Co-Responsibility

Definition of Co-Responsibility:

The communal blending of the baptized unique charisms, gift by the Holy Spirit, joined in a single body (1), which is made up of both ordained and lay people who, in distinct but complementary ways, continue in the Church the saving mission of Christ for the world (2), in order to evangelize all people through a joint collaborative effort between bishops, priest, deacons, religious, and laity aimed at renewing and building up the Church (3).

Spiritual References

Genesis 1:26-31, Numbers 11: 10-30, Exodus 18: 13-27, Matthew 25:14-23, Matthew 28: 16-20, Luke 9, Luke 24, John 15, John 16 Acts 15, Galatians 6, 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Romans 16-18, 2 Timothy 1, Ephesians 4: 7-16, Colossians 1:24-29, 1 Peter 4:7-11

Church references

Taking the Role of All the Baptized in Church Leadership Seriously, November 19, 2019, John Cavadini

Christus Vivit (CV), Francis, 206-208

Joy of the Gospel (EG), Francis

Synod Document Calls For ‘Participatory, Co-responsible’ Church, CNA News Agency

Pope Benedict XVI Calls Lay Faithful to be Co-Responsible for the Church, Catholic Online

Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on The Occasion of the Sixth Ordinary Assembly of the International Forum of Catholic Action, Benedict XVI

Opening of Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome On the Theme: “Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility”, Benedict XVI

Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: a Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry, USCCB

At the Close of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 (Novo Millennio Ineunte) (NMI), John Paul II, no. 46-47

The Final Report of the 1985 Extraordinary Synod

On Evangelization in the Modern World (EN), Paul VI, no. 67-75

Lumen Gentium (LG), Paul VI

National Association of Lay Ministry Keynote: Co-Responsibility in Mission and Ministry: A Synodal Way

Possible Questions to Further Unpack:

How is Co-responsibility woven through Scripture?

See above; Opening of Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome On the Theme: “Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility”, Benedict XVI

To what extent is the pastoral co-responsibility of all, and particularly of the laity, recognized and encouraged?

CV: 206-208; EG: 130-131; Opening of Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome On the Theme: “Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility”, Benedict XVI; At the Close of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 (Novo Millennio Ineunte) (NMI), no. 46; John Paul II, 46-47; Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on The Occasion of the Sixth Ordinary Assembly of the International Forum of Catholic Action, Benedict XVI; EN:70-73 LG: 37-38.

What does Co-responsibility between the following groups look like: bishops and priests, bishops and deacons, bishop and religious, bishops and laity, priests and priests, priests and deacons, priests and religious, priests and laity, religious and laity, religious and deacons, deacons and laity? How do each of these separate groups collaborate as a whole?

Co-Workers: 5,21- 25; Opening of Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome On the Theme: “Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility”, Benedict XVI; The Final Report of the 1985 Extraordinary Synod, 5-7; Participation and Co-responsibility in the Church; Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on The Occasion of the Sixth Ordinary Assembly of the International Forum of Catholic Action, Benedict XVI; EN: 67-75; LG: 18-38.

How can promoting collaborative co-responsible approach to evangelization assisted the Church in reaching the Unaffiliated or those classified as “Nones”?

Opening of Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome On the Theme: “Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility”, Benedict XVI; At the Close of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 (Novo Millennio Ineunte) (NMI), John Paul II, 46-47; EN: 70-73; LG: 30-38.

Is “leadership” merely synonymous with the gifts of governance and authoritative teaching that are unquestionably inherent to bishops and priests? Or, is “leadership a wider category in the Church? Is there leadership in the Church that is appropriate to the baptized as baptized, who also truly share, in their own way in the priestly, prophetic and royal vocation of Christ? How does our understanding of leadership change when we take the role and dignity of all the baptized seriously as it ought to be taken?

Taking the Role of All the Baptized in Church Leadership Seriously: November 19, 2019, John Cavadini; EG: 130-131; Opening of Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome On the Theme: “Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility”, Benedict XVI; At the Close of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 (Novo Millennio Ineunte) (NMI), John Paul II, 46-47; LG: Paul VI, 37-38.

What does the Church look like in which the leadership charism associated with Holy Orders is ordered toward building up and empowering the initiative and leadership proper to the baptized in evangelization?

Taking the Role of All the Baptized in Church Leadership Seriously, November 19, 2019, John Cavadini; CV: 206-208; EG: 130-131; Opening of Pastoral Convention of the Diocese of Rome On the Theme: “Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility”, Benedict XVI; At the Close of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000 (Novo Millennio Ineunte) (NMI), John Paul II, 46-47; Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on The Occasion of the Sixth Ordinary Assembly of the International Forum of Catholic Action, Benedict XVI; LG: 37-38.

And, what does the Church look like where “management” and “governance” are not confused with each other and in which true leaders in managing diocesan affairs are lay people, thus contributing to the effectiveness of the Church in evangelizing?

Taking the Role of All the Baptized in Church Leadership Seriously, November 19, 2019, John Cavadini; Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium), Francis, 130-131.