The role of lay Catholics in the Church according to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council - Assignment Example

?What is the role of lay Catholics in the Church according to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council? How do you see it developing in the future?Recent measures and initiatives within the Catholic church, particularly those designed in reenergizing Catholicism as a religion amidst modernity and secularization, were those concerning the increase in engagement and involvement of its lay members. This has been the fundamental issue addressed by the Second Vatican Council that took place from 1959 to 1965. The Council was able to draft and issue several documents, which would supposedly turn the tide for Catholicism during this contemporary age. These documents introduced and emphasized the concept of the “people of God” when its predecessor stressed on the role of the Pope. This move by Church authorities is increasingly seen as an attempt for the organization to be continuously significant amidst several developments that undermine Catholicism across the globe. This paper will specifically examine the role of the laity or the Lumen Gentium as outlined by the Second Vatican Council and how it is expected to develop later on. Background It is important to underscore that in the early days of Christianity, the laity has played an important role in the affairs of the church. According to Walsh (2005), the laity was not only consulted on important matters, because they also take part in electing bishops and in choosing priests. (p66) This role was eventually scrapped as the laity came to be merely defined as those that are subjected under the Catholic organization’s authority and representatives of the religion in secular affairs such as in business, politics and so forth. As the Catholic organization became more structured and the system more sophisticated governance and policymaking, and most of the organizational activities, policies and measures were administered by the clergy. By the time the First Vatican Council issued its codes and rules, the “Catholic action” referred to as the role to be played by the lay people were strictly confined to participation in Church-led initiatives. For instance, Pope Pius X declared that “the one duty of the multitude is to allow themselves to be led, and like a docile flock, to follow the Pastors.” (Pope 2004, p6) What this means is that while the laity is expected to be proactive, their actions must only be in support of the ordained and that they do not have clear and specific missions of their own, say, in evangelization. With the onset of the modern age, however, the clergy again began to turn to the laity as the Church is forced to deal with dwindling membership and enthusiasm from among its ranks. It addition, it has been struggling with finding its own identity and significance in a period of drastic changes across the world. The premise of the current Catholic attitude is that the Church must be viewed as “a community of faith where all the baptized bear responsibility for placing their individual gifts at the service of all.” (Gubish, Jenny and McGannon 2001, pii) The pattern of the new strategy reflects an attempt at a deeper and more potent evangelization by having the laity live out their lives according to the values and teachings of the Catholic Church. In recent years lay people have taken on great many administrative roles, and although Church law forbids them to have ‘jurisdiction’, such as a role in administration, they are involved in decision-making from parish level upwards which is often pretty indistinguishable from governance. (Walsh, p66) Laity in the Second Vatican Council According to the Second Vatican Council, the role of the laity is extremely important, explaining that: Inserted as they are in the Mystical Body of Christ by baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit in confirmation, it is by the Lord himself that they are assigned to the apostolate… The apostolate is lived in faith, hope and charity poured out by the Holy Spirit into the hearts of all members of the Church. (Dajczer 2000, p65) The Council has proceeded by working within the idea that the Church exists as instrument for the union between God and all humanity, hence, the emphasis place on communion, underscoring the inclusive attitude that would govern contemporary Catholicism. The Vatican II, wrote Pope, “taught that, in virtue of the sacrament of baptism, the entire People of God shares a common call to holiness and responsibility for the church and the world.” (p7) This theme would be the foundation of the roles that would be specifically outlined by the Council, as well as those cited on succeeding codes built on the Vatican II. The establishment of parish councils is one of the concrete examples that demonstrate the increasing role lay people play in the Church. Members of this body is responsible for dispensing advice for the priest with regards to fiscal matters as well as in planning and holding local Church events. Here, the leadership role on members themselves is highlighted with their involvement and responsibility on several decisions concerning the parish’s affairs. Then there is also the