The Church Begins with an Encounter

The Church is not merely a place where we gather, but a space where we recognize one another.

Where the heart opens to another person, silence becomes prayer, and different voices become a shared song.

God is encountered not only in the heights, but also around a table, in bread that is shared, in a hand that offers comfort, and in a word that leaves no one alone.

Perhaps this is precisely our mission: not merely to speak of light, but to become a space in which others, too, can shine.

Encounter. Closeness. Word. Silence. Faith. Community.

When we imagine the Catholic Church, we often think first of the altar, the priest, the sermon, or the pope. These are indeed part of its life, but the Church is also what happens before the altar and beyond church walls. It is the conversation after Mass, a visit to someone who is ill, an encounter with young people, a word of comfort at a time of loss, and a hand extended to someone who no longer knows where to turn. The Church is alive wherever people meet, where their questions are taken seriously, and where faith becomes closeness, responsibility, and concrete action.

The lay pastoral minister (Pastoralreferent:in) also has a place in these encounters. I write about this vocation from a personal perspective as well, since I am currently training for this ministry in the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart.

For this reason, throughout this article I use the term pastoral minister to refer to the lay pastoral ministry for which I am preparing. For me, it is not simply a profession to be described, but a path on which I am learning to connect theological knowledge with people’s lives and to transform my faith into responsible action.

The path toward becoming a pastoral minister in the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart brings together academic education, practical experience, and personal growth in preparation for pastoral work. Alongside the study of Catholic theology, an important role is played by the Theologisches Mentorat, which accompanies students during their studies. As part of the Bewerber:innenkreis programme, participants take part in conversations, spiritual exercises, thematic meetings, and practical placements in parish communities and schools.

After graduation comes a three-year period of professional induction into ministry (Berufseinführung, sometimes referred to as Ausbildung). During this period, future pastoral ministers work in pastoral communities, undertake further training, and connect theological knowledge with the realities of people’s lives. This phase concludes with a second official examination (Zweite Dienstprüfung) and authorization from the diocese to exercise pastoral ministry. It is therefore a path that involves more than acquiring a professional qualification: it is a process in which knowledge is joined to experience, while a personal calling gradually develops into professional and spiritual responsibility toward people and the Church. Information on preparation for pastoral ministry is based on the official website of the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, which describes the education and professional training required for this ministry.

What Does a Pastoral Minister Do?

A pastoral minister is a theologically educated pastoral worker who collaborates with the bishop, priests, deacons, other pastoral workers, and lay members of the faithful. Her work encompasses various areas of Church life, from proclamation and catechesis to pastoral care, liturgy, and pastoral planning.

In her day-to-day work, a pastoral minister may prepare catechetical sessions and Bible gatherings, work with children, young people, and adults, and participate in preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, and other forms of religious formation. She may help design Masses for children and families, prepare prayers and celebrations of the Word, and, in accordance with Church regulations and the authority entrusted to her, lead certain forms of liturgy and proclaim the Word of God.

She may visit people who are ill, bring them Communion if authorized to do so, speak with those going through personal or family crises, and accompany people who are grieving the death of someone close to them. A pastoral minister who has completed the appropriate training may independently lead farewell services and funerals and, with the necessary ecclesiastical authorization and in accordance with applicable Church regulations, may also administer baptism. The work of a pastoral minister is not limited to direct encounters with people. It also includes preparing pastoral projects, collaborating with volunteers, organizing gatherings, participating in pastoral bodies, and reflecting on the future of the parish community. Depending on her qualifications and specific position, she may work in specialized forms of pastoral care, education, school-based religious instruction, and other areas of Church activity.

It is important to emphasize that a pastoral minister does not assume priestly authority, but acts within the scope of her professional training, Church regulations, and entrusted responsibilities. Nevertheless, her contribution cannot be reduced to carrying out decisions made by others. She is a qualified pastoral collaborator who participates in the life and mission of the Church through her knowledge, judgment, and initiative.

Women in the Church: Gifts, Responsibility, and a Shared Mission

This is precisely where the question of the place of laypeople, and especially women, in the Church arises. For centuries, women have passed on the faith, raised generations, cared for the sick, and sustained the life of many communities. Their contribution has been indispensable, but it has not always been equally visible or acknowledged.

Today, women in pastoral ministry bring theological knowledge, expertise, experience, and the ability to think critically about the Church’s future. They are not merely collaborators who implement decisions already made; they can also help shape pastoral guidelines, propose new initiatives, and take responsibility for the shared mission.

