Edith Stein’s Phenomenology of Empathy in Parish Ministry

This paper aims to apply Edith Stein’s phenomenology of empathy to offer a paradigm for understanding the human person, which can help to enhance relationships in Catholic parish ministry. People in parish ministry are known for their various functions as ministers called in by the Church to serve the pastoral needs of other people in the parish community. However, the value of individuals and relationships in parish ministry seems to be compromised by certain issues of abuse that occur in the Church, which are detrimental to the growth of the parish community. To help alleviate these issues, this paper demonstrates that empathy can be a way to value the human person and relationships in the parish community. Using phenomenological hermeneutics, accounts of empathy are applied to navigate the interpersonal character of this paper, inviting and suggesting rather than imposing interpretations in the people’s experiences in parish ministry. Stein’s accounts of empathy as the essential experience of the other and the foundation of intersubjectivity offer a holistic understanding of the human person at the psycho-physical and spiritual levels. Thus, the relevance of empathy is integral in many aspects of service in the parish ministry, especially in helping to better enhance relationships among people in the Church and in fostering values in every activity of the parish community, including interpersonal and pastoral communications.