To what is the Church calling us? What does Pope Francis want?

Our Plan Today In continuity with our history Pope Francis pastoral initiatives Accompaniment In the life of Jesus In the teaching of Pope Francis 2 types of accompaniment How this changes your daily life The method for accompanying others

Church history 325 1517 JC Under Constantine Today The Founding Period Jesus: Encounter People of mercy Forming their consciences Christians accompanying each other The Creed Conscience The Reformation Carolingian reforms Lateran Councils Trent 1917 Code of Law Baptism with no formation Mid-century biblical Less personal faith & liturgical renewal More membership Rapid growth in ever-larger parishes Vatican II Obedience to law Minimum obligations threat of Hell

Church history 325 1517 JC Under Constantine Today The Founding Period Jesus: Encounter People of mercy Forming their consciences Christians accompanying each other The Creed The Reformation Trent Carolingian reforms By 1546, Lateran no reconciliation Councils was 1917 possible. Code of Law Trent sought to set boundary Baptism with no formation Mid-century stones biblical and to reform abuses among the Less personal faith & liturgical clergy. renewal More membership Trent s style was to expose & condemn. Rapid growth in ever-larger It had parishes to be. Vatican II Obedience to This law continued into Vatican I Minimum obligations & up to threat Vatican of Hell II. Conscience

Pope Francis pastoral ideas are a continuation of Vatican II which was in continuity with Scripture, the Apostolic Church, & previous councils & popes while being open to the development of doctrine Aggiornamento brought up to date! Ressourcement from the original sources!

Core documents Evangelii Gaudium The Joy of the Gospel Misericordiae Vultus The Face of Mercy Laudato Si On the Care of our Common Home Amoris Laetitia The Joy of Love

Pope Francis is inviting us to undertake certain Pastoral Initiatives Encounter Christ anew A people & a church of mercy Discern the voice of God within the conscience Pastoral strategy : accompaniment

Other initiatives Enthused missionary discipleship A poor church for the poor Care for our common home The call to the clergy and lay leaders to get enthused, write good homilies and get out with their sheep

Pastoral Initiatives Encounter Christ anew A people & a church of mercy Learn to discern the voice of God within the conscience Pastoral strategy : accompaniment

I invite all Christians to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ (JoG #3). No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.

Turn your heart The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that he is there already, waiting for us with open arms.

Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy. (JoG#3)

Kerygma (our core message) God loves you and seeks you out God summons you to love Jesus teaches us that nothing can separate us from his love And this is the really Good News The Cross Now in the Spirit, Jesus walks with you every day

Kerygma (our core message) God loves you and seeks you out God summons you to love year of favor Jesus teaches us that nothing can separate us from his love And this is the really Good News The Cross Luke 4: the Spirit of the Lord is upon me to announce a Romans 10: How are they to believe if the word is not preached to them? Matthew 3: John Now in the Spirit, Jesus walks came preaching with you every day

Turn your heart Now is the time to say to Jesus: Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord. Take me once more into your redeeming embrace.

Pastoral Initiatives Encounter Christ anew A people & a church of mercy Learn to discern the voice of God within the conscience Pastoral strategy : accompaniment

What is mercy? It is a posture toward those who struggle or are in need A posture of compassion & aide We are merciful because God has so much mercy on us

The liturgy For this reason, in the Mass, we pray for mercy frequently Penitential rite The Gloria Often in the Collect The Preface & Eucharistic prayers Lamb of God

Mercy Not a theology Not found in canon law or the moral code of the Church Not in the 10 Commandments Mercy is implanted within us by God Essential for Accompaniment

Matthew Jesus called Matthew Jesus looked on that man with mercy #8 in The Face of Mercy Pope Francis motto: Miserando atque Eligendo I hold nothing against you and I choose you

Pope Francis The Church s first duty is not to hand down condemnations or anathemas. It s not all about law and rubrics.& Canon Law. It is to proclaim God s mercy in Jesus name

Pastoral Initiatives Encounter Christ anew A people & a church of mercy Discern the voice of God within the conscience Pastoral strategy : accompaniment

The Church in Modern World #16 Our Catechism #1776 Deep within our conscience we discover a law which we have not laid upon ourselves but which we must obey. Its voice, ever calling us to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in our hearts at the right moment... For we have in our heart a law inscribed by God... Our conscience is our most secret core and our sanctuary. There we are alone with God whose voice echoes in our depths

Conscience Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) 37: We have found it hard to allow the consciences of the faithful to guide them. The key: We in the Church are called to help form consciences, not replace them with our rules.

