Parish Social Ministry in the Diocese of Salt Lake City Enables the Body of Christ

Friday, May. 06, 2016

The Catholic Church is not an island, as Pope Francis consistently reminds us. We are all called to be out in the world, making an impact. Whether we are successful at doing so is not measured in monetary terms or degree of power and prestige, but in the fate of the poor and vulnerable.  As Pope Francis tells us, “Each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society. This demands that we be docile and attentive to the cry of the poor and to come to their aid.”

A tall order. Fortunately, we exist in communities of faith that share the same call. In some of our local parishes, individual members are seeking to provide new opportunities for each parishioner to live out the baptismal call to serve. These brave souls are engaged in forming Parish Social Ministries.

As the name implies, a Parish Social Ministry is dedicated to the social mission of the Catholic Church. Our mission, and we all chose to accept it in Baptism, is to engage in our political, social and economic worlds to remove barriers to a life of dignity for the poor and vulnerable, protect all human life, care for God’s creation, and promote peace. In other words, build God’s kingdom on Earth. 

Overwhelmed just from the thought of it? You’re not alone, truly. We don’t co-create Heaven on Earth individually or all at once.  We do it in communion with one another, with our neighbors of whatever belief, and with God. 

Hopefully, we also do it through a Parish Social Ministry. These help each of us face our final judgment as people who fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited the prisoner, gave drink to the thirsty, comforted the sick, sheltered the homeless, and buried the dead. Parish Social Ministries are not in competition with other parish ministries, but serve other ministries by broadening their efforts to include both charity and justice.

For example, a parish ministry might provide food for the hungry. The Parish Social Ministry can add to this effort by advocating for policy changes that reduce the number of people unable to access healthy food. If the parish sees a great need, the ministry can help organize efforts to address the immediate needs – visiting prisoners, for example – and seek long-term changes to systemic practices or policies that exacerbate the need –petitioning for better mental health and substance abuse treatment options and funding.

Social concerns sometimes turn divisive, particularly where the concerns are mired in political rhetoric. A Parish Social Ministry can help defuse unnecessary tension by grounding parish response to social concerns in faith. A Parish Social Ministry is first and foremost about Catholic social teaching, not political party platforms. In fact, one of its most important functions should be to offer education and faith formation for parishioners so that all acts of charity and justice fully reflect our Catholic faith. Again, these efforts can be conducted in conjunction with religious education and other parish ministries, not as substitutes for existing programs but to deepen our knowledge of our teaching.

There are numerous models for Parish Social Ministry. Even if all follow the same model, each ministry will be unique from parish to parish because each parish will find different needs and interests within its community. What matters isn’t the model, so long as it functions and is sustainable, but the work that the ministry does to ensure every parishioner is able to live out their Catholic vocation as part of the body of Christ.

For those interested in learning more about Parish Social Ministry, visit http://www.dioslc.org/ministries/governmentliaison/parish-social-ministry for resources. And watch for notices of upcoming Parish Social Ministry trainings conducted by the diocesan Peace and Justice Commission and Catholic Relief Services this fall.