In his 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium, Pope Francis reflects specifically on the role of women in the Church. In paragraph 103, he emphasizes that the Church recognizes the indispensable contribution women make to society, including through their sensitivity, intuition, and particular abilities. In the same paragraph, he calls for greater opportunities for women to have an effective presence in the Church, including in places where important decisions are made. In paragraph 104, he further considers the dignity of women and the need not to confine their contribution to predetermined roles.

These reflections are important for understanding the ministry of a pastoral minister. The Church needs to recognize and develop women’s gifts, rather than simply welcome them when particular tasks need to be carried out. Service does not mean giving up one’s own voice. Humility does not mean diminishing one’s knowledge, abilities, or dignity. A woman does not have to be less visible in order to remain faithful to her calling. On the contrary, her expertise, experience, and individuality can enrich the Church and help it respond to the needs of people today.

A Church That Goes Out to Meet People

In Evangelii gaudium, especially paragraph 20, Pope Francis calls on the Church to move beyond the security of its familiar surroundings and draw closer to people. This invitation is fulfilled not only through words, but also through a willingness to be present wherever everyday life unfolds.

For me, this thought is connected to a personal experience.

Once, a colleague and I went out into the street to pray for peace. We were not within church walls, nor were we standing before an altar. We were among people, in a place where everyday life was taking place. Others then joined us. Prayer became an encounter and a shared plea for a world in which one human being would no longer be a threat to another.

That moment showed me how faith can move beyond familiar spaces and become an open invitation to others. We did not need to know the people who joined us, nor did we have to share all their beliefs. We were brought together by a desire for peace. Ecumenism then ceased to be merely a concept and became an experience of fellowship. Perhaps it is precisely such encounters that show how important it is for the Church to be present where people live, hope, suffer, and search for answers.

In my personal experience of pastoral ministry, a special place is held by gathering the community for what in Germany is called Gottesdienst—a service of worship, or the communal worship of God. A pastoral minister may bring people together for worship, lead a celebration of the Word, proclaim the Gospel, encourage communal prayer and singing, and create a space in which the faithful actively participate in the life of the community.

Within a celebration of the Word, an agape meal may also be held in an appropriate liturgical form: a communal sharing of ordinary, unconsecrated bread that brings together the Word of God, prayer, song, and fellowship around the table. It is important to distinguish such an agape meal from the Eucharistic celebration, in which the consecrated host is received. However, in accordance with Church regulations and the necessary authorizations, it is also possible to organize a service at which previously consecrated hosts are distributed. In German-speaking areas, this is known as a Wort-Gottes-Feier mit Kommunion or Kommunionfeier. Such a service differs from Mass because no new Eucharistic gifts are consecrated; instead, hosts consecrated earlier are distributed to the faithful.

In this way, worship can become an experience of faith in which people gather not only to hear the Word of God but also to meet one another, encourage each other, and feel that they belong to a community. Whether through a service involving ordinary bread or a service with Communion, the emphasis is on the fellowship of believers, faith lived in practice, and active participation in the life of the Church.

Prompted by a Facebook post in which people expressed surprise that a woman was leading a service in a Catholic church in Germany, I would like to clarify that this was not Holy Mass, but a celebration of the Word (Wort-Gottes-Feier). This is a form of worship in which the community gathers around Scripture, prayer, and song, and it may be led by laypeople who have received the necessary training and authorization. In the Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, pastoral ministers are trained and authorized by the diocese to lead such celebrations.

The Catholic Church is rich in different liturgical forms, each of which opens up a different space for encountering God and the community. Perhaps, then, instead of being so surprised, we should be curious to discover the richness of our own Church. For the Word of God does not gather us only around the altar; it also invites us to recognize God’s presence among people.

Saint Paul writes: “Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Every member of the community has a place and gifts of their own, and no member is unnecessary. It is precisely in this diversity that the richness of the Church is revealed: in the person who leads prayer, who sings, who prepares the agape meal, who visits the sick, who listens to those who grieve, and who initiates new activities.

The ministry of a pastoral minister should therefore not be viewed separately from the life of the whole community. She does not replace communal life, but can help it grow; she does not take over the gifts of others, but seeks to recognize and connect them. For the Church is not only a space where we gather to worship God. It is also a community called to carry God’s love into everyday life.

To be a pastoral minister means accepting that faith cannot be separated from reality. It is expressed in a conversation with a young person who asks difficult questions, in a visit to someone who is ill, in accompanying a family facing loss, but also in initiatives that bring people together around the common good. This is a responsibility that requires professional knowledge, as well as a willingness to learn, collaborate, and reflect critically on one’s own actions.

