Caregivers

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III addresses the responsibility of church pastoral care and its distribution among the bishop, priests, servants, bodies and associations, emphasizing that pastoral work is a coordinated collective work and should not become competition or monopolization of authority.

Who is the shepherd and who are the responsible ones

The shepherd in the biblical sense is the bishop, but there is a chain of responsibility extending to priests, assistants, deacons and servants; the bishop supervises while others work within their own circles.

Institutions and elements of pastoral care

Pastoral care includes church education schools, social service centers, homes for expatriates and nurseries and elderly homes, and specialized groups such as services for the blind and the deaf and others — all are pastoral works that must be coordinated.

The role of associations and civil services

Charitable associations and private bodies have administrative and legal experience and capabilities that are useful, and the church can cooperate with them rather than impose its control; common understanding brings greater benefit.

The importance of coordination and meetings

Meetings and joint committees (fathers, priests, associations) produce unified guidance and a practical pastoral work plan instead of dispersion, and coordination does not mean control but cooperation and shared responsibility.

Warning against authoritarian practice of authority

Those responsible for pastoral care must avoid practices of individual authority that provoke negative reactions, and must make decisions after considering reactions and understanding rather than by imposing orders.

Practical principles for pastoral work

Leadership means responsibility, not domination; a priest or bishop should not cancel the expertise of predecessors but be humble and cooperate. Pastoral decisions should originate from internal understanding and involve concerned parties.

Conclusion and call to action

The main call is to care for coordination and cooperation between the church, associations and bodies, to hold seminars and councils to unify thought and action, and to turn this understanding into a pastoral reality that serves people effectively and lovingly.

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