Forming conscience Avoid either of two extremes

Overly church-law-centered We form our conscience only to be in accord with church teaching We may never reach any other conclusion No matter what the circumstances of our lives Humans in relationship to law Rigidity turning people away We become remote controlled by the church (Pope Francis term)

Overly self-centered Where we try to justify any decision Anything goes Without adequate prayer and discernment Without regard for church law, custom, and practice Lax people lose their bearing Not within our tradition as Catholics

Balanced Christ-centered Discernment We reach a thoughtful decision In a prayerful and serious way Confession may be part of the process The help of an Accompanist We listen for the voice of Christ The restless heart seeking God

Our Catechism #1785 In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light for our path, we must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also examine our conscience before the Lord's Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church.

Essential for Accompaniment A fundamental orientation toward Jesus A heart full of mercy Ability to discern the voice of God in the conscience

Pastoral Initiatives Encounter Christ anew A people & a church of mercy Learn to discern the voice of God within the conscience Pastoral strategy : accompaniment

Pastoral Strategy The Holy Father sees accompaniment As the key strategy In order to achieve all the other pastoral goals This includes the care of the environment and the poor

What is accompaniment?

God is still speaking We begin with this tremendous and amazing reality God speaks through Scripture & Liturgy And also: Nature & beauty, music & art The ministry of the Church The embrace of a loved one The quiet of our hearts

God is still speaking But sometimes we need help to discern God s voice. That s where an accompanist steps in.

An accompanist Helps others hear the voice of God as it echoes in the depths of his or her conscience With reverence for how God may be leading this person Fully aware of the mysterious ways of God Such accompaniment happens at God s speed (not at our own demanding pace)

To clarify We walk with each other day in and day out Families, friends, co-workers, neighbors But merely hanging out together Or meeting for happy hour Or even going out for lunch Isn t necessarily Christian accompaniment

To clarify What makes it into Christian accompaniment (JoG 170) Is when we transform our daily chatter Into an intentional desire to lead others to know Jesus & to love the church Key word: intentional We intend to lead others to know Jesus & love the church

How do we lead others to Jesus? When you lead them to acts of love rather than selfishness to forgiveness rather than acting on a grudge to show mercy to find a home in the parish to healing when they are wounded to seeing when they are blind

Just to be clear Spiritual direction is a form of accompaniment One in which two parties form an agreement to walk together within a structured set of conversations We aren t talking here about spiritual direction as such

Accompaniment A closer look But first, a word from one of our sponsors

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Our Plan Today Continuity with our history as the Church Pope Francis pastoral initiatives Accompaniment In the life of Jesus In the teaching of Pope Francis 2 types of accompaniment How this changes your daily life The method for accompanying others

It all started in The Joy of the Gospel #s 161-172 Everyone must learn about accompaniment We must learn to listen Each person s situation before God and their life in grace are mysteries

And was greatly elaborated in The Joy of Love 9 chapters 325 articles long Dealing with Family Spirituality in marriage Love in marriage, including sexual loving Pastoral perspectives from many angles Chapter 8

Apostolic Exhortation Used by the Popes to express their thoughts on contemporary issues No doctrinal and binding character not an Apostolic Constitution or a Motu proprio Like an extended sermon, exhorting the faithful to consider particular points

Apostolic Exhortation I do not recommend a rushed reading of the text (#7) The contents are part of the ordinary magisterium of the Church, As such, they call for our assent Any study should be marked by an open mind

Joy of Love #291 [The Church] turns with love to those who participate in an incomplete manner. The Church must accompany with attention and care the weakest of her children who show signs of a wounded and troubled love

