass!

LUMEN GENTIUM(Vatican II)

CHAPTER I: THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH

#1-#7 God’s loving plan was to save humanity from sin and make them members of his church.

#8 The visible structures and the bonds of charity between members form one complex reality, both human and divine – yet its members are sinners! Dulles 1: Institution Dulles 2: Mystical Body

LUMEN GENTIUM(Vatican II)

CHAPTER II: ON THE PEOPLE OF GOD

#9 God calls his people into community.

#10 We are a priestly people, called to worship God and speak of his works. Ordained priesthood Royal priesthood of all the baptised

LUMEN GENTIUM(Vatican II)

CHAPTER II: ON THE PEOPLE OF GOD

#11 Sacraments of membership, healing and Christian living – family as the Domestic Church.

#12 A prophetic people.#13 Embracing all cultures and gifts.#14-17 The Church is God’s desire for

all people, but God has contingency plans...

LUMEN GENTIUM(Vatican II)

CHAPTER III: HIERARCHY & BISHOPS

#18-28a Mostly about Bishops.#28b Priests.#29 Deacons.

- restoration of the permanent diaconate for single and married men in countries where bishops decide this is appropriate.

LUMEN GENTIUM(Vatican II)

CHAPTER IV: THE LAITY

#30 The clergy can’t save the world – or do everything God wants - on their own!

#31 To be priest, prophet and king at home and in the workplace – to make Christ known to the world!

> Your assignment!

Feedback from last week’s assigned

reading:

Lumen Gentium 33-42

LUMEN GENTIUM(Vatican II)

CHAPTER VI: RELIGIOUS LIFE

#43 The deeper call (for lay and clergy) to Poverty: No money of your own. Chastity: i.e. Celibacy. Obedience: which encompasses the others.

#44 Living the life of heaven, on earth.#45 Power of governance.#46-47 The Sign Value! For God’s glory

and for the holiness of the Church.

LUMEN GENTIUM(Vatican II)

CHAPTER VII: CHURCH BEYOND THIS LIFE Salvation – Session 5.

CHAPTER VIII: MARY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH

Presentation © Revd Dr Gareth Leyshon 2009 except for photographs included as fair use for educational purposes. It may be freely used as a Catholic educational tool.

www.drgareth.info/ccrs