Laity & Lay Movements - Church’s teachings (BJMM039)
The Laity & Lay Movements - Church’s teachings
[Presented at Jesus Youth Int’l Animators Training, Bangkok July 2015 by Edward Edezhath]
The following excerpts are from various Church documents that touch upon the role of the laity and lay movements within the Catholic Church.
The passages are from the following Church documents:
I. Lumen Gentium (Vat II)
II. Apostolicam Actuositatem (Vat. II)
III. Christifideles Laici (Pp. John Paul II)
IV. Evangelii Gaudium (Pp Francis)
V. Pastores Dabo Vobis (Pp John Paul II)
VI. The Code of Canon Law (1983)
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I. Vat II – Lumen Gentium – Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (21 Nov 1964)
[In this section, the document defines the laity as all members of the Church who are not ordained clergy or part of a recognized religious order. It emphasizes the unique vocation of the laity to engage in worldly affairs and use them as a means to seek the Kingdom of God. They are called to live in the world, actively participating in all aspects of society while bearing witness to Christ through their faith, hope, and charity. The document highlights their responsibility to illuminate and order temporal matters according to God's will.]
i. The Laity: who are they? - ii. Their special call - iii. How do they live it?
31. The term “Laity” is here understood to mean all the faithful except those in Holy Orders and those who belong to a religious state approved by the Church. … Their secular character is proper and peculiar to the laity. … by reason of their special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will. They live in the world, that is, they are engaged in each and every work and business of the earth and in the ordinary circumstances of social and family life which, as it were, constitute their very existence. There they are called by God that, being led by the spirit of the Gospel, they may contribute to the sanctification of the world, as from within like leaven, by fulfilling their own particular duties. Thus especially by the witness of their life, resplendent in faith, hope and charity they must manifest Christ to others. It pertains to them in a special way to illuminate and order all temporal things with which they are so closely associated that these may be effected and grow according to Christ and may be to the glory of the Creator and Redeemer.
II. Vat II - Apostolicam Actuositatem: Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (Nov. 18, 1965)
[This section highlights the various ways in which the laity can engage in apostolic activities. It acknowledges the diversity of lay associations and their different missions, ranging from broad Church purposes to specialized evangelization and works of mercy. It emphasizes the importance of unity and cooperation among these associations, with a focus on their role in fulfilling the Church's mission in the world. The document also stresses the responsibility of the laity to form associations in line with Church teachings, underlining the need for discernment and avoiding unnecessary dispersion of efforts.]
iv. Lay Associations:
15. The laity can engage in their apostolic activity either as individuals or together as members of various groups or associations.
v. Types of Mission
19. There is a great variety of associations in the apostolate. Some set before themselves the broad apostolic purpose of the Church; others aim to evangelize and sanctify in a special way. Some purpose to infuse a Christian spirit into the temporal order; others bear witness to Christ in a special way through works of mercy and charity.
vi. Mission of Church to the World
Among these associations, those which promote and encourage closer unity between the concrete life of the members and their faith must be given primary consideration. Associations are not ends unto themselves; rather they should serve the mission of the Church to the world.. …
vii. Right to form associations
Maintaining the proper relationship to Church authorities, the laity have the right to found and control such associations and to join those already existing. Yet the dispersion of efforts must be avoided. This happens when new associations and projects are promoted without a sufficient reason, or if antiquated associations or methods are retained beyond their period of usefulness.
viii. Respect these Associations
21. All associations of the apostolate must be given due appreciation. Those, however, which the hierarchy have praised or recommended as responsive to the needs of time and place, or have ordered to be established as particularly urgent, must be held in highest esteem by priests, Religious, and laity and promoted according to each one's ability. Among these associations, moreover, international associations or groups of Catholics must be specially appreciated at the present time.
ix. Church praises lay leaders:
22. Deserving of special honour and commendation in the Church are those lay people, single or married, who devote themselves with professional experience, either permanently or temporarily, to the service of associations and their activities. There is a source of great joy for the Church in the fact that there is a daily increase in the number of lay persons who offer their personal service to apostolic associations and activities, either within the limits of their own nation or in the international field or especially in Catholic mission communities and in regions where the Church has only recently been implanted.
x. Church to welcome and support them
The pastors of the Church should gladly and gratefully welcome these lay persons and make sure that the demands of justice, equity, and charity relative to their status be satisfied to the fullest extent, particularly as regards proper support for them and their families. They should also take care to provide for these lay people the necessary formation, spiritual consolation, and incentive.
