No one can have greater love than to lay down their life for their friends. John 15:13 * * * * * * * * * * *

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1 Ministry Introduction No one can have greater love than to lay down their life for their friends. John 15:13 For me, these words summarize the meaning of all Christian ministry. There are many people who, through long training, have reached a high level of competence in terms of the understanding of human behavior, but few who are willing to laydown their own lives for others and make their weakness a source of creativity. For many individuals professional training means power. But the minister,who takes off his clothes to wash the feet of his friends, is powerless and his training and formation are meant to enable him to face his own weaknesswithout fear and make it available to others. Henri J.M. Nouwen * * * * * * * * * * * The following is an excerpt from the chapter on ministry from the book The Catholic Church in the Third Millennium By Daniel Fusting. Ministry is one of the more popular topics in today s church and a frequent topic in nearly all Catholic magazines. At the time of this writing ( ), Amazon.com offered more than 116,000 books on ministry. A Google search returned over 104,000,000 listings for religious ministry. Webster s New Twentieth Century Unabridged Dictionary lists 41 definitions for ministry. These statistics may reflect somewhat both the scope and the potential complexity in understanding and capturing the essence of ministry. All faith traditions are experiencing a renewed interest and an increased involvement in ministry. One of the more visible ministries today is the ministry to the poor and the disenfranchised. Church and charitable organizations are among the largest providers of affordable housing and shelters, food kitchens and food pantries, casual labor and job placement. A number of religious and non-profit organizations regularly schedule missionary trips to the more impoverished areas in the U.S., West Indies, Central America and the Caribbean islands. These are high profile, attention-grabbing ministries. However, in reality, the vast majority of the Church s ministries are local, parish based and diocesan supported. These ministries may be less visible, less publicized and often less understood. For these reasons, they also possibly may be less appreciated.

2 What is Ministry? The understanding of ministry varies. Some would readily identify ministry as serving as a lector, usher, or a Eucharistic minister. Others would consider ministry simply as volunteering. Still others would apply ministry to almost every aspect of parish life. For example, We need ministers to break down the booths and help clean up after the parish picnic. The caution is that the repetitive use of the word ministry, if not understood and applied properly, can diminish the understanding and the appreciation of the fullness and the richness of ministry. Authentic ministry is relative to the individual s understanding of ministry and the intent of their action. Ministry is not only about what we do. Ministry is also about why we do it. Ministry is less about the minister and more about those to whom, for whom and with whom we are ministering. The word ministry derives its meaning from the Latin ministeruim, which translates into English literally as service. Webster s dictionary defines ministry simply as acting for another as an agent and carrying out their orders and designs. This definition implies an added legitimate delegation and authorization. A behavioral definition of ministry may be any activity intended to provide for the satisfaction of one or more of the specific and identifiable human needs of others. This behavioral definition disregards the nature both of the individual and the source organization that provides the ministry. The source organization may be for profit or nonprofit, a religious faith-based group or a government entity. This definition also disregards the intent of the individual caregiver who provides the ministry and the spiritual dimension that Jesus incorporated into His ministry. Ministry and Human Needs We introduced Maslow s needs-theory in the first part of chapter four - Spirituality. Maslow s needs analysis serves as an excellent foundation for understanding the nature of the Church s many ministries. The following is a summary description of needs as categorized by Abraham Maslow and is followed by an explanation of how these needs relate to ministry. Maslow s first study of human needs begins with the basic needs for survival and security and then progresses through our social needs for satisfying relationships, affection and love. Maslow concludes with the higher more complex psychological needs for self-realization and self-actualization to grow, develop and become all that we can be. The following is a brief summary description of each of these needs. Survival requires sufficient food, clothing and shelter in order simply to be able to exist. These needs bring to mind those ministries that address the homeless and the unemployed, those who are hungry but may not have sufficient income to maintain a healthy diet, those who may need a safe place to live and those who may need medical assistance but may not have the access or the financial means. As a minister, we address these needs through our parish s resources and we collaborate and work with diocesan ministries and other private or public agencies such as food kitchens, homeless shelters and free clinics.

