Strand: Church and Tradition (CTPCE2)
Post Compulsory
The Church recognises the value of each person’s life whether married, single or ordained, Christian or other than Christian. For many Christians, their life’s call expresses and finds fulfilment in service to God, others and creation.
Discern, differentiate and describe the characteristics of a Christian life lived consciously in service for the good of others and creation with those of a life lived in service for the good of others and creation.
Elaborations
Vatican II states that Jesus instituted a variety of ministries for the good of the whole Church community (Lumen Gentium {LG} Dogmatic Constitution on The Church, #18). In the light of Vatican II, then, ministry is clearly a broad term applicable to both ordained and lay members (non-ordained) of The Church.
Ministry may be a term describing a general call to the whole Church to serve, or the particular offices and persons in The Church who have responsibility of preaching, teaching, proclaiming the Gospel, celebrating the Sacraments, and serving many diverse groups within the community. Every Christian is called to ministry in the broad sense; not every Christian is called to ministry in the formal sense. Thus individuals may be called to ministry within the home and family, and/or in the parish and community. The change in The Church’s understanding of ministry does not make particular ministries any less important; rather, it influences the way these ministries are interrelated and exercised.
The human person is, by nature, reflective and longs to find meaning and purpose. Those who seek to live a life lived in service for the good of others and creation and who do not claim belonging to a particular religious tradition also look for and perceive meaning, purpose and values in life, as well as other personal aspects like beauty, appreciation of nature, fulfilment, happiness, and community. Working for the common good should not be understood as being exclusively in the domain of organised religion.
See Learning Lites: Ministry
More Information
See Learning Lites: Ministry