Pastoral Supervision (Secure)
http://www.pfs.org.uk/articles/12/1/Pastoral-Supervision-Secure/Page1.html
Rev. Andrew McKenzie
Fr Andrew McKenzie is a priest of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, ordained in 1988. He has been National Director of Priests for Scotland since the formation of the intiative in August 2004. He is also secretary to the National Liturgy Commission. By Rev. Andrew McKenzie
Published on 04/25/2007
Many priests find Pastoral Supervision to be a useful method of reviewing their pastoral skills and practice. While Spiritual Direction has as its focus the spiritual life of the priest pastoral supervision focuses on the pastoral task. Some priests currently meet in supervision groups to experience this kind of reflection and they feel that both they and those to whom they minister benefit greatly.
Pastoral Supervision
Human interaction is at the heart of pastoral ministry. The degree of personal engagement required in the exercise of ministry highlights the need for Pastoral Supervision. This support is particularly appropriate since more priests than ever live on their own and some after only a few years of ordained ministry. The need for support and Pastoral Supervision is particularly acute in these circumstances. Many ministers recognise that they are uncomfortable working in isolation. Moreover, serious problems that arise in the practice of ministry often have their roots in unhappy situations that could have been addressed at an earlier stage through a process of formal Pastoral Supervision. In preparation for ordination seminarians are offered a regular diet of spiritual direction and pastoral support but at present few of them carry this support forward into the early years of ministry. The adjustment from seminary to parish and the loss of support systems would seem to be a contributory factor in the numbers of young priests leaving active ministry within the first ten years.
What does Pastoral Supervision offer?
The process of Pastoral Supervision aims to establish a secure environment that enables the exploration of significant pastoral issues as they arise in the exercise of ministry. It is not envisaged as crisis management, personal therapy or line management. Pastoral Supervision should be viewed as a regular support and accompaniment to professional standards in pastoral service. Pastoral Supervision offers a secure place and a unique opportunity for the minister to explore issues of concern or issues of personal and professional development that arise through the practice of his ministry.
Who benefits from such a programme?
The minister benefits since Pastoral Supervision makes him responsible for the care of his own ministry and places him in a good position to access support agencies if they are required. Pastoral Supervision offers the minister a means of discussing and reflecting on the issues that arise in ministry.
The Church benefits since issues, whether personal or professional, are aired at an early stage and appropriate actions may be discussed. Pastoral Supervision supports the minister and holds him accountable to himself, to the wider Church and to those to whom he ministers.
Benefits derived from supervision can be many and varied. These may include a deeper awareness of the subject discussed, different perspectives on difficult issues, and a sense of safety both for the priest and for those with whom he works and ministers. There can be little doubt that when supervision is undertaken responsibly there is a satisfying professional development, an increase in professional standards as well as the acquisition of a deeper sense of self.
What is the appropriate material for Pastoral Supervision?
Pastoral Supervision is not Spiritual Direction. Pastoral Supervision has at its core the performance of ministerial tasks. It offers a reflective forum to examine issues involved in the practice of pastoral service. Pastoral Supervision may at times challenge the minister to examine how he reacted in a particular context or he deals with particular issues of stress.
What does Pastoral Supervision offer?
The process of Pastoral Supervision aims to establish a secure environment that enables the exploration of significant pastoral issues as they arise in the exercise of ministry. It is not envisaged as crisis management, personal therapy or line management. Pastoral Supervision should be viewed as a regular support and accompaniment to professional standards in pastoral service. Pastoral Supervision offers a secure place and a unique opportunity for the minister to explore issues of concern or issues of personal and professional development that arise through the practice of his ministry.
Who benefits from such a programme?
The minister benefits since Pastoral Supervision makes him responsible for the care of his own ministry and places him in a good position to access support agencies if they are required. Pastoral Supervision offers the minister a means of discussing and reflecting on the issues that arise in ministry.
The Church benefits since issues, whether personal or professional, are aired at an early stage and appropriate actions may be discussed. Pastoral Supervision supports the minister and holds him accountable to himself, to the wider Church and to those to whom he ministers.
Benefits derived from supervision can be many and varied. These may include a deeper awareness of the subject discussed, different perspectives on difficult issues, and a sense of safety both for the priest and for those with whom he works and ministers. There can be little doubt that when supervision is undertaken responsibly there is a satisfying professional development, an increase in professional standards as well as the acquisition of a deeper sense of self.
What is the appropriate material for Pastoral Supervision?
Pastoral Supervision is not Spiritual Direction. Pastoral Supervision has at its core the performance of ministerial tasks. It offers a reflective forum to examine issues involved in the practice of pastoral service. Pastoral Supervision may at times challenge the minister to examine how he reacted in a particular context or he deals with particular issues of stress.