The Unity of the Parish and the Celebration of the Eucharist in Small Parish Communities in the Light of Recent Documents of the Magisterium of the Church

Abstract

The author analyses the problem of parish unity faced with separate Eucharistic celebrations organised by small communities existing in a parish. He tries to formulate theological principles of that unity in the light of the Magisterial documents of 20^th and 21^st century. The unity of a parish is most importantly connected with the spiritual, invisible dimension, which is also expressed in the external, visible way by bonds of profession of faith, sacraments, Church hierarchy, and communion. Unity between parishioners is built by initiating them into the Paschal Mystery and into daily meditation of the Word of God. Instead of seeing in them a threat to unity, both John Paul II and Benedict XVI indicate that small communities participate in the process of strengthening the unity of the parish by leading people along the mystagogical way towards the initiation into the Paschal Mystery. The author also refers to sociological data about religiosity in contemporary Polish parishes indicating that there is a serious crisis in the life of faith and a dire need for the communities as a means of Christian initiation.