Joy of Love #291 by restoring in them hope and confidence, like the beacon of a lighthouse in a port or a torch carried among the people the Church s task is often like that of a field hospital. This is the language of the heart Not of the lawmaker

Pope Francis language Not juridical Not canonical But the language of interiority The call to holiness His desire to win inner consent A change of heart A firm Christian commitment This is what the church is all about

The most interior of words: Conscience Shift from commands to ideals From ruling to serving From vertical to horizontal From hostility to friendship From threats to invitation

The most interior of words: A major shift from Exterior conformity to the law Even while the interior life was in conflict To a joyful pursuit of holiness To loving in the best way possible Within our limits

Joy of Love Remarriage (JoL 292) Constructive elements of love Even though not up to the ideal Civil marriage or cohabitation (JoL 293) Stability and care are present Deep affection and shared children Let us enter into dialogue with these In the hope that they will gradually (JoL 295)

Joy of Love (JoL 296-299) The way of the Church is not to condemn anyone But to walk with them Avoid judgements that do not take into account mitigating circumstances Should not feel excommunicated

When people fail Do we cast them off? Or work to reinstate them? (JoL 296) No one can be condemned forever Not only the divorced & remarried But everyone in whatever situation they find themselves (JoL 297)

The logic of integration They belong to the Church Because they belong to Christ not excommunicated (JoL 299) What is needed is discernment of how God is speaking in their consciences. (JoL 300)

Joy of Love (JoL 300) direct the pastors of the Church to undertake discernment of each case, the degree of responsibility is not the same in all cases and, therefore, the rules may be applied differently We must accompany each person

Situations 2 nd union consolidated over time Tried to save 1 st marriage but were abandoned Enter the 2 nd marriage for the kids Subjectively certain in conscience that the 1 st marriage was not valid Violence, abuse, drugs, addiction

Many situations If we consider the immense variety of concrete situations such as those I have mentioned No new set of rules that would adequately apply to all cases is possible #300

What is possible (JoL 300) is a process of accompaniment and discernment which guides the faithful to an awareness of their situation before God.

Church teaching JoL #292 The Church has a very strong reason for teaching what it does about divorce It is clearly in the teaching of Jesus It is in continuity with our history It calls for self-giving, Paschal Mystery love And yet, a couple could discern that they are meeting these demands, even when a divorce results

Mitigating circumstances #301 The Church has a solid body of reflection that helps us understand mitigating circumstances we can no longer say, simply, that any person in an irregular situation is in a state of mortal sin or is deprived of sanctifying grace.

Mitigating circumstances #302 [1] ignorance, [2] inadvertence, [3] duress, [4] fear, [5] habit, [6] inordinate attachments and other [7] psychological or [8] social factors. CCC 1735 [9] affective immaturity, [10] force of acquired habit, [11] conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen or even extenuate moral culpability. CCC 2352

Conscience #303 A person can come to see that a particular decision is in line with what God himself is asking amid the concrete complexity of one s limits, while yet not fully the objective ideal.

Discernment JoL #305 "Discernment must help to find possible ways of responding to God and growing in the midst of limits," Not black and white Don t close off the way of grace

Don t throw stones #305 For this reason, no pastor should ever believe that it is enough to simply apply a moral law to people in irregular situations without regard to conscience, as though throwing stones at people s lives. This shows the closed heart of one hiding behind Church teachings.

Joy of Love #305 Because of mitigating factors, it is possible that in an objective situation of sin a person may not be subjectively guilty; this person can be living in God s grace, can love and can also grow in the life of grace and charity, while receiving the Church s help to this end. 351

Footnote 351 In certain cases, this can include the help of the sacraments. Hence, I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber, but rather an encounter with the Lord s mercy JoG 44 I would also point out that the Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak JoG 47.

Canon 915 Those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared, and others who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin, are not to be admitted to holy communion.

Canon 912 If the situation is one in which mortal sin is not a factor Any baptized person who is not forbidden by law may and must be admitted to holy communion.

