An Analysis and Critique of Parish Pastoral Councils and their Committees in the Đakovo–Osijek Archdiocese

Abstract

U duhu sinodalnosti Drugoga vatikanskog koncila, đakovačko–osječka nadbiskupija nastoji sve članove mjesne Crkve povezati u suodgovornu cjelinu, u kojoj se svaki krštenik u okvirima vlastite karizme može ostvariti kao suodgovoran sudionik u životu Crkve. Ostvarenje sinodalnog duha mjesne Crkve posebno se »mora« prepoznati u župnim strukturama, a napose u župnim pastoralnim vijećima. Zadaće župnog pastoralnog vijeća, kao savjetodavnog tijela, su: pomoć župniku u otkrivanju evangelizacijsko–pastoralno–katehetskih prioriteta i potreba na terenu; postavljanje prioritetnih zadataka u župi; otkrivanje i nastojanje oko uključivanja župljana u odbore i pododbore predviđene Sinodskim dokumentima Đakovačke i Srijemske biskupije, te Pravilnikom za župna pastoralna vijeća Đakovačko–osječke nadbiskupije. Odbori župnih pastoralnih vijeća za naviještanje, liturgiju i karitativnu djelatnost daju nužnu unutarnju strukturiranost po kojoj je moguće ostvariti ciljeve župnih pastoralnih vijeća (ŽPV). Ta vijeća i njihovi odbori trebali bi biti oblikovani na način da njihova narav, obilježja i zadaće strukturalno utjelovljuju sve pojedine evangelizacijske etape te tako budu strukturalni okvir planiranja, provedbe i vrednovanja pastoralnog djelovanja župe u cjelini.In keeping with the spirit of synodality of the Second Vatican Council, the Archdiocese of Đakovo–Osijek strives to link all members of the local Church into a coresponsible whole whereby all the baptized may achieve self–realization within the scope of their particular charism by participating with co–responsibility in the life of the Church. Attainment of the synodal spirit in the local Church »must« especially be recognizable in the parochial structures, particularly in the Parish Pastoral Councils. The tasks of the Parish Pastoral Committee in the function of a consultative body are: to help the parish priest in determining evangelization–pastoral–catechetical priorities and needs in the field; deciding on priority tasks in the parish and seeking out and making the effort to include parishioners in commissions and committees foreseen in the Synodal Documents of the Đakovo–Srijem Diocese and the Handbook for Parish Pastoral Councils of the Đakovo–Osijek Archdiocese. Commissions of the Parish Pastoral Councils for Evangelization, the Liturgy and Charity Activities provide the necessary internal structuredness according to which goals of the Parish Pastoral Councils may be achieved. The latter and their boards ought to be organized in such a way that their nature, features and tasks structurally embody all respective stages of evangelization and so become the structural framework for planning, implementation and evaluation of the pastoral activity of the parish as a whole