Definition of Lay Ministry:
The cooperative response of all the baptized in the mission of the Church, to answer the universal call to holiness, through exercising of the threefold ministry of Christ, given in the Sacraments of Initiation and strengthened through conferred charisms, used primarily and uniquely in the secular realm while simultaneously working in the Church to build ecclesial communion in order to transform the world (1).
Scriptural Reference
Genesis 1:26-31; Numbers 11: 10-30; Exodus: 18: 13-27; Matthew 4:19-21,16:18-19, 18:20, 25:14-23, 28: 16-20: Mark 16:15; Luke 6:13, 9, 22:26-27, 24; John 1:4, 4, 15-17, 21: 15-22; Acts 2, 15; Galatians 6, 2:10; 1 Cor. 12, 9:19; Romans 1, 10, 12, 16-18; 2 Timothy 1; Ephesians 1:4, 4: 7-16; Colossians 1:24-29; 1 Peter 2:5-10, 4:7-11, 5:3; Phil. 2:8-9;1 Thess. 4:3;
Church Reference
- The Promotion of the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church of the United States. A Report to the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at the International Meeting “Formation and Promotion of the Laity: Best Practices” 26-28 September 2018
- Christus Vivit (CV), Pope Francis
- Rejoice and Be Glad (GE), Pope Francis
- Joy of the Gospel (EG), Francis
- Has “Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord” achieved its intended purpose 15 years out? By Jeff Andrini, D.Min
- USCCB, Laity Page
- USCCB, Lay Ecclesial Ministry Page
- USCCB, Lay Ecclesial Ministry FAQs
- Presentation video from USCCB, 2015 Lay Ecclesial Ministry Summit
- USCCB, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: a Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry
- The Lay Members of Christ’s Faithful People (CL), John Paul II
- Decree on the Apostolate of the Lay People (AA),Paul VI
- Light of the Nations (LG), Paul VI, 9-17, 27-28, 30-42,
- Code of Canon Law (Can.): Canon 208-329, Canon 515-530, Canon 607-709 and Canon 710-730
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 782-786, 794-795, 863-865, 871-873, 897-913, 928-929, 934, 940-943, 1141-1144, 1174-1178, 1213-1321, 1533-1535, 1546, 1591, 1601-1664, 1669, 1877-1948, 1934-1935, 2225-2231,2442
Possible Questions to Further Unpack:
How is Lay Ministry woven through Scripture?
How is the Universal Call to Holiness connected to Lay ministry?
CV: 248-278; GE: 1-34; Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium: The Call to Holiness; Co-Workers, 7-13, 18-19, 29; Catechism of the Catholic Church: 941-945; CL: 16-17; LG: 11, 39-42; AA: 2
What is the relationship between lay ministry and discipleship?
How do they laity share in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly office of Christ?
Co-Workers: 18-19; Catechism of the Catholic Church: 814, 873, 901-913, 941-945 1937; CL: 14, 51; LG: 31-42; AA: 10-14
What is the role of the laity in the Secular world?
CV: 15,25, 41, 63, 174,178; GE: 107, 129-139; Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium: The Call to Mission and Ministry; Co-Workers: 8, 20, 25-26, 66-67; Catechism of the Catholic Church: 928-940; Can: 201-231, 673-683, 710-730; CL: 1-3, 15-19, 23-26, 32-36, 51; LG: 17, 30-42; AA: 1-14
What is the role of the laity within parish ministry?
EG: 102 -103, 169-173; ; GE: 140-146; Research Review: Lay Ecclesial Ministers in the United States: 17; Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium: The Call to Community; Co-Workers: 6, 8-10, 19, 25-26, 28-30, 66-67; Can: 201-231, 515-529; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 908-913; CV, 216-220; CL: 1-3, 15-19, 23-26, 32-36, 51; LG: 17, 30-42; AA: 10-14
How can understanding an individual’s charism strengthen the role of the laity within the Church?
CV: 206-208, 286, 288; EG: 130 -131; International Association of the Faithful, Directory: Preface; Co-Workers: 9, 12, 18, 25-26, 28-30; Catechism of the Catholic Church: 910, Can. 201-231; CL: 20-27, 32, 55; LG 4,7, 12, 30; AA: 3
How can the Church better integrate laity into her mission?
EG: 102 -103, 169-173; GE: 19-24; Research Review: Lay Ecclesial Ministers in the United States, Co-Workers: 6, 8-10, 19, 25-30, 66-67; Executive Summary The Next Generation of Pastoral Leaders; Catechism of the Catholic Church: 906-913, Can: 201-231, CL:1-3, 15-19, 23-26, 32-36, 51, 55-56; LG: 19-20, 30-42
How do all members participate in the mission of Christ?
CV: 50, 216-220; GE: 19-24; EG: 102 -103, 169-173; Catechism of the Catholic Church: 897-913, 863-865, 2442; Co-Workers: 66-67; Catechism of the Catholic Church: 906-913, 928-940; CL:1-3, 18-19, 23, 25, 26, 32-36, 51; LG 30-42; AA: 2
How can the Church provide a more holistic formation process for the laity? How do Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, Pastoral and Intercultural formation strengthen lay ministry?
EG: 102 -103, 169; The Promotion of the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church of the United States, The USA Report: 22-23; Co-Workers: 33-53; CL: 59-63; AA: 28-32
What is the laity’s role in the responds to the sexual abuse crises?
CV, 95-110; The Promotion of the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church of the United States, The USA Report: 21
Growing as Disciples: Resources for Catholics
As parishes re-focus after a long summer, they can generate a lot of spiritual growth through the idea of discipleship. Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C, and Fr. Frank DeSiano, CSP, provide a way to think about and exercise discipleship today. Using the evangelization document, Living as Missionary Disciples, they look at ways in which Catholics carry out discipleship and ways in which we can grow as disciples. This is followed by a presentation of new resources for discipleship from the Catholic Apostolate Center and Paulist Evangelization Ministries.