Browsing by Author "Abreu Collado, Félix Antonio"

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Transformación De Las Dinámicas Relacionales “Cambios Geográficos, La Finanzas Y La Carga Laboral Eclesiástica”En Las Familias De Pastores Y Pastoras En La Ciudad De Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
(South African Theological Seminary Johannesburg, South Africa) Abreu Collado, Félix Antonio; Paredes Alfaro, Rubén E.
Families are living dramatic experiences around the world. The Dominican family does not escape this reality and specifically the families of the city of Santo Domingo; and besides within this conglomerate the pastoral families. These families live more intensely their dynamics as a result of the interaction of the family system with the ecclesial system. Changes produced on one side affect the other and the degree of emotional intensity is very severe, producing very dysfunctional dynamics. Systemic Theory offers new perspectives on the problems between clergy and congregation. Of all labour systems, the one that works the most as a family is the ecclesial one. It is something almost natural that both the pastor and lay leaders bring important family matters —not solved—into the church system (Friedman, 1996). This emotional environment produces patterns or relational dynamics that lead to alliances, coalitions and emotional triangles between the three family systems: “the pastor’s or lay’s family,” “the families of the congregation” and “the congregation itself as a family. “Like any open system, the church handles continuous changes that powerfully impact its functioning. In pastoral families, labour and family systems connect with excessive ease and significant changes in one of them can quickly unbalance the other (Friedman, 1996). Relational dynamics, “Geographical shifts, finances and ecclesiastical workload” are present in every pastoral family. This reality motivated the investigation of fifteen (15) pastoral families in the city of Santo Domingo through 2018-2019. The big question to research was: What impact do relational dynamics, “geographical shifts, finances and ecclesiastical workload” have on pastoral families? The research methodology was qualitative, with hermeneutical or interpretative approach, with a flexible design. Data were obtained from primary sources as they were provided by the families being studied. The nature of the research was empirical. The genogram and semi-structured interview were used to collect information. The results show that there is an impact on physical diseases, exhaustion or burnout. Emotional illnesses, emotional exhaustion. Silence and feeling of loss. Emotional wounds, pain, disappointment and depression. Financial debts, among others. The three combined dynamics generate a toxic environment for families and especially for children. It is common for the pastor to devote more time to the church instead of the family and not know how to manage this without entering a triangulated dynamic. Triangles between pastor, church and family (children) are very frequent in pastoral families. Children are trapped between the church, the church families and their nuclear family. Pastoral families need to experience special care and attention that they do not always find in the current ecclesial structure. That's where domestic communities or house churches play an important role as they function as a large extended family made up of families, where the pastoral family is another one. These families are cared for in family networks breeding an extended family where they can connect and put down lasting roots. A structure that enables ties of fraternity and life.