3 Security is the knowledge and the assurance that our basic fundamental needs will somehow be provided for and satisfied on some sustainable basis. In ministry, we insure that there will always be a place where people can go for food, clothing and shelter, where the doors will be always be open and welcoming and there will be someone available on whom we can depend. Our Social needs are, the care, concern and the love we have for each other and the mutual dependency we share with one another. Our backgrounds and interests, our values and personalities connect us with one another and form the basis for establishing the companionship, friendships, personal relationships and the intimacy we experience and enjoy with one another. In a parish or in a diocesan setting, we determine community by the degree to which we share our faith traditions and our ministries with one another as Catholic Christians. We determine the quality of community that we enjoy with each other by the kinds of relationships we share with each other. The last two levels of Maslow s needs are our own deeply personal psychological needs. Self-Realization, - knowing who we are and how to use our present capabilities and become the best we can be and Self-Actualization - reaching our full potential and becoming all we can be. The five needs as defined by Maslow are the standards found in all behavioral psychology textbooks. However, toward the end of his life, Abraham Maslow identified one additional need that exceeds even self-actualization. Maslow named this ultimate need Self-Immolation a dying to self and being totally consumed and spiritually integrated as one with our all-loving Creator. Jesus exemplified self-immolation at its fullest through His life, death and resurrection. Spiritual self-immolation is the highest ideal, the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate quest sought by all of the saints in their journey towards spiritual perfection. It is also our ultimate quest. The more we are able to understand, recognize and identify these needs in others, the better we are equipped, empowered and enabled to exercise our ministries - to, with and for others. Community and Ministry We are not able to satisfy any of our needs solely and sufficiently through our own selfdevelopment efforts alone. No man is an island *. We enhance the level and the degree of satisfaction in both ourselves and in others when we work in partnership and in community with the people to whom, for whom and with whom we are ministering. Jesus authorizes us to ministry through the sacrament of Baptism. Jesus empowers us in His ministry through the sacrament of Confirmation. Jesus strengthens us in our ministry through the sacrament of the Eucharist. Jesus integrates Himself into our life, in our community and in our ministry through spiritual formation.

4 The Call To Ministry We proposed previously that spirituality and ministry are inseparable and that we express our spirituality through ministry. We stated that Baptism is our initiation into the Church - the Body of Christ and By virtue of our Baptism, each member of the community of believers is thereby priestly and that each of us is called to a holy priesthood and to ministry **. Our call to ministry is literally a vocation. Vocation is the Latin word for calling. The Holy Spirit calls each of us to a particular vocation in ministry. A vocational call to a particular ministry may come slowly and begin simply as a growing awareness, an inclination, a quiet whisper or a gentle nudge. More often, clarity comes only after a lengthy and prayerful discernment process. It may be only in time that we are able to recognize that, This is the ministry! or These are the ministries! to which the Holy Spirit is calling me! Other times, a revelation can be so unmistakably clear and so compelling that there is no room for doubt. We can expect that the Holy Spirit will call most of us to more than one ministry at different times during our lifetime. We may not be able to predict where, when, how or from whom the call to ministry may come. For this reason and in order to recognize to the Spirit s call to ministry, we must develop spiritual awareness, be vigilant and remain alert. We must remain open and prayerful to discern the Spirit s call to ministry, stand prepared and be ready to respond to the Spirit s call to ministry. However, we cannot expect to duplicate the experience of the apostle Paul who was struck down from his horse, blinded and heard the voice of God! While in ministry, we may on occasion experience a sense of being lost as when we misplace a sheet of directions or a roadmap while on a trip. Sometimes we may experience a feeling of frustration like driving on a road that twists and turns, becomes rocky and dead ends. Other times we may experience a feeling of desperation similar to arriving at a swollen stream in a raging storm only to find that the bridge washed out. Questions and problems will arise. Yet, we may not have the answers or all of the information we would like. We may not always have the amount of time that we would prefer. Nor do we always have the luxury to seek counsel from others. More often, we are forced to rely upon our own personal judgment. On these occasions, we have to distinguish when we are to enable someone and when we should allow the individual to take some personal responsibility for his or her own actions. We have to ask ourselves, For whom and for what am I personally responsible? To whom am I accountable? We have to discern when to journey with someone and act as their guide and when simply just to be there with someone. When to be proactive and make things happen and when to back off, rely on our faith, turn everything over to God and let things happen? These are the challenges that we can expect while in ministry. There are times in ministry when there is a very fine line to cross. Circumstances can vary in each situation. Each situation stands upon its own merits and dictates its own response. An old adage can serve as a simple guide to ministry. Do for others that which they are unable to do for themselves. Assist others in doing for themselves that which they may be unable to do by themselves and if necessary, Don t do for others that which they are able, capable and should be expected to do for themselves. Otherwise, we may weaken them and make them a lesser person. Here are seven important requirements for fulfilling our vocational call to ministry.

