Apostolate of the Laity
Vatican II Document on the Vocation & Role of the
Laity in the Church
Apostolate of the Laity
Apostolate refers to the duties or mission of an apostle, or
a group of people that exist for spreading of religious
doctrine;
Lay Apostolate : The lay apostolate is made up from
laypeople and consecrated religious who exercise a
ministry in cooperation with the Catholic Church.
The mission of the lay Christian faithful to both "lead nonbelievers to the faith and to instruct, strengthen, and
encourage the faithful to a more fervent life
Apostolate of the Laity
Apostolicam Actuositatem
 Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity is the first document
solely focused on the nature & role of laity in the Church from
an Ecumenical Council
 To be Christian is to be “called” & “sent”
 Body of Christ made up of baptized & exists unity & solidarity
of purpose to proclaim the Gospel
 Vocation of Laity can be seen in 3 areas
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Evangelization & Sanctification of World
Endeavor to use Gospel to improve temporal (secular) world
Charitable works & Social Actions
 Laity are called to be the “leaven” in society & world
 Unity of mission yet diversity of ministry
Apostolate of the Laity
The Apostolate of the Laity
 Impact of Church on peoples view of modern world –
social, cultural, political, economical
 Apostolate of Laity – “participate” in world; reason behind
why John XXIII called the Council – Church to be light to
nations
 World to reflect valves of Kingdom of God – “thy will be
done on earth, as it is in heaven”
 Vocation of Laity is to inscribe values of Gospel in the
world
 Vocation of ordained is to lead & form laity in the values
of the Gospel
Apostolate of the Laity
What is the apostolate of the laity?
Basic Principles:
 Christ is way of Salvation; purpose of Church as light in
world is to order secular world to God’s Law i.e. justice
 Foundation of laity’s vocation based on baptism &
confirmation – universal sacraments
 Each is called by God due to baptism – vocation
 Each has gifts from the Spirit – Confirmation
 No dual identity in laity – world & Church not
separated
 Using faith as guide in living our lives through an
integration of faith & action
Apostolate of the Laity
 Sacraments of baptism & confirmation are the “signs” of
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the apostolate – to have received these sacraments is to be
commission by God to go out & proclaim the Gospel
Assigned apostolate/vocation is given to person by God –
person called by God to a particular vocation or task
Soul of apostolate is charity, nourished by Eucharist,
Scripture & Sacraments
Recognition of prime role of Holy Spirit – faith, hope &
charity poured out upon faithful
Holy Spirit sanctifies laity through hierarchy & Sacraments
Holy Spirit gives each gifts or chrisms for exercise of
apostolate or vocation for good of Christ & Church in a specific
way
Apostolate of the Laity
Fruitfulness of Apostolate of the Laity
 Fruitfulness of apostolate of the laity depends on living
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union with Christ
“He who dwells in Christ produces much fruit” John 15:5,
symbol of the vine & branches
Laity achieve this through participation in liturgy & prayer
Laity rooted in Christ – not to separate union with Christ
from everyday lives; there is union between spiritual &
temporal life
Faith guides action; faith should not be foreign to temporal
matters
Apostolate of the Laity
Fruitfulness of Apostolate of the Laity
 Lay Spirituality – found in day to day living – focused on
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particular circumstance of person at a particular point in their
life – work, age, health, personal, social, economic
Lay spirituality different from ordained/religious spiritual,
both call person to same encounter of the Living God
Lay spirituality is not a “second class” spirituality
Mary is universal model for the laity; she is a lay person!
Relevance & importance of retreats, prayer groups, individual
prayer & Scripture
Sacraments of Church especially Eucharist & Confession
Apostolate of the Laity
Objectives of the Lay Apostolate
 Evangelization & Sanctification mistakenly understood to be
carried out by ordained
 All called to evangelization & sanctification by virtue of baptism &
Confirmation
 Yet, very witness to Christ & carrying out of good works is effective
“Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is
set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house” Matthew
5:15
 Apostolate looks for occasion to announce Christ; vocation of
laity to be active & proclaim by word & deed
 Examples can be the defense & explanation of Christ, faith, Church
or the correct, just application to things & issues of our time
Apostolate of the Laity
Objectives of the Lay Apostolate
 Apostolate or vocation of laity is to instill valve & renewal of
temporal order through guided distinctive by the Gospel
 Christian social action preeminent, bringing Gospel into society
through justice, social aid, charity to poor, sick & imprisoned.
 Demands of justice are to be satisfied & meet, and are NOT an
act of charity e.g. Civil Rights Movement
 Lay apostolate or vocation are called not just to respond to effects of
evil, but to root out causes as well.
 Unique to Catholic Faith – Catholic Social Teaching
Apostolate of the Laity
Vocation of Laity Found in Church & World
 Laity active in Church today – family, parish, diocese,
national & international
 Vast potential & possibilities open to laity
 Baptism gives laity both the right & duty to build up the
Kingdom of God for all
 Apostolate or vocation of laity should not be reduced or
confined to Church, actually primary apostolate of laity is
go into the world & renew it; light to the world
 Vocation of Laity is not either/or but both
 One mission – various ministries on various levels & can
be on individual or group endeavors
Apostolate of the Laity – Present Day
Catholic & Christian: Laity at the Heart of the Church
 Holy Spirit calling to new sense of responsibility & potential to live &
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spread Gospel of Jesus
Second Vatican Council defined laity unique participation in threefold
ministry of Jesus as priest, prophet & king
Deep communion & unity of laity based on communion & unity of
Trinity
Unity marked by mutual trust, cooperation, respect & love
Experience of communion overshadows all distinctions of office &
function; division secondary to purpose
Division often threaten to split Church; share in Christ & mission
leads us to reconciliation, understanding
Lay people extension of Christ’s presence in the world; & living life
according to the Spirit & bringing Christ into everything they do
Apostolate of the Laity – Present Day
Catholic & Christian: Laity at the Heart of the Church
Laity share in Christ’s priesthood by offering themselves & their daily activity as
living & spiritual sacrifice
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Laity are prophets as they announce the Gospel of Jesus to others by
word & deed; the challenge to evangelize
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Laity participate in the kingship of Christ be extending Christ’s Kingdom
into the world they live in; this occurs when laity order the world & its
affairs according to God’s standards & valves.
Important Elements to Help Laity Do This:
1. Remain close to Christ & Gospel
2. Discover & live meaning of communion – one mