Kapłan w służbie ubogich

Abstract

In his first encyclical, Benedict XVI reminded the whole Church that it was the duty of all clergy and laity as individual persons and of the Church as a community to carry the mission of proclaiming the word of God (evangelisation), ministering at cult (the care of the liturgy) and the witness of love of the neighbour (caritas). Unfortunately, while the duty of instruction and prayer, as well as that of administering the sacraments, has become deeply ingrained in the consciousness of the clergy and laity of the Polish Church, the duty of charitable activity reaches the consciousness only with difficulty. In this article we wish to present the evangelical motives for which priests have a duty not only to assist the poor and those in need of material and spiritual support, but also to be animators of charitable activity in parish communities. Among foundational arguments for a priestly duty of service of neighbours (caritas), the following must be called upon: the example of Christ the Servant, who, Himself poor, stood on the side of the poor, the mystery of the Eucharist, in which we take part, the pastoral love of the priest shaped after the love of Christ the Good Shepherd. Faithfulness to the example of actions and life of Christ Himself obliges the Church to live charity and service of the poor. Only a loving Church will be able to remain faithful to her Founder and her nature.