5 1. Maintain a predisposition and a willingness to change and improve. 2. Be able to transform and adapt. Remain prayerful, alert and flexible. Be willing and determined to learn whatever we need to know and strive to become whoever we need to be. 3. Be open to do whatever we are possibly able to do that is necessary and required to assist others in satisfying their individual and personal needs. 4. Recognize when we should seek help or counsel from others. We are not miracle workers. We cannot expect always to have the right answer or to make the right decision, only to have the right heart. 5. Remember that ministry is unselfish. Ministry is less about us as a minister. Ministry is more about those to whom, for whom and with whom we are ministering. Ministry is concerned less with how we as ministers may feel about ourselves. Ministry is concerned more about how others feel about themselves. 6. Remember to be good to ourselves. It is difficult to be of any good to those with whom and to whom we are ministering if we do not feel good about ourselves. We have to take care of ourselves as well. 7. Maintain a healthy spiritual, humble attitude. Avoid the sacrificial lamb martyr complex and its opposite, the look at what I am doing ego trip. These principles apply to all ministries hurting and healing, helping and formation. Often times, we minister best by simply journeying with someone. All that may be required is just being available to or being with someone. Simply, by being there we are saying, I do not have all the answers. I cannot solve all the problems and I do not have any special revelations. I cannot work miracles. But, I can walk with you and I can journey with you. I can be at your side and be your friend and by my presence you will know that I love you. We will make mistakes while we minister. However, mistakes in ministry are seldom fatal and when we make a mistake we should not beat up on ourselves. We are only human. More often, we learn more from our mistakes and failures than we learn from our accomplishments and our successes. We must keep in mind that Life is a series of new beginnings. We use our best judgment. We put on the mind of Christ, move on and leave the rest to God. Hardships test and challenge us. Even after clarity, certainty, happiness and contentment we may still experience setbacks and self-doubt. On these occasions, we may need to remind ourselves that all ministry is God s work - not ours. We are simply God s instruments - sometimes His hands, sometimes His feet, sometimes His head and always His heart. It may be helpful if we as individuals and as a community would periodically 1. Revisit and rethink our understanding of ministry. We may ask, How has my understanding and practice of ministry been formed? In which ministries can I best serve? In which areas do I need to grow and develop? In which ways do I need to continue to change?

6 2. Guard against allowing any preconceived thinking to control our choices. The Holy Spirit has imbued each of us with unique and personal charisms. Our individual charisms predispose and incline us to certain ministries. 3. Our inclinations can change at different times in our lives. Be open the Spirit s call. Be flexible and stand ready to respond to the Spirit s call. 4. Insure that ministry formation continues to evolve and that the formation process is timely, pertinent and ongoing. Let us be more aware that lay ministry is not a program. Nor is lay ministry designed to supplement the ministry of an often-overworked priest or a parish staff. Lay ministry is an authentic response to a baptismal call and is strengthened by Confirmation and the Eucharist. 5. Let us challenge our thinking, be open to change and welcome change. Let us guard against simply relying on what we formerly understood and acted upon in the past. Let us constantly be reminded of the old adage, If we always do what we always did, we always get what we always got! 6. All ministries engage our head and our heart. Our personal spirituality, our self-identity, our education and experiences predispose us, equip us and guide us in identifying to which ministries the Holy Spirit is calling us. 7. Let s foster a greater understanding and place a greater emphasis on evangelization. Evangelization is one our most important ministries. Yet, at present, evangelization is perhaps the one of the least understood and least supported ministries in many dioceses and in most all parishes. In order to help determine to which ministries we may be called, let us ask ourselves, Which ministries attract me? Which ministries most interest me? For which ministries do I feel a personal identification and an affinity? With which needs in others am I most familiar? Which needs in others do I identify with more personally? What have been my own experiences related to these needs? What are my personal gifts? What is my head telling me? Where is my heart leading me? Where is the Spirit guiding me? The answers to these questions will incline us, encourage us and assist us in identifying and choosing the particular ministry or ministries to which the Spirit is calling us. In Conclusion Let us be ever mindful that we are human. We know that we are not perfect. We cannot expect always to have the right answer or to make the right decision - only to have the right intention. We must remember and realize that our role is not that of a miracle worker. We are simply God s helpers, sometimes His hands and his feet, sometimes His head and always His heart. Let us always maintain a prayerful attitude and be alert to where the Spirit is leading us. Let us always remain open and be willing to change. Our heart will incline us. Our head will lead us. The Holy Spirit will guide us. More often, clarity comes only after a careful discernment process. In all cases, we need to be patient.

7 Finally, let us remember that ministry is about those with whom and to whom we are ministering. Ministry is never about us. We are not miracle workers. Let us leave miracles up to the Holy Spirit. Nor are we expected to have ready answers, only to have a ready heart. Finally, we cannot take someone s place nor can we walk in anyone else s shoes. However, we can journey with them even if it means simply being at their side and by our presence they will know they are loved. Ministry is less about what we know. Ministry is less about what we give. Ministry is less about me and mine. Ministry is more about what we sow. Ministry is more about how we live. Ministry is more about thee and thine Ministry is less about the time we share. Ministry is more about how we share our time. * John Donne. Meditation XVII ** Catechism of the Catholic Church Copyright 2011 Daniel Fusting