Formation of Lay Leadership and Its Influence on Pastoral Planning and Organisation
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Date
2016
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Tangaza University College
Abstract
The study on formation of lay leadership and how it influences pastoral planning and organization comes timely and as it will be explored in the literature that the mission and vocation of the laity in the Church unless clearly understood affects the Church and its mission. In Ecclesia in Africa, the Holy Father Pope John Paul II called on the African Church to use all possible means to ensure that the “laity are helped to become increasingly aware of their role in the Church, thereby fulfilling their particular mission…, so that in their places of work they will be faithful witnesses to the Gospel” (EA, 90).Though a lot has been written about the laity and their vocation in the Church, a lot of challenges still confront them in the daily exercise of their duties and this study sees formation as a key to empowerment of the laity, if they are to make meaningful contribution in the area of pastoral planning. Pastoral planning though vital still remains a challenge in many parishes yet when well understood contributes to the renewal of vitality in any parish or diocese, the researcher seek to respond to this by clearly explaining the elements of pastoral planning and the various challenges that come with it.
The researcher has worked in a number of parishes involved in catechetical teams, pastoral councils and various lay movements but whenever the laity could ask a question “what can we do to make our ministries better”, this question after deep reflection could touch on the issue of formation of the laity and this affects so much the pastoral planning and organization process of any ministry. The researcher has witnessed the laity demanding to know their place in ministry, yearning to do the work of God better but with no one to teach them how to do things that is why formation of lay leadership and its influence on pastoral planning was identified as a research gap this study seeks to addressed.
This study seeks to establish a relationship between formation of lay leaders and pastoral planning and this is based on the assumption that pastoral planning and elements that come with it are complex yet a good parish cannot do away with them. If pastoral planning is to bear fruit, then those entrust with the role of leading others in a parish setting need to be formed first in their vocation and mission in the Church and lastly trained in the area of how to achieve this mission through pastoral planning and organization.The paper is divided into five chapters, chapter one gives a background to the research, insertion experience, statement of the problem, objectives, research questions, scope as well as justifications. Chapter two covers the literature review, mainly what different scholars say about the laity, their vocation and mission and pastoral planning. Chapter three entitled Research Design deals with data collection and analysis and Chapter four entitled theological reflection deals with what the Bible, Tradition and the magisterial teachings of the church say on the formation of the laity, vocation and mission and the aspect of pastoral planning. Chapter five deals with the Action plan for formation of lay leaders in Dandora Parish and lastly a general conclusion of this research.
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Keywords
Formation, Lay, Leadership, Pastoral Planning, Organisation