xi. Work Hand in hand with them
25. Bishops, pastors of parishes, and other priests of both branches of the clergy should keep in mind that the right and duty to exercise this apostolate is common to all the faithful, both clergy and laity, and that the laity also have their own roles in building up the Church. For this reason they should work fraternally with the laity in and for the Church and take special care of the lay persons in these apostolic works.
xii. How to choose and form animating priests for associations
Special care should be taken to select priests who are capable of promoting particular forms of the apostolate of the laity and are properly trained. Those who are engaged in this ministry represent the hierarchy in their pastoral activity by virtue of the mission they receive from the hierarchy. Always adhering faithfully to the spirit and teaching of the Church, they should promote proper relations been laity and hierarchy. They should devote themselves to nourishing the spiritual life and an apostolic attitude in the Catholic societies entrusted to them; they should contribute their wise counsel to the apostolic activity of these associations and promote their undertakings. Through continuous dialogue with the laity, these priests should carefully investigate which forms make apostolic activity more fruitful. They should promote the spirit of unity within the association as well as between it and others.
xiii. Religious to support:
Finally, in keeping with the spirit and norms of their societies, Religious Brothers and Sisters should value the apostolic works of the laity and willingly devote themselves to promoting lay enterprises. They should also strive to support, uphold, and fulfill priestly functions.
xiv. Form Councils to support - xv. Councils at different levels:
26. In dioceses, insofar as possible, there should be councils which assist the apostolic work of the Church either in the field of evangelization and sanctification or in the charitable, social, or other spheres, and here it is fitting that the clergy and Religious should cooperate with the laity. While preserving the proper character and autonomy of each organization, these councils will be able to promote the mutual coordination of various lay associations and enterprises.
Councils of this type should be established as far as possible also on the parochial, interparochial, and interdiocesan level as well as in the national or international sphere.
xvi. Need for wholesome formation in these associations - xvii. Associations should do formation
28. The apostolate can attain its maximum effectiveness only through a diversified and thorough formation. This is demanded not only by the continuous spiritual and doctrinal progress of the lay person himself but also by the accommodation of his activity to circumstances varying according to the affairs, persons, and duties involved. …In addition to the formation which is common for all Christians, many forms of the apostolate demand also a specific and particular formation because of the variety of persons and circumstances.
30. … Likewise, lay groups and associations dedicated to the apostolate or other supernatural goals, should carefully and assiduously promote formation for the apostolate in keeping with their purpose and condition. Frequently these groups are the ordinary vehicle for harmonious formation for the apostolate inasmuch as they provide doctrinal, spiritual, and practical formation. Their members meet in small groups with their associates or friends, examine the methods and results of their apostolic activity, and compare their daily way of life with the Gospel.
III. Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici (JP II 30 Dec 1988)
[This document addresses the challenges and opportunities faced by the laity in the post-Vatican II era. It highlights two temptations faced by the laity: an overemphasis on Church-related tasks to the neglect of worldly responsibilities, and a separation of faith from daily life. It underscores the importance of the laity's role in the secular world and their call to holiness. The passage emphasizes the value of the family and the duty of the laity to contribute to society, including in public life and politics.]
xviii. Two Major Temptations:
2. … In looking over the years following the Council the Synod Fathers have been able to verify how the Holy Spirit continues to renew the youth of the Church and how he has inspired new aspirations towards holiness and the participation of so many lay faithful… At the same time, the Synod has pointed out that the post-conciliar path of the lay faithful has not been without its difficulties and dangers. In particular, two temptations can be cited which they have not always known how to avoid: the temptation of being so strongly interested in Church services and tasks that some fail to become actively engaged in their responsibilities in the professional, social, cultural and political world; and the temptation of legitimizing the unwarranted separation of faith from life, that is, a separation of the Gospel's acceptance from the actual living of the Gospel in various situations in the world.
xix. Unique nature of lay vocation.
Secular world, place of vocation
9. … In giving a response to the question "Who are the lay faithful", the Council went beyond previous interpretations which were predominantly negative. Instead it opened itself to a decidedly positive vision and displayed a basic intention of asserting the full belonging of the lay faithful to the Church and to its mystery. . At the same time it insisted on the unique character of their vocation, which is in a special way to "seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and ordering them according to the plan of God".
xx. Baptism as the foundation
10. It is no exaggeration to say that the entire existence of the lay faithful has as its purpose to lead a person to a knowledge of the radical newness of the Christian life that comes from Baptism, the sacrament of faith, so that this knowledge can help that person live the responsibilities which arise from that vocation received from God. In arriving at a basic description of the lay faithful we now more explicitly and directly consider among others the following three fundamental aspects: Baptism regenerates us in the life of the Son of God; unites us to Christ and to his Body, the Church; and anoints us in the Holy Spirit, making us spiritual temples.
