COVENANT COMMUNITIES ARE A NEW FORM of Christian life, one which the American Catholic Bishops called "a new development of major importance." At the same time, like most new developments in theChurch, they have been controversial on occasion. This past year witnessed both the approval and commendation of a group of covenant communities by the Council for the Laity at Rome and controversies that involved the original covenant communities in North America. Both events indicated the need for a presentation of the nature of covenant community and of its relationship to the Church. This small book contains two items intended to help the further development of covenant communities and their integration into the life of the Catholic Church. The first is a statement entitled "Covenant Community and Church." The second is a selection of documents which were influential in the establishment of covenant communities. "Covenant Community and Church" was originally written as a draft document for the Christ the King Association, an international lay association of Catholics. This document was designed to situate covenant communities in the life of the Catholic Church. It was also designed to indicate the principles for relating them well to the Church as a whole and for having an authentically Catholic covenant community life. It was meant to accompany a statement of community order which would describe more practically how Christian communities could be built up. In fact, "Covenant Community and Church" was not used by the Christ the King Association. We decided instead to write an expanded statement of community order that was specifically for the association. Now that that has been completed, I am publishing "Covenant Communities and Church," because it contains helpful material that is not included in the Christ the King Association statement of community order and that could help both those in Christ the King Association and outside of it. The origin of "Covenant Community and Church" explains something of its nature. It is, first of all, a statement, not an exposition. It was intended to provide a short summary of what a covenant community in the Catholic Church should be, not to provide a developed understanding of covenant community, much less an apologetic for it. As a statement, "Covenant Community and Church" contains many references to the current official documents of the Catholic Church. It could have drawn upon much other material, material from the rich Catholic tradition of community life, from theological writings, and from papal instructions. It was felt, however, that in such a short statement, the references should primarily be to the current official documents. That would have the added advantage of making the document useful as a guide for finding the basis of various aspects of covenant community life in these documents. Second, "Covenant Community and Church" is a general statement. It contains no references to Christ the King Association. Its subject is simply covenant community life. Over the years, divergent approaches to covenant community life have developed. The aim of the book, therefore, has been to consider the variety of possible types of covenant communities and not to give a particular approach to covenant community, although it may not be acceptable at all points to those who use the term "covenant community" to describe themselves. Finally, "Covenant Community and Church" is not simply a personal document. It is a working draft for a corporate statement that incorporates suggestions from many people. It was referred to several theologians and canonists for input. Their comments were very helpful and more of them would have undoubtedly been used for the text had we worked further on the document. We were very grateful for their time and assistance. After we decided that we needed a different sort of document, I decided to publish this one. I tried to make it clearer and more readable, but I also tried to leave it as a consensus document to which many others contributed. I, of course, bear the sole responsibility for the determination of what went into the final version of this statement and so must take the normal responsibility for its deficiencies. I have added to "Covenant Community and Church" a selection of documents that have been influential in the development of covenant community life. There is an introduction to the selection which explains the rationale used in making it. The degree of hierarchical and theological support for what has come about may be a surprise to some. We find ourselves entering a new era in the Catholic Church. Although that era began with the Second Vatican Council, it was also necessitated by the great changes in modern society. These changes do not look like they will come to an end in the near future, nor is it clear exactly what the new era of Catholic life will bring. "Cultural Catholicism" seems increasingly a phenomenon of the past. A pluriform church in a religiously pluralistic worldwide society seems to be in prospect. In a way that many have not yet realized, as a response to the new situation, the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council has developed a broad framework of common life. This framework allows for an unprecedented variety of forms and approaches within a universal Church that is one in faith and morals. In such a situation, covenant communities have flourished in great variety and will probably develop even more varieties. Perhaps covenant community life will turn out to have been providentially designed as one instrument for allowing the adaptation of the ancient tradition of special ecclesial communities to undreamed-of circumstances, an adaptation capable of maintaining a faithfulness to Christian life in its wholeness. |