As I continue my formation, I am learning that theology is not merely a knowledge of Church documents and biblical texts. It requires the ability to hear another person, understand their situation, and recognize when what is needed is a word, an action, or simply presence. This work does not always produce visible results. Sometimes its meaning becomes apparent only in the trust that gradually develops or in the hope that a person rediscovers.

The question of pastoral ministry, therefore, is not simply a question of professional duties. It is also a question of what kind of Church we want to build: one in which responsibility remains in the hands of a few, or one in which different gifts are recognized and nurtured; one that merely talks about people, or one that is ready to listen to them and include them in shared action. The Church should not merely speak about laypeople; it should reflect, make decisions, and assume responsibility for its mission together with them. For laypeople are not only those to whom the Church is sent; through their gifts, knowledge, and experience, they also build it every day. The Second Vatican Council confirms this in its documents, which particularly emphasize the active role of laypeople in the life and mission of the Church:

• Lumen gentium (nos. 30–31 and 37) — Laypeople are full members of the People of God, called to participate in the mission of the Church through their gifts, knowledge, and experience. They have the right, and at times the duty, to express their opinions on matters concerning the good of the Church.
• Apostolicam actuositatem (nos. 2 and 10) — The apostolate of laypeople flows from their Christian vocation. Laypeople are not merely assistants to the Church hierarchy, but active participants in the mission of the Church, called to act within the Church community and society.

A pastoral minister does not serve the Church by suppressing her own individuality, but by placing her abilities, faith, and experience at the service of others. Her professional expertise matters, but equally important are her willingness to collaborate, awareness of her own limitations, and respect for the dignity of every human being.

Perhaps the future of the Church depends not only on how many people walk through its doors, but also on whether they feel that they have a place there, that someone listens to them, and that they can take part. The Church becomes a credible expression of the Gospel when it allows everyone to offer what they are, and when no gift is overlooked simply because it comes from a woman.

Sources

1. Pope Francis, Evangelii gaudium (2013), nos. 20 and 103–104. Apostolic exhortation on the proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world, with particular emphasis on the mission of the Church and the contribution of women. Official Croatian text on the Holy See’s website:
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/hr/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html

2. Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Ausbildung Pastoralreferent/innen. Official information on Catholic theology studies, student mentoring during the degree programme, the Bewerber:innenkreis programme, the three-year professional induction period, the second official examination, and diocesan authorization:
https://ha-i.drs.de/ausbildung-pastoralreferentinnen.html

3. Theologisches Mentorat Tübingen. Information on guidance and preparation for theology students entering pastoral ministry, spiritual exercises, conversations, and practical experience. Available through the official Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart website linked above.

4. Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Kommentierte Rechtssammlung. Official collection of Church regulations and guidelines for lay pastoral workers, including rules on liturgical ministries, professional induction, and authorization:
https://rechtssammlung.drs.de/

5. Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Kommentar: Sonntagsgottesdienste. Explanations concerning Sunday worship services, the leadership of celebrations of the Word, and training for authorized laypeople:
https://rechtssammlung.drs.de/rechtssammlung/4-heiligungsdienst-liturgie-und-sakramente/42-sakramente/424-eucharistie/kommentar-sonntagsgottesdienste.html

6. Pope Benedict XVI, Deus caritas est (2005), no. 20. Encyclical on Christian love and the responsibility of individual believers and the whole Church community to love their neighbors. Official Croatian text on the Holy See’s website:
https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/hr/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html

7. Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Kommentar: Richtlinien zur Beauftragung von Laien zum Begräbnisdienst. Explanations concerning lay participation in certain forms of funeral and burial ministry:
https://rechtssammlung.drs.de/rechtssammlung/4-heiligungsdienst-liturgie-und-sakramente/43-sonstige-gottesdienstliche-handlungen/kommentar-richtlinien-zur-beauftragung-von-laien-zum-begraebnisdienst.html

8. Second Vatican Council, Lumen gentium — Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (21 November 1964), nos. 30–31 and 37. In Documents of the Second Vatican Council. Zagreb: Kršćanska sadašnjost. Croatian text available at Katolik.hr — Lumen gentium.

9. Second Vatican Council, Apostolicam actuositatem — Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (18 November 1965), nos. 2, 10, and 24. In Documents of the Second Vatican Council. Zagreb: Kršćanska sadašnjost.