xxi. Secular world, the place of vocation
15. … In fact the Council, in describing the lay faithful's situation in the secular world, points to it above all, as the place in which they receive their call from God: "There they are called by God"(33). … The "world" thus becomes the place and the means for the lay faithful to fulfill their Christian vocation, because the world itself is destined to glorify God the Father in Christ. . .They are not called to abandon the position that they have in the world. Baptism does not take them from the world at all, as the apostle Paul points out: "So, brethren, in whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God" (1 Cor 7:24). On the contrary, he entrusts a vocation to them that properly concerns their situation in the world.
xxii. Call to holiness
16. We come to a full sense of the dignity of the lay faithful if we consider the prime and fundamental vocation that the Father assigns to each of them in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit: the vocation to holiness, that is, the perfection of charity. Holiness is the greatest testimony of the dignity conferred on a disciple of Christ.
xxiii. Belong to Particular Churches - xxiv. Need to go beyond parish/diocesan boundaries
25. . . The .. Council strongly encourages the lay faithful actively to live out their belonging to the particular Church, while at the same time assuming an ever-increasing "catholic" spirit: "Let the lay faithful constantly foster"-we read in the Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People- "a feeling for their own diocese, of which the parish is a kind of cell, and be always ready at their bishops' invitation to participate in diocesan projects. Indeed, if the needs of cities and rural areas are to be met, lay people should not limit their cooperation to the parochial or diocesan boundaries but strive to extend it to interparochial, interdiocesan, national and international fields, the more so because the daily increase in population mobility, the growth of mutual bonds, and the ease of communication no longer allow any sector of society to remain closed in upon itself. Thus they should be concerned about the needs of the People of God scattered throughout the world"
xxv. Criteria of Ecclesiality
30. It is always from the perspective of the Church's communion and mission, and not in opposition to the freedom to associate, that one understands the necessity of having clear and definite criteria for discerning and recognizing such lay groups, also called "Criteria of Ecclesiality".
The following basic criteria might be helpful in evaluating an association of the lay faithful in the Church:
- The primacy given to the call of every Christian to holiness, …
- The responsibility of professing the Catholic faith, …
- The witness to a strong and authentic communion in filial relationship to the Pope, …
- Conformity to and participation in the Church's apostolic goals, that is, "the evangelization and sanctification of humanity and the Christian formation of people's conscience, so as to enable them to infuse the spirit of the gospel into the various communities and spheres of life".
- A commitment to a presence in human society, which in light of the Church's social doctrine, places it at the service of the total dignity of the person.
xxvi. Human dignity
37. To rediscover and make others rediscover the inviolable dignity of every human person makes up an essential task, in a certain sense, the central and unifying task of the service which the Church, and the lay faithful in her, are called to render to the human family.
xxvii. Family:
40. The lay faithful's duty to society primarily begins in marriage and in the family. This duty can only be fulfilled adequately with the conviction of the unique and irreplaceable value that the family has in the development of society and the Church herself.
xxviii. Participation in public life, Politics
42. In order to achieve their task directed to the Christian animation of the temporal order, in the sense of serving persons and society, the lay faithful are never to relinquish their participation in "public life", that is, in the many different economic, social, legislative, administrative and cultural areas, which are intended to promote organically and institutionally the common good. . . . Charges of careerism, idolatry of power, egoism and corruption that are oftentimes directed at persons in government, parliaments, the ruling classes, or political parties, as well as the common opinion that participating in politics is an absolute moral danger, does not in the least justify either skepticism or an absence on the part of Christians in public life.
xxix. Culture
44. Service to the individual and to human society is expressed and finds its fulfilment through the creation and the transmission of culture, which especially in our time constitutes one of the more serious tasks of living together as a human family and of social evolution. In light of the Council, we mean by "culture" all those "factors which go to the refining and developing of humanity's diverse spiritual and physical endowments.
xxx. Youth Focus
46. The Synod wished to give particular attention to the young. And rightly so. In a great many countries of the world, they represent half of entire populations, and often constitute in number half of the People of God itself living in those countries. Simply from this aspect youth make up an exceptional potential and a great challenge for the future of the Church. In fact the Church sees her path towards the future in the youth, beholding in them a reflection of herself and her call to that blessed youthfulness which she constantly enjoys as a result of Christ's Spirit. In this sense the Council has defined youth as "the hope of the Church"
xxxi. Need for Formation
60. The many interrelated aspects of a totally integrated formation of the lay faithful are situated within this unity of life. … The situation today points to an ever-increasing urgency for a doctrinal formation of the lay faithful, not simply in a better understanding which is natural to faith's dynamism but also in enabling them to "give a reason for their hoping" in view of the world and its grave and complex problems. Therefore, a systematic approach to catechesis, geared to age and the diverse situations of life, is an absolute necessity, as is a more decided Christian promotion of culture, in response to the perennial yet always new questions that concern individuals and society today.
