Theological Foundations new file

125 The Ecclesial Dimension Ordinary and the clergy. He also remembers the need to pray for the con- version of sinners, for non-Catholics and the unfaithful. He encourages them to combine prayer with mortification and other good works. 31 One might add at this point that Father Matulaitis-Matulewicz’s acceptance of the duties of the Bishop of Vilnius was a heroic act of love and obedience to the Church on his part. 4. Supporting the Church in Its Pastoral Work According to the principles of contemporary eccesiology, the task of the Church is to give witness to Christ, i.e., to show His person, proclaim His teaching and fulfill His instructions. The Church is to continue Christ’s mission — to teach people about the truths revealed by God and to lead them to eternal participation in the life of God. It is to remind the faithful that they are called to holiness and to help them to attain it through all its works, especially through the sacrifice of the Holy Mass and the administering of the sacraments. 32 Father Stanislaus Papczynski undertook the idea of service to the Church through pastoral work, thereby emphasizing the ecclesial char- acter of the Christian life. In order to encourage his confreres in this ser- vice, he emphasized the greatness of Christ’s co-workers who, out of love for Him, teach others, especially the children, the simple people, the non-Christians, and those who err, everything that is necessary to obtain salvation, to live a Christian life, to avoid sins and to acquire virtues. In his opinion, there is nothing more distinguished than this pious work, nothing more blessed. He, too, asks Christ for the grace to be allowed not to neglect anything in this matter. We know that he did not neglect anything for he would often go from his hermitage in the Korabiew Forest to nearby parishes to hear confessions and proclaim the Word of God. When he set about establishing the Congregation, he wanted to form it in such a way that it would not close itself completely in its soli- tude but remain open to providing pastoral care to neighbors. 34 He included an instruction in his Rule of Life which read that the priests who