Florida Catholic | Jubilee Teachings

JUBILEE TEACHING

The call to the laity

JUBILEE TEACHING FOR APRIL 20, 2008 | FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

The Catholic laity includes all the members of the church who do not belong to the clergy. Since the reforms pioneered by Vatican II, lay movements, associations and organizations have experienced growth and expansion. Today’s laypeople have a lot to offer the church, both through their own efforts and by cooperating with the church.

Catholics outside the clergy might feel a special call (that is, a call to ministry) to help spread the word of God or to do good works in a special field, and there are probably hundreds of organizations that a Catholic layperson may either join or support. The church now recognizes that members of the Catholic community have many special gifts. Perhaps they are good at business, or maybe they have a musical gift or a special gift for teaching. Whatever the gift, the church recognizes that these talents should be tapped.

LAY MINISTRY

Lay ministry is not a new trend. It has been an expected part of Catholic life since Jesus exhorted us, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But there is a special movement in the church, both in response to Vatican II and in response to the declining number of priests.

Because there are not enough priests to fulfill all the diocesan duties or get to all the street ministries, lay Catholics accept the roles of formation director, parish life coordinator and pastoral associate. These laypeople take on some of the responsibilities normally carried out by priests in diocesan offices, parishes and seminaries all over the United States as well as other Catholic countries.

Return to the Archdiocese of Miami Front Page

JUBILEE TEACHING

The call to the laity

Other Stories