As head of the Body, in persona Christi, the pastor offers his care and service to the members of the parish, who in turn offer him the gift of their own vocations, gifts, talents and friendship. The complementary vocations to the priesthood, religious life, marriage and the laity ensure that Christ is present in every aspect of human life in the parish boundaries and beyond.
“The Church – I repeat once again – is not a relief organization, an enterprise or an NGO, but a community of people, animated by the Holy Spirit, who have lived and are living the wonder of the encounter
with Jesus Christ and want to share this experience of deep joy, the message of salvation that the Lord gave us."
- Pope Francis, World Mission Sunday 2013
My sweet Lord, look with mercy upon your people and especially upon the Church, your mystical Bride. Do not let sin darken the life of your Church, your holy Bride. Moved by love and wishing to reconcile the human race to yourself, you gave us your only-begotten Son. He became our Mediator and our justice by taking on all our injustice and sin out of obedience to your will, eternal Father, just as you willed that he take on our human nature. What an immeasurably profound love!
-St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)