What is Pastoral Care?

[Anastasia13]

I am reading some inter-Church works that mention pastoral care, often from a Catholic perspective but sometimes from an Orthodox perspective. What constitutes pastoral care here? It seems like it is sacraments in the absence of in-communions clergy, but is there more?

Example: “Our identity in faith, though not yet complete, entitles us to envisage collaboration between our Churches in pastoral care, in situations which nowadays are frequent both because of the dispersion of our faithful throughout the world and because of the precarious conditions of these difficult times.” syrianchurch.org/pzakka/joint_declaration.htm

Thank you

 

[DavidFilmer]

The expanded text from your own link should set this statement in context:

Our identity in faith, though not yet complete, entitles us to envisage collaboration between our Churches in pastoral care, in situations which nowadays are frequent both because of the dispersion of our faithful throughout the world and because of the precarious conditions of these difficult times. It is not rare, in fact, for our faithful to find access to a priest of their own Church materially or morally impossible. Anxious to meet their needs and with their spiritual benefit in mind, we authorize them in such cases to ask for the Sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick from lawful priests of either of our two sister Churches, when they need them. It would be a logical corollary of collaboration in pastoral care to cooperate in priestly formation and theological education. Bishops are encouraged to promote sharing of facilities for theological education where they judge it to be advisable. While doing this we do not forget that we must still do all in our power to achieve the full visible communion between the Catholic Church and the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and ceaselessly implore our Lord to grant us that unity which alone will enable us to give to the world a fully unanimous Gospel witness.

The Latin Church has long allowed Her members to seek essential Sacraments (ie, pastoral care) from Eastern priests when Latin priests were not reasonably available, and Latin priests have long been instructed to provide such ministry to Eastern Catholics in need, who have no recourse to priests of their own Communion.

But I have heard conflicting reports about the reciprocal position of Eastern Catholic Churches. I have heard that some Eastern Catholics forbid their members from seeking Sacramental ministry (ie, pastoral care) from Latin Catholics even in need, and that Latin Catholics are denied essential Sacraments from Eastern priests, even in need.

 

[Anastasia13]

But I have heard conflicting reports about the reciprocal position of Eastern Catholic Churches. I have heard that some Eastern Catholics forbid their members from seeking Sacramental ministry (ie, pastoral care) from Latin Catholics even in need, and that Latin Catholics are denied essential Sacraments from Eastern priests, even in need.

Catholics denying sacraments to other Catholics of a different rite? That sounds more like ignorance than right practice according to Catholic teaching to me.

 

[Miriam1947]

Catholics denying sacraments to other Catholics of a different rite? That sounds more like ignorance than right practice according to Catholic teaching to me.

It sounds as if he is talking about the Eastern Orthodox not the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church.

 

[DavidFilmer]

It sounds as if he is talking about the Eastern Orthodox not the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church.

Correct. I was actually speaking of the Greek Orthodox (which is, by far, the largest Catholic Church not affiliated with Rome) - I have not heard about the customs of other non-affiliated Catholic Churches, but I am pretty sure that the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) allows (and even encourages) cross-Communion. I was once part of an “independent Anglican” church with strong ties to the PNCC (they ordained our first Bishops, so this particular Anglican church had Orders which were above suspicion or dispute, unlike the Church of England).