Zadania pastoralne kapelanów w społeczeństwie pluralistycznym

Abstract

Preaching God’s word, liturgical pastorate and pastoral work belong to the functions of ordinary pastorate addressed to all faithful, serving fulfillment of their common religious needs. However, there are religious needs typical of only certain people or groups of people in a given environment. Pastoral care for people who cannot avail themselves of ordinary pastorate is taken by extraordinary pastorate that includes special and specialist kinds of pastorate. It is an important task for the conference of bishops in a given country, but also for particular diocesan bishops and for presbyters in parishes. In special pastorate an important role is played by chaplains, especially ones working in hospitals, hospices and prisons. There is never too much stressing the rank and importance of these tasks. A lot of reasons justify putting these three kinds of service side by side. First of all the individual dimensions of pastoral service should be pointed to that locates this kind of pastoral activity within special pastorate as well as a similar psychosocial situation of the people to whom the service is addressed. The article presents the social-cultural context of pastorate in a pluralistic society, the theological foundations of chaplains’ work, their essential tasks, the patients’ expectations form the chaplain on the example of the hospice community as well as conclusions and pastoral activities.