The Theological Center Cebitepal of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (Celam) is currently accepting registrations for the course Social, Theological, and Pastoral Keys to Rethink the Parish, which will begin on August 25.
The proposal offers tools to understand and promote processes of parish renewal from the perspective of synodality, responding to the pastoral challenges of the current Church.
The proposal offers tools to understand and promote processes of parish renewal from the perspective of synodality, responding to the pastoral challenges of the current Church.
Over four modules, the course articulates history, theology, and pastoral practice to provide concrete criteria that strengthen mission, communion, and co-responsibility in ecclesial communities. The goal is to promote more participative, missionary parishes that are open to the protagonism of all the People of God.
Overcoming pastoral models focused solely on structure
The course will be taught by Ernesto Palafox, Doctor of Pastoral Theology, professor at the Pontifical University of Mexico, at the Ibero-American University, and visiting professor at Cebitepal.
His most recent book, published by Celam and Editorial Claretiana, precisely proposes a reform of the parish from the perspective of synodality and has sparked interest in various ecclesial contexts.
For Palafox, parish renewal can no longer be limited to administrative or legal aspects. "Synodality allows us to rethink the parish from theological, organizational, and discernment keys that renew the life of the Church," he emphasizes.
The theologian argues that the parish is the privileged space to make synodality visible in everyday life, through listening, dialogue, communal discernment, and baptismal co-responsibility.
He also warns that this process involves overcoming excessively clerical models to move towards communities where the participation of the laity is part of the ordinary structure of the mission.
The course will be taught by Ernesto Palafox, Doctor of Pastoral Theology, professor at the Pontifical University of Mexico, at the Ibero-American University, and visiting professor at Cebitepal.
A training to strengthen the mission of the communities
The program addresses the historical evolution of the parish, the theological foundations of its renewal, and the main pastoral challenges of the present. More than offering a diagnosis, it proposes concrete paths to reorganize parish life from a missionary and synodal perspective.
Registrations: https://cebitepal.celam.org/
More information: cebitepal.contacto@celam.org