The Role Of The Laity In Today's Catholic Church

Image design © Jerome D'Costa (February 2019)

Isaac Gomes, an Associate Editor at the Church Citizens' Voice website of Kerala, India, in this write-up says that the laity (or laypersons who are Catholics but don't belong to the priesthood and Religious Orders) is an indispensable part and parcel of the Catholic Church. Their essential role in the Church has been confirmed by various documents of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). 

After this council, until now, the laity is still in the second position, they are still behind in the participation in various designated Church affairs. The members of the Church hierarchy (priests, bishops, cardinals, and pope), who are supposed to be servants (any Pope's official title is 'servus servorum Dei' -- servant of the servants of God) are still dominating them as masters not equal. This writer is, therefore, asking whether the laity needs to wait for another Vatican Council to fulfill the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. Only because of the presence of the laypersons, the hierarchy is able to be there -- no laypersons, no hierarchy. So, why not make the Second Vatican Council teachings a reality?

For more on this subject, you kindly click on the following: 

• The Indispensable Role of the Laity in the Church -- should we wait for Vatican III to give Laity its rightful place? (Dec. 24, 2018)
• The Essential Role of the Laity in the Catholic Church (A short Bengali-language version of the above-mentioned article)

Initiated by Catholic laypersons, a national consultation, called 'We too are Church,' will be held at the Proggaloy Pastoral Centre of Kolkata, India, on February 9-11. 

This consultation will attempt to implement "the far-reaching teachings" of the Second Vatican Council. Renowned speakers and participants will deal with topics like -- The Renewal of the Church According to Vatican II, The Current Political Scenario, The Role of the Media, Crisis Management and Leadership Skills, The Status of Women in the Church, and Youth Aspirations and Expectations.

To keep in touch with this effort, you may read the following:

• National consultation to address challenges, crises in Indian Church (Jan. 28, 2019)