Care of Souls
Caring for the flock of Christ is similar to tending to a garden: know your plant (its origins, its needs, its condition), tend to your plant (regular individualized attention and maintenance - visitations, check-ins, administer sacraments etc.), guide its growth (speak the truth, admonish, teach, rebuke, encourage, mend), and trust in the Lord's sovereignty (pray for it, ask for help from co-laborers, set boundaries for differentiation, beware of excessive empathy).
Knowing
Fostering a healthy
pastoral relationship
There is no other point of origin in pastoral care than to first understand the flock that you are called to serve. This initial phase is a long process of inquiring, listening, and praying for wisdom and clarity. This is not only the starting point of any ministry, but it is also the beginning of every relationship.
Developing strong communication skills is integral to cultivating lasting relationships founded on understanding, authenticity, and mutual respect for the position and viewpoints of the other. Here is a list of great reading resources on helpful practices for developing strong communication skills with those whom the pastor or church leader is called to serve:
Tending
Strengthening the pastoral relationship on a regular basis
Once the foundation and parameters for the pastoral relationship are developed, the pastor must then work towards tending the newly planted seed by providing it with regular attention, nourishment, support.
Regular attention means maintaining consistent edifying contact with those entrusted to the pastor's care, while upholding the necessary boundaries and recognizing the limitations of the pastor as a spiritual counselor rather than a licensed therapist or secular advisor or life coach.
The pastor's obligation to nourish the flock requires training those in the pastor's care in lifelong habits of communing in Christ and with the Church through prayer, worship, study, reflection, and participation in the Holy Sacraments on a consistent basis.
Guiding
Shaping and encouraging growth in the image of Christ
Supporting the flock requires speaking the Word of God and the foundational doctrines of the faith to those entrusted in the pastor's care so that they may grow upright and be encouraged to live righteous and godly lives after the image of Christ.
This process will often times entail teaching, encouraging, admonishing, correcting, pruning and mending. The pastor must be equipped at all times to correct and to support those in their care with reference first and foremost to the Word of God and the teachings of the Holy Church.
Trusting
Surrendering the soul to Christ's tender care
While the pastor serves as a representative of Christ, it is Christ who is the True and Perfect Shepherd of the flock which the pastor is called to steward. Thus, Christ is the reference point for all pastoral care.
The pastor is neither called to save nor redeem the sheep, but rather to steward faithfully according to the will of Christ. Thus, the pastor must be attuned to the Holy Spirit through a humble and submissive spirit, with detachment and differentiation, and in prayerful discernment and reflection before and after each interaction with the flock.