Women Religious in the Pastoral of Contemporary Parish. Example of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross

Za polazišnu točku promišljanja o redovnicama u pastoralu suvremene župe u ovom članku uzima se eklezijalnost posvećenoga života, iz čega proizlazi imperativ integracije redovničkoga apostolata u poslanje partikularne Crkve. Daljnje propitivanje usmjereno je prema djelovanju Milosrdnih sestara sv. Križa u župama. Kako bi se bolje razumjela sadašnja situacija, ponajprije se daje kratak opis početaka rada sestara u župama. Komparacijom povijesnih i današnjih prilika dobiva se uvid u pomake napuštanja, odnosno preuzimanja nekih djelatnosti u okviru župe. Prioritetne točke apostolata Milosrdnih sestara sv. Križa, koje su ujedno i neuralgične točke župnoga pastorala u današnjim prilikama Crkve i društva, izdvojene su kao parametri za podatke o djelovanju sestara u suvremenim župama. Podatci su upotpunjeni i egzemplarnim prikazom situacije u trima župama. Tijekom analize dobivenih podataka ne ulazi se u rasprave oko toga kakav bi model župe bio najprikladniji za današnje vrijeme. Umjesto toga promatra se koliko se u praksi provode definirani prioriteti. Kraj promišljanja nudi nekoliko smjernica za redovnički udio župnoga pastorala u budućnosti pri čemu se, promatrajući djelovanje redovnica kroz prizmu kompleksnosti suradnje sa župnikom i vjernicima laicima, primat daje apostolatu svjedočenja posvećenoga života kao takvoga.The author starts his deliberation on women religious in the pastoral of contemporary parishes with the ecclesiality of consecrated life from which stems the imperative of the integration of religious apostolate into the mission of the local Church. Further examination focuses on the parish work of the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross. In order to better understand the current situation, we are first given a short description of the beginning of their work in parishes. In comparing past and present circumstances, one can see the steps that have been taken in leaving and taking over some activities in parishes. The priorities of the apostolate of the Holy Cross Sisters, which are at the same time neuralgic points of parish pastoral in the present circumstances of the Church and the society, are selected as parameters for the data on the Sisters\u27 activities in contemporary parishes. The data is completed with exemplary overview of the situation in three parishes. During the analysis of the obtained data there is no discussion on which model of the parish would be the most suitable for the present time. Instead, the focus is on how much are the defined priorities put into practice. In the end we are presented with several guidelines for the religious share in the parish pastoral in the future, where in examining the activities of women religious through the prism of the complexity of cooperation with the parish priest and the laity, the primacy is given to the apostolate of witness of the consecrated life itself