Abstract
The Church today faces a shortage of financial resources and a dearth of vocations and active parishioners, and churches may also find themselves with vacant, unused property. Yet the call of the Church has not changed: we are still called to respond to the cry of the poor (New American Bible, 2010, Psalm 142:6), participate in the Incarnation, and stay with Christ as He suffers on the cross (New American Bible, 2010, Matthew 26:38). Saints, popes, and theologians echo this call, and sociological and behavioral science perspectives align with it. Together, these perspectives lay the groundwork for a model of ecclesial renewal, one in which laity live intentionally in or near local parishes, contributing to parochial resources and responding to the needs of the local neighborhood, thereby leading to transformation and renewal.
Publisher
Philosophy Documentation Center