The unity of a parish and celebration of the Eucharist by small parish communities in the light of recent documents of the Magisterium

Abstract

The author analyses a problem of ecclesial unity challenged by separate Eucharistic celebrations in small communities existing in a parish. He looks for theological principles of that unity in the Magisterial documents of 20th and 21st century. As a result he finds out that unity of the faithful in a larger parish community is founded first of all on the spiritual, invisible dimension – the life of grace of Christ. Then it is expressed also in external visible ways by bonds of profession of faith, celebration of the sacraments, Church hierarchy, and communion of Christian love. Thus parochial unity is developed and strengthened above all by initiating parishioners into the Paschal mystery and into daily dialogue of faith with the Word of God. Instead of seeing in the Eucharistic celebrations of small communities a threat to the unity, both, pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI point out to small parochial communities of various kind as to the help in the process of mystagogical catechesis, i.e. initiating the faithful into the liturgy and mysteries of faith. The author refers also to sociological study of religiosity in contemporary Polish parishes, which shows ground to assume that there is a serious crisis in the life of faith among the parishioners and a dire need for the small communities as a means of formation.