From Father Joe: From Community to Church: Why Avery Dulles' Models of the Church Support Renaming Guardian Angels Catholic Community
Through the last several weeks of Lent we have seen that the word “Church” is an inclusive term and encompasses “community” and so much more. Changing the name of "Guardian Angels Catholic Community" back to "Guardian Angels Catholic Church" would have several benefits, as supported by Avery Dulles' "Models of the Church." First, the use of the term "church" would emphasize the institutional and hierarchical nature of the Church, in line with the Institution model. This would provide clarity and structure to the community and emphasize the authority of the Church in guiding its members.
Second, the term "church" would also reflect the Sacrament model, which sees the Church as a visible sign of God's grace in the world. This would highlight the importance of the sacraments and the Church's role in administering them, bringing attention to the Church's core mission of mediating God's grace to the world.
Third, "Guardian Angels Catholic Church" better aligns with the "Servant Model" from Dulles' "Models of the Church." This model emphasizes the Church's role as a servant to the world and calls for it to actively work to meet the needs of others. By emphasizing the Church's institutional structure, changing the name back to "Guardian Angels Catholic Church" would strengthen the Church's capacity to serve as a unifying force in the community. The term "church" also highlights the Church's responsibility to actively serve its members and the broader community, as we do with Hope For the Journey Home and our many other Outreach Programs.
Finally, the use of the term "church" would align with the Herald model, which emphasizes the Church's role in proclaiming the Gospel message to the world. This would help to establish the Church as an authoritative voice in the community and reinforce its mission of proclaiming the truth of the Gospel.
Overall, changing the name of "Guardian Angels Catholic Community" back to "Guardian Angels Catholic Church" would help to reinforce the Church's identity and mission, while also providing greater clarity and structure to the community.
As we move forward with this change, I encourage everyone who may have more questions about what we mean when we say “Church” to attend Lukas Steffensmeier’s course “The Mystery of the Church: The Church Through the Lens of Vatican II” starting in May. This course will draw heavily from Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church called Lumen Gentium. Look for more information on this program in the announcements and website this week.
In Christ, Fr. Joe Connelly