Pope Francis JoL 308 I understand those who prefer a more rigorous pastoral care which leaves no room for confusion. But I sincerely believe that Jesus wants a Church attentive to the goodness which the Holy Spirit sows in the midst of human weakness,

Rhetorical style Missing in Pope Francis language: Word of alienation Exclusion Enmity Threat or intimidation Surveillance and punishment No anathemas In use in the church from Nicaea to Vatican I

Rhetorical style At Trent, 100% of the canons began with the words: If anyone dares to believe And ended with Let him be Cursed Banned Excommunicated Damned

Rhetorical style Pope Francis style is Poetic Exhortatory Affirming of small steps Compassionate about weakness Resembling the language of the Fathers And of Paul But not of Trent and the years onward

Rhetorical style Francis wants to reach hearts and souls He wants to influence them Very much like the Fathers of the Church This began at Vatican II And Pope Francis is continuing it now He is raising up the ideal of Catholic life Knowing not everyone is able to live it

Rhetorical style So he isn t laying out laws to follow But ideals to be lived up to Gradually As one is able Given one s limits And the circumstances of one s life Reality is more important than ideas

His words Horizontal words Compassion words Friendship words Humility words We don t know everything Shift from control words to service words Pastors of souls are to

Persuasion Like Paul I could command you But that comes from on high And I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love, forgiveness, and mercy I invite you (JoG 3) Like Jesus

Like the Council No new laws or doctrines But a more forward application Of mitigating circumstances in people s lives Rather like St John XXIII But very much unlike St. John Paul II And Benedict XVI

Joy of Love #308 [The Church is like] a Mother who, while clearly expressing her objective teaching, always does what good she can, even if her shoes get soiled by the mud of the street

No misunderstanding We have our ideals & rules And they stand as they are (JoL 307) without detracting from [them] there is a need to accompany with mercy and patience embracing gradualness (JoL 308)

For example, family planning 222. We want to encourage the couple to be generous in accepting the gift of children. In this regard, family planning fittingly takes place as the result of a consensual dialogue between the spouses, respect for times, and consideration of the dignity of the partner.

Family planning -- #222 The couple must form their consciences The pastoral leader accompanies the couple on this journey, helping them to reach decisions in accord with their consciences. The parents themselves and no one else should ultimately make this judgment in the sight of God.

Church teaching The Church has a very strong reason for teaching what it does about contraception Openness to new life Generosity of spirit Shared responsibility for getting pregnant But a couple may discern in good conscience that they meet these norms on the whole even if not in each individual act of intercourse.

Jesus, the Chief Accompanist The calling of the disciples come with me Matthew, from his customs table It was mutual they accompanied each other Together they clarified their day-by-day mission They intended to help each other grow closer to God

Jesus, the Chief Accompanist The road to Caesarea Philippi They walked and talked 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee The most personal and pithy question in the New Testament: Who do people say that I am? And you, who do you say I am? Accompanying each other

Philemon Colossae Onesimus Ephesus Paul in prison Sends a letter I could force you but I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love By the way, have a guest room ready

Our Plan Today Continuity with our history as the Church Pope Francis pastoral initiatives Accompaniment In the life of Jesus In the teaching of Pope Francis Types of accompaniment How this changes your daily life The method for accompanying others

Pastoral Accompaniment The attitudes, words, and actions of the parish priest and pastoral workers. How the parish programs are organized to assist parishioners. Accompaniment in Faith Formation The voice or presence of the parish in the wider community, how it is seen and heard.

Personal Accompaniment The help that family members or friends intend to give each other. The mutual help that spouses or good friends give each other. Accidental, short-term accompaniment.

