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Document Details :

Title: The Update of the Different yet Complementary Priestly Ministries in the Western Catholic Church
Author(s): JOIN-LAMBERT, Arnaud
Journal: Louvain Studies
Volume: 38    Issue: 4   Date: 2014   
Pages: 334-355
DOI: 10.2143/LS.38.4.3129646

Abstract :
The progressive disappearance of Christendom (i.e., the Church as a social model) and the recent changes affecting Christianity have upset the identity of diocesan priests. The newest phenomenon is the multiplication of perceptions among both the laity and the clergy of who or what the priest is. Starting from research undertaken in 2010 in the diocese of Namur in Belgium, the author highlights the tension between the Dean and the community priest. Taking into consideration this tension in pastoral projects is necessary but not sufficient. The pastoral ministry is subject to major changes related to the context of postmodernity (‘liquid modernity’). The author proposes to update the pastoral ministry by innovating to new type of parishes, in which various types of ordained ministries could be exercised.

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