concept introduced called the “shared responsibility”. This pertains to the involvement of lay people as well as nonbishop members in the decision making within the Church. Hence, the Vatican Council and subsequent related codes and rules adopted mandate that the clergy must “work as brothers with the laity in the Church and for the Church.” (Vatican council II, no. 25) In a way, Vatican II imposed some correcting mechanisms to the previous Council by redefining the relationship between clergy and the laity as well as their respective missions. The Apostolate of the Laity One of the most important breakthroughs to have emerged out of the Vatican II was the emphasis given on the sacraments of initiation. These sacraments include baptism, confirmation and eucharist. As expressed in the concept of Lumen Gentium and the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, through the sacraments of initiation, the laity (including women), became full members of the People of God, sharing the responsibility with the clergy in pursuing the mission of the Catholic Church. With this point, it becomes clear that the role or the apostolate of the laity is not merely given under the authority of the clergy but, instead, it is assigned by God, himself. In addition, they were redefined not exclusively to address problems like the shortage of the priest because back in the 60s, there were no such phenomena. What the Council wanted to achieve was for the laity to share the role of Christ, without such active involvement (playing the life and teaching of the Church), the apostolate of the pastor is expected to fail or become ineffective. (Zech and Miller 2008, p7) The subtle transformation of the Church by virtue of the new concepts introduced by the Vatican II also highlight the change in the way the ordained are expected to treat their flocks. When in the past they were taught – in their ministries – to tend to their flock as a leader or some authoritarian figure like a parent to his child – always commanding and always right – the Council declared that Pastors should encourage as well as facilitate the talents, skills, gifts and ministries within their realm. Pope explained that the Decree of the Laity discussed how lay apostolate does not constitute some peripheral task that is beneath the mission and tasks delegated to the ordained: The Holy Spirit works for the holiness of God’s people by imparting “special gifts to the faithful.” By possessing these charisms, “every one of the faithful has the right and duty to exercise them in the church and in the world for the good of humanity and for the building up of the church.” (p8) Two significant concepts can be identified out of this phrase – that 1) the apostolate is a right; and that, 2) the apostolate is a responsibility. By stating the argument this way, the Church is reinforcing the laity’s involvement by making it a noble act, a privilege and mandatory, all at the same time. It becomes easier for Catholics to live what is being taught because their role is not relegated into some passive inferior, being led and instructed by a superior authority. The involvement of the laity would further develop after the Vatican council. For instance, the Code of Canon Law passed during the 1980s defined the role of the laity as: The people of God; for this reason, since they have become sharers in Christ’s priestly, prophetic and royal office in their own manner, they are called to exercise the mission which God has entrusted to the Church to fulfill in the world.” (“Catechism…” p202) Conclusion The current attitude adopted by the Catholic Church - particularly that about redefining the role of the laity and the provision of an inclusive environment in order for them its members to be more proactive and involved members of the body of Christ – is very timely and could actually develop into something that could reform and reenergize the Church today and in the future. All the changes that are happening now, especially those brought about by technology such as the Internet, could be taken advantage of by engaging the participation of the faithful. The new apostolate as cited by the Vatican II for the laity, could transform the millions of Catholics into soldiers of the faith or a kingdom of priests, spreading the message and values of the Church by direct evangelization and/or by easily and whole-heartedly leading the Catholic way of life in comparison to their docile and passive involvement in the past. References "Catechism of the Catholic Church" 2002, London: Continuum International Publishing Group. Dajczer, T 2000, The gift of faith. Limaru: Paulines Publications Africa. Gubish, M, Jenny, S and McGannon, A 2001, Revisioning the Parish Pastoral Council. Washington, D.C.: Paulist Press. Pope, S 2004, Common calling: the laity and governance of the Catholic Church. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. Vatican Council II, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity. Apostolicam Actuositatem (November 19, 1965) Walsh, M 2005, Roman Catholicism: the basics. London: Routledge. Zech, C and Miller, R 2008, Listening to the People of God: Closing, Rebuilding, and Revitalizing Parishes. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. Read More