IV. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium - Pope Francis (24 Nov 2013)
[Pope Francis' exhortation underlines the growing awareness of the laity's identity and mission within the Church. It acknowledges the laity's contributions in areas such as charity, catechesis, and faith celebration. However, it also points out that in some regions, the laity may lack the necessary formation to take on significant responsibilities. Additionally, clericalism in some places may hinder the active participation of the laity in decision-making and their ability to apply Gospel values to transform society. The document calls for greater emphasis on the formation of the laity and their engagement in various aspects of public life.]
xxxii. Need for awareness & formation - xxxiii. Need to give more space to the laity
102. Lay people are, put simply, the vast majority of the people of God. The minority – ordained ministers – are at their service. There has been a growing awareness of the identity and mission of the laity in the Church. We can count on many lay persons, although still not nearly enough, who have a deeply-rooted sense of community and great fidelity to the tasks of charity, catechesis and the celebration of the faith. At the same time, a clear awareness of this responsibility of the laity, grounded in their baptism and confirmation, does not appear in the same way in all places. In some cases, it is because lay persons have not been given the formation needed to take on important responsibilities. In others, it is because in their particular Churches room has not been made for them to speak and to act, due to an excessive clericalism which keeps them away from decision-making. Even if many are now involved in the lay ministries, this involvement is not reflected in a greater penetration of Christian values in the social, political and economic sectors. It often remains tied to tasks within the Church, without a real commitment to applying the Gospel to the transformation of society. The formation of the laity and the evangelization of professional and intellectual life represent a significant pastoral challenge.
V. Pastores Dabo Vobis on the formation of priests – JP II 25 March 1992
[This document discusses the relationship between priests and the laity. It emphasizes that priests exist to serve the faith, hope, and charity of the laity and uphold their dignity as children of God. The ministerial priesthood and the common priesthood of the faithful are complementary, and priests should help the laity fully embrace their specific role in the Church's mission. The passage also discusses the importance of seminarians and diocesan priests participating in lay associations and movements.]
xxxiv. Priests and laity go hand in hand
3. . . Lay people themselves had asked that priests commit themselves to their formation so that they, the laity, could be suitably helped to fulfill their role in the ecclesial mission which is shared by all. Indeed, "the more the lay apostolate develops, the more strongly is perceived the need to have well - formed holy priests. . . The more the laity's own sense of vocation is deepened, the more what is proper to the priest stands out."
xxxv. Priests to serve Laity’s mission
16. . because their role and task within the Church do not replace but promote the baptismal priesthood of the entire People of God, leading it to its full ecclesial realization, priests have a positive and helping relationship to the laity. Priests are there to serve the faith, hope and charity of the laity. They recognize and uphold, as brothers and friends, the dignity of the laity as children of God and help them to exercise fully their specific role in the overall context of the Church's mission. The ministerial priesthood conferred by the sacrament of holy orders and the common or "royal" priesthood of the faithful, which differ essentially and not only in degree, are ordered one to the other - for each in its own way derives from the one priesthood of Christ. Indeed, the ministerial priesthood does not of itself signify a greater degree of holiness with regard to the common priesthood of the faithful; through it Christ gives to priests, in the Spirit, a particular gift so that they can help the People of God to exercise faithfully and fully the common priesthood which it has received.
xxxvi. Seminarians from these groups to continue the link
68. . . Associations and youth movements, which are a sign and confirmation of the vitality which the Spirit guarantees to the Church, can and should contribute also to the formation of candidates for the priesthood, in particular of those who are the product of the Christian, spiritual and apostolic experience of these groups. Young people who have received their basic formation in such groups and look to them for their experience of the Church should not feel they are being asked to uproot themselves from their past or to break their links with the environment which has contributed to their decision to respond to their vocation, nor should they erase the characteristic traits of the spirituality which they have learned and lived there in all that they contain that is good, edifying and rich. For them too, this environment from which they come continues to be a source of help and support on the path of formation toward the priesthood.
xxxvii. Movements to help the priest in mission
The Spirit offers to many young people opportunities to be educated in the faith and to grow as Christians and as members of the Church through many kinds of groups, movements and associations inspired in different ways by the Gospel message. These should be felt and lived as a nourishing gift of a soul within the institution and at its service. A movement or a particular spirituality "is not an alternative structure to the institution. It is rather a source of a presence which constantly regenerates the existential and historical authenticity of the institution. The priest should therefore find within a movement the light and warmth which make him capable of fidelity to his bishop and which make him ready for the duties of the institution and mindful of ecclesiastical discipline, thus making the reality of his faith more fertile and his faithfulness more joyful."
