Parish pastoral councils

Abstract

Traditional pastoral action has for many centuries been pre-eminently a pastoral action on the defensive, based on apologetics, polemics and clericalism. It was much more characterised. as an individual pastoral action, rather than the action oi' the whole Church. The Secc Vatican Council has given rise to a set of new values such as participation, corresponsibility, collegiality, freedom 9 social responsibility and others which foster pastoral action as a collective action of the whole Church. Although Vatican II has elaborated a theology of these values, I do not think that these concepts of participation and corresponsibility are exclusively the competance of theology. It is enough to take a glance at any book dealing with industrial relationships or social psychology to be convinced that these values are also dis cussed and exploited in these areas. In order that these new concepts be operative there is the need of an organizational change and a change in the mentality of all those concerned, that is, the whole People of God. Since organizational and attitude change are very slow processes, the values set forth by Vatican II are still meeting with resistance within the Church from individuals and structures which have become rigid with age and tradition.