Pastoral care - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pastoral care involves shepherding the flock.

...Shepherding involves protection, tending to needs, strengthening the weak, encouragement, feeding the flock, making provision, shielding, refreshing, restoring, leading by example to move people on in their pursuit of holiness, comforting, guiding.

Pastoral care - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Pastoral care is an ancient model of emotional and spiritual support that can be found in many cultures and traditions. It has been described in our modern context as individual and corporate patience in which trained pastoral carers support people in their pain, loss and anxiety, and their triumphs, joys and victories.


It historically is the ministry of care and counseling provided by pastors, chaplains and other religious leaders to members of their church or congregation, or to anyone within institutional settings. This can range anywhere from home visitation to formal counseling provided by pastors who are licensed to offer counseling services. On the other hand, pastoral practice refers to how an idea is applied or used when giving spiritual guidance.


Pastoral care is also a term applied where people offer help and caring to others in their church or wider community. Pastoral care in this sense can be applied to listening, supporting, encouraging and befriending.


The Bible does not explicitly define the role of a pastor, but does associate it with teaching.[2] Pastoral care involves shepherding the flock.


...Shepherding involves protection, tending to needs, strengthening the weak, encouragement, feeding the flock, making provision, shielding, refreshing, restoring, leading by example to move people on in their pursuit of holiness, comforting, guiding (Pss 78: 52; 23).

Protestant churches

There are many assumptions about what a pastor's care is. Commonly, a pastor's main job is to preach messages in mainline Protestant churches, but in addition to preaching sermons, pastors are also expected to be involved in local ministries, such as hospital chaplaincy, visitation, funerals, weddings and organizing religious activities. "Pastoral care", therefore, is both encouraging their local congregation, and bringing new people into the church. This is not to say that the congregation is not to be involved in both activities, but that the pastor should be the initiator.

Roman Catholicism

In Catholic theology, pastoral care for the sick and infirm is one of the most significant ways that members of the Body of Christ continue the ministry and mission of Jesus. Pastoral care is considered to be the responsibility of all the baptized. Understood in the broad sense of "helping others," pastoral care is the responsibility of all Christians. Pastoral care was understood differently at different times in history.


Many Catholic parishes employ "pastoral associates", lay people who serve in ministerial or administrative roles, assisting the pastor in his work, but who are not ordained clerics. They are responsible, among other things, for the spiritual care of frail and housebound as well as for running a multitude of tasks associated with the sacramental life of the Church. However, these tasks are also—and primarily—a part of the role of the ordained clergy, especially the deacons and priests assigned to the parish, who are entrusted with administering most of the Sacraments. If priests have the necessary qualifications in counseling or in psychotherapy, they may offer professional psychological services when they give pastoral counseling as part of their pastoral care of souls. However, the Church hierarchy under John Paul II and Benedict XVI has emphasized that the Sacrament of Penance, or Reconciliation, is for the forgiveness of sins and not counseling and as such should not be confused with or incorporated into the therapy given to a person by a priest, even if the therapist priest is also their confessor. The two processes, both of which are privileged and confidential under civil and canon law, are separate by nature.

Eastern Orthodox

The pastoral obligations of Orthodox clergymen are set out by St. John Chrysostom (347–407) in his treatise On the Priesthood. This is perhaps the first really great pastoral work ever written, although he was only a deacon when he penned it. It stresses the dignity of the priesthood. The priest, it says, is greater than kings, angels, or parents. But priests are for that reason most tempted to pride and ambition. They, more than anyone else, need clear and unshakable wisdom, patience that disarms pride, and exceptional prudence in dealing with souls.