Priests in Secular Employment

Notes from an Interview with Bishop John Bluck 2 March 2005

Bishop John is very serious about PSE. He sees the PSE as the great neglected strand of the church’s mission in the twentieth century and regrets that in the U.K. PSE got ‘domesticated’ and thereby neutralised. His theological view is one of the kingdom unfolding in the secular world which returns ‘tantalising’ images to the church. PSE represents a translation of priestly role -- as primary gatherer -- as primary gatherer – within the often fragile and divided community of the workplace preaching and teaching in the language of that community. He alludes to the symbol-bearing role of the clergy in the workplace and says for them the ecclesial role is secondary. In Bishop Bluck’s view there should be a diocesan initiative to anchor PSEs in emerging industrial initiatives -- as interpreters into the church of why these industries are important to us the people.

A: Best use of PSEs -- whether in
* specialised ministries

"No this doesn’t fit the parish framework. The PSE stands alongside local shared ministry but the dynamic is different."

* team ministry

"Workplace ministry could be part of a parish’s mission."

* and with very small congregations

"No. That’s a cop-out. For a viable congregation (1) it needs to be something more than a club (2) what defines it as a congregation is its ability to welcome newcomers (3) there is a certain minimum size for viability"

* but not as permanent auxiliaries

"This is a total contradiction to the essence of PSE. It’s what killed non stipendiary ministry."

B: whether a PSE is most productively deployed into
* a community which is not over a financial barrel

"Yes that makes a lot of sense. We have to resist the ‘vortex to vicardom’."

* a community that wants to make use of resources other than clergy time

"Yes that applies across the board to any kind of unpaid ministry."

* a community that would like to hire more staff

"All unpaid ministries free up financial resources for use elsewhere."

* a community that would like its clergy to stay put longer

"This can be addressed in a variety of ways. it may be necessary to rethink the ministry of the parish."

* a community whose laypeople are seeking to increase their ministries

"Yes if ministry is properly understood as empowerment of the laos."