2 other ways we accompany From On Care for our Common Home We accompany the nature environment Befriend it and keep it in your heart From the Joy of the Gospel We accompany the poor and vulnerable We find ways to partner with them and befriend them

For all pastoral leaders Attitude really matters We tend to resent people Or give up on them For being absent Or breaking the rules We tend to label people They re unchurched They don t support the parish We are often personally offended

For all pastoral leaders Attitude really matters A journey of their own God is acting in their lives A loving touch from you may be all that is needed to open that up A sense of reverence for the mystery New attitude: I am Jesus to them

For all pastoral leaders Attitude really matters The Church will have to initiate everyone priests, religious and laity into this art of accompaniment JoG 169 which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other Our attitude: Love but do not condemn Pray that you will be filled with love Be like the father of the prodigal son

For all pastoral leaders Your language Don t become the elder brother How you speak to those Living outside our rules Or beneath our norms Instead of judging or condemning Compassion, mercy, and hope Your words: loving and kind

For many (most?) of you A welcome relief You no longer have to throw the book at people who have suffered Freely offer them love and your open heart Welcome them in Jesus name

For parish priests Reconciliation Into the confessional People trust they will be heard and loved An environment of welcome Become known as a compassionate confessor Rather than a strict judge of others sins

For parish priests The crowds How you address the parish in your homilies How you address crowds of flower people Christmas, Easter, Funerals, Weddings Offer God s unconditional love to them

For all pastoral leaders People in irregular situations See them anew God is acting in their lives They may not hear their own conscience Or know they are forgiven Gradually moving toward God Honor the mystery in that But do not judge

Don t jump to conclusions Don t assume the 2 nd marriage is adultery It very well may not be Even without an annulment Instead, listen to the whole story hope & comfort discern the voice of God in their conscience guide them to the tribunal if possible

For all pastoral leaders Black or white thinking You may begin to see that it s not inside or outside the church with or not with God Catholic or non-catholic We are all God s children The poor aren t the Catholic poor The environment isn t where Catholics live When is someone part of the church?

For all pastoral leaders In sum The attitudes, words, and actions Of the parish priest and pastoral team Make all the difference in the world. You have all the permission you need to be merciful and compassionate

www.artofaccompaniment.com Parish tools for accompaniment How do folks encounter Christ? Parish based retreats Faith sharing at every meeting Free faith sharing guides for each week Baptism prep Also, post-baptism up to the first sacraments Confirmation prep Accompanying parents to play their role

www.artofaccompaniment.com Accompaniment Faith formation Coaching young parents Helping them become the primary teachers Don t replace them with a program But accompany them Offer them assurance and affirmation

www.artofaccompaniment.com Accompaniment Growing Up Catholic First Reconciliation First Eucharist Coach parents to play THE major role Accompaniment for parents Commonwealth Edition Coach young parents

www.artofaccompaniment.com Accompaniment Pastoral care Reaching out well beyond our borders The needs of ecumenical households Marriage prep A relationship that doesn t end at the wedding Requires that we listen to them carefully Help them discern God s voice

For all pastoral leaders Free or inexpensive resources ArtofAccompaniment.com

For all pastoral leaders The voice of the parish Sit down with a team Talk through the elements of parish life What is your front door like? Who meets a guest or visitor? Who answers the phone or email? How accessible are you and your team? Is your parish warm and inviting? Or cold and scary?

For all pastoral leaders The voice of the parish Sit down with a team Talk through the elements of parish life What is your front door like? Who meets a guest or visitor? It takes a team for Who answers the phone or email? this. How accessible The are parish you and priest your team? Is your parish cannot warm usually and inviting? do it Or cold and scary? alone.

For all pastoral leaders The voice of the parish What is the voice of the parish? In the signs that welcome & direct folks? In the homily? In the announcements and written material? On the web? Language creates reality What are you saying?

The wider parish community Pastoral care for the sick and dying The funeral ministry The care of non- Catholic spouses Parish neighbors the people living down the block Other Christian churches Mosques Synagogues The poor, homeless, and vulnerable The natural environment

For all pastoral leaders Remedial work In the past: a bit closed and rigid Doors were not always perceived to be open People did not feel they would be heard Their own journey of faith was not trusted We tended to judge insiders vs outsiders The Holy Father is calling us to fix this How?

For all pastoral leaders Remedial work One way to do this: Send current active parishioners home to tell their kids and siblings that the church still loves them. Tell them our hearts are open to them. We are ready to accompany them Without first condemning them.

www.artofaccompaniment.com How to Invite & Welcome An e-resource kit Fully reproducible Tools to give your active people to help them reach out to others How to Speak about your Faith without Annoying Others We are the People of God, and you re part of the family! FREE!

