THE PARISH COMMUNITY AND PARISH PRIEST TODAY

This article is founded on the author's long experience as a parish priest as well as studying and implementing renewal which began with the very beginning of preparations of the Second Vatican Council in 1960. He wrote and conducted many a lecture and address about this over the past decades. Here now, this is his 14th lecture at this course (week). The author is grateful to the organisers for inviting him to the 50th TPT to talk on this particular topic. Here the author does not present any special scientific pretensions but relays something a little more general as things appear to be more appropriate to the current situation. Firstly, the author presents a wider description of some significant historical and ecclesiological features to forming a parish community in the particular (local) Church (diocese); developing the identity of the presbyter as a body around the bishop; and the identity of the parish priest as the leader of the parish community under the authority of the bishop. There is a discrepancy in vital points during the renewal of pastoral structures on the line: local Church (diocese) - parish community; to what point and how is the parish a pastoral subject and why there is such frequent mention of the parish crisis as an organisational structure in current social circumstances. These are presented in harmony with the current definition of a parish according to the 1983 Code of Canon Law as a practically possible pastoral structure of the parish as an ecclesiastic community in our contemporary Croatia as well as in the European situation. How can we effectively introduce and witness authentic Evangelic values in a pluralistic, secular society, despite aggressive media proclamations of moral relativism and generally lived morals? How can we build Christian spirituality to be accepted widely and to be accepted as a culture? The author also points out some possible structures of a contemporary parish community and of some - according to the author's opinion unavoidable principles in practical parish pastoral.