It is therefore necessary, in the new community of the seminary in which they are gathered by the bishop, that young people coming from associations and ecclesial movements should learn "respect for other spiritual paths and a spirit of dialogue and cooperation," should take in genuinely and sincerely the indications for their training imparted by the bishop and the teachers in the seminary, abandoning themselves with real confidence to their guidance and assessments."' Such an attitude will prepare and in some way anticipate a genuine priestly choice to serve the entire People of God in the fraternal communion of the presbyterate and in obedience to the bishop.
xxxviii. Priests as part of movements
The fact that seminarians and diocesan priests take part in particular spiritualities or ecclesial groupings is indeed, in itself, a factor which helps growth and priestly fraternity. Such participation, however, should not be an obstacle, but rather a help to the ministry and spiritual life which are proper to the diocesan priest, who "will always remain the shepherd of all. Not only is he a 'permanent' shepherd, available to all, but he presides over the gathering of all so that all may find the welcome which they have a right to expect in the community and in the Eucharist that unites them, whatever be their religious sensibility or pastoral commitment."
VI. The Code of Canon Law (1983)
[These canons provide the legal framework for the laity and associations in the Church. They emphasize the equality of all Christ's faithful in dignity and action and grant them the freedom to establish associations for charitable, pious, and evangelizing purposes. The canons distinguish between public and private associations and outline the procedures for their recognition and formation. They also address the selection of spiritual counselors and moderators for private associations, underlining the need for confirmation by the local Ordinary.]
xxxix. Equality of the faithful
Canon 208 Flowing from their rebirth in Christ, there is a genuine equality of dignity and action among all of Christ’s faithful. Because of this equality they all contribute, each according to his or her own condition and office, to the building up of the Body of Christ.
xl. Freedom to begin Associations
Canon 215 Christ’s faithful may freely establish and direct associations which serve charitable or pious purposes or which foster the Christian vocation in the world, and they may hold meetings to pursue these purposes by common effort.
xli. What are Associations?
Canon 298 §1 In the Church there are associations which are distinct from institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life. In these associations, Christ’s faithful, whether clerics or laity, or clerics and laity together, strive with a common effort to foster a more perfect life, or to promote public worship or Christian teaching. They may also devote themselves to other works of the apostolate, such as initiatives for evangelization, works of piety or charity, and those which animate the temporal order with the Christian spirit.
§2 Christ’s faithful are to join especially those associations which have been established, praised or recommended by the competent ecclesiastical authority.
xlii. Private Associations
Canon 299 §1 By private agreement among themselves, Christ’s faithful have the right to constitute associations for the purposes mentioned in Canon 298 §1, without prejudice to the provisions of Canon 301 §1.
§2 Associations of this kind, even though they may be praised or commended by ecclesiastical authority, are called private associations.
xliii. Recognition, Statutes
§3 No private association of Christ’s faithful is recognized in the Church unless its statutes have been reviewed by the competent authority.
xliv. ‘Catholic’
Canon 300 No association may call itself ‘Catholic’ except with the consent of the competent ecclesiastical authority, in accordance with Canon 312.
xlv. Public Associations
Canon 301 §1 It is for the competent ecclesiastical authority alone to establish associations of Christ’s faithful which intend to impart Christian teaching in the name of the Church, or to promote public worship, or which are directed to other ends whose pursuit is of its nature reserved to the same ecclesiastical authority.
§2 The competent ecclesiastical authority, if it judges it expedient, can also establish associations of Christ’s faithful to pursue, directly or indirectly, other spiritual ends whose attainment is not adequately provided for by private initiatives.
§3 Associations of Christ’s faithful which are established by the competent ecclesiastical authority are called public associations.
xlvi. Statutes of associations
Canon 321 Christ’s faithful direct and moderate private associations according to the provisions of the statutes.
xlvii. Freedom of Leadership
Canon 324 §1 A private association of Christ’s faithful can freely designate for itself a moderator and officers, in accordance with the statutes.
xlviii. Freedom to select priests
§2 If a private association of Christ’s faithful wishes to have a spiritual counselor, it can freely choose one for itself from among the priests who lawfully exercise a ministry in the diocese, but the priest requires the confirmation of the local Ordinary.
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