Pastoral Visit in a New Pastoral and Homiletic Perspective

Hubert Łysy

Faculty of Theology of the University of Opole
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9970-796X

Abstract

In the pastoral activity of the Church in Poland, a pastoral visit has a specific place and is a great challenge for
pastors. It is implemented in a similar way every year, because in this respect a convenient “we have always done it this way” pastoral criterion is applied. Whereas, Pope Francis in Evangelii gaudium states that a pastoral ministry in the missionary meaning requires giving up this convenient criterion. This resignation does not concern the very event of the pastoral visit, but what has become a common pattern of experiencing it. This article is an attempt to share a new approach to pastoral visits. The connection of this issue with the proclamation of the Word of God makes it necessary to speak about a pastoral and homiletic perspective.
In order to show the pastoral visit in a new perspective, the history of this issue was consulted and contemporary indications of the Church in Poland in legal, pastoral and liturgical aspects were shown. It was noticed that there are studies that would propose to carry out this pastoral event “differently”. The third point of this study constitutes such a proposal. It was described as “thematic experience of pastoral visits” because of one proposed theme, which dominates the pastoral visit. The prayer and conversational part of the pastoral visit is implemented through the prism of this one topic. The topic is announced in the introductory homily part of the pastoral visit, and summarized in the homily at the end. The author of this article verifies his scientific thoughts in his experience of everyday pastoral life and only when they are effective are they shared. He hopes that this new pastoral and homiletic perspective of the pastoral visit will to some extent contribute to the abandonment of the criterion: “we have always done it this way”.

Keywords:

pastoral visit, subject matter of pastoral visit, homily related to pastoral visit, we have always done it this way