How to Invite & Welcome in God s Name Your ambassadors are your active parishioners Their mission is to their own family & friends You give them permission And you make sure your door is open! If not, people will step forward but quickly run away!

What does it mean to Open your Doors New attitude of mercy & gradualness Translated into The actions of the pastoral leaders The voice of the parish Your people will have to trust that if their family member or friend comes to your door, that you will welcome them That you will trust God s action in their lives

For all pastoral leaders How to Invite & Welcome ArtofAccompaniment.com

Personal Accompaniment The help that family members or friends intend to give each other. The mutual help that spouses or good friends give each other. Accidental, short-term accompaniment.

Household life Married to someone without faith (or religion) Parents who are old or dying A job change or loss Life changes as we age Tough financial times The in-laws! Or the kids! Or the neighbors! The ups and downs of life

Short- term Accidental meetings In which God works through you Keep your attitude strong: God is acting through you to touch others God is also acting in their lives Be ready!

The method Does this person have a fundamental orientation toward God Sometimes such an orientation is lurking beneath the surface Do they desire what is good? Loving? Self-giving? Merciful and compassionate?

The method Or do they follow only what is expedient? Ignoring the law of love? No consideration of others? Self-taking, selfish? If there is no fundamental orientation to God there can be no real discernment

The goal of all Accompaniment Adult Catholics of mature faith who know Jesus and love the church.

Once oriented toward God Listen to their whole story Let them unfold it Often in the telling, insights arise Work very hard for fair judgements You will make them But pray that they will be fair And don t impose them You want to let God s voice arise in their heart

Once oriented toward God Like flying a kite You hold the string But you have to let the wind take the kite Speak with love and kindness in your voice Don t push for a decision if the person is not ready Patience is the secret God is acting

Once oriented toward God How is God moving them? What intuitions do they have about what God wants for them? What divine signs appear in their lives? Is what they are doing or planning to do really right for them? Is it what they re created and saved for?

Once oriented toward God Your language should be Invitational Pastoral Assuring Affirming of small steps At the right moment Share the values and insights of the law Lead them to self-giving love

Remember No matter what they have done in the past God has forgiven them We should not hold more against them than God does

Mortally wounding actions Be aware of dark forces at work Keep your eye on Christ Warn the person that such an act or attitude, or failure to act Will cause a mortal wound to their soul Cannot be reconciled with what God wants Is selfish rather than self-giving

Mortally wounding actions Someone who is Acting on a grudge Getting revenge Not caring for their own body Cheating on his or her spouse Bullying others Planning suicide People acting out of Aggression Fear Prejudice Lust Greed Dishonesty Jealousy or envy

Mortally wounding actions Rape Familial abuse False rumors Murder Abortion False oaths & lies Stealing Hoarding money while the poor suffer Exploiting people Promiscuity Pornography And others

We distinguish between Capital offenses and objective evil: Do not lead to love But only to selfishness Matters for which no case can ever be made Always evil Matters of love and marriage: Situations of relationship & love Even though not up to the norm of the church Irregular situations Sometimes evil but often not

For sins in the past Forgiveness Moving onward God does not lead us into darkness Selfishness or Sin These are times when tender love is vital

In conclusion Jesus: The Chief Accompanist

The road to Emmaus (Luke 24) He allowed them to speak from their hearts He heard their whole story His questions were open ended He doesn t try to solve their problems Jesus does not merely affirm the disciples He challenges them. He calls them foolish and slow of heart.

The road to Emmaus (Luke 24) Jesus sounds fairly harsh here, but apparently it wasn t too much They will still ask him to stay for dinner Accompaniment should also help people see that Jesus stays with them and death/darkness don t have the final say.

The road to Emmaus (Luke 24) In the end, whatever he said to them led to their being able to recognize Jesus Were not our hearts burning within us as he spoke? As accompanists May our words have the same effect!

Thank you For what you do in your parishes For being here today For taking on this new mission Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful enkindle in us the FIRE of your love!