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Church

On the nature and mission of the Catholic Church

Two important Vatican II documents on the Church

There are two very important Vatican II documents on the Church. These are: Lumen Gentium and Gaudium et Spes. The first document speaks on the mystery and nature of the Church, while the second document speaks on the pastoral mission of the Church in the world, during these contemporary times. Though quite heavily written within a theological context, there are some passages that are quite understandable. You can check these two Vatican documents online at the Vatican website, www.vatican.va

The nature and mystery of the Church

The Church was born, when during the first Pentecost event, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostolic community together with many disciples gathered with them, and were given spiritual gifts to proclaim the gospel to all peoples of all cultures all over the world. As a charismatic community filled with the strength and power of the Spirit, it is not yet an official religion recognized by the Roman Empire. Thus, as a 'sect', it was very much put under suspicion by the Roman authorities. Because of this, they persecuted the early Christians - making them denounce their faith and acknowledge rather the gods of Rome. The Christians resisted because of their strong love for Christ. Persecutions broke out and many Christians were martyred. The shedding of blood did not deter the Christian spirit from growing. Martyrdom all the more proved that the faith is indeed true. After a series of persecutions throughout the years, then emperor Constantine suddenly had a vision of a cross in the sky wherein a voice spoke, "By this sign, conquer". Because of the battles Constantine won by the sign of the cross, he eventually believed in the Christian faith, was converted, and then made it one of the official religions of the empire. And thus started from then on the slow institutionalization and officialization of the Church. This was about the year 300+ A.D.

The Church is both community and institution

Modern Vatican II theology and spirituality teaches us that the Church is a "community of disciples making disciples". By this definition of the Church, there is more equality and there is more fraternity and brotherhood. However, though indeed the Church is a "community", it is also an institution. It cannot have lasted as long as it has today had it not been for the structures that composed it and the centralization that has been created to make all the local Churches uniform in terms of the sacramental and liturgical celebrations. The Church as community and institution must go hand in hand. They are in constant creative tension. However, it must not be seen as one against the other. Institution must not be emphasized at the detriment of the element of community. On the other hand, the other way is also true. Community must not be emphasized to the detriment of institution.

The mission of the Church to the world

If we see the Church as a "community of disciples making disciples", then we can see a very missionary dimension integrated in this concept. The Church cannot not be missionary. Otherwise, she would not be what in essence she really is - a missionary institute reaching out to the world in order that Christ may be more known by as many people as is possible. Before, the mission of the Church was the sole responsibility of priests, religious and other Church personnel. However, with the new theology and spirituality being propagated and promoted by Vatican II, all of God's people have the same responsibility of contributing to the mission of the Church, by virtue of their baptismal consecration. So, now that the lay faithful are also made to realize that they too are part of the Church and have the responsibility of proclaiming the Gospel to all, their state of life urges them to be zealous in sanctifying the very spheres of life they are immersed in: the family, the workplace, the secular field of politics, business, and the cultural fields - especially the media. The task of lay faithful is to bring the gospel and the Catholic tradition in their spheres of influence.

Summary

The concept of Church has changed much since Vatican II. Whereas before, we see the Church only as involving the hierarchy and all the priests and religious, now the dimension of "community" is integrated into the nature of the Church. When the element of community is integrated into the meaning of being Church, then we see more than just a hierarchical Church. We also see a Church involving the whole of God's people - clergy and lay faithful. Whereas before the "common denominator" for having a task and a responsibility in the Church was ordination. Now that "common denominator" is our baptismal consecration. It is by virtue of our being baptized in the Catholic church that we see our privilege of being sons and daughters of God, called to be in a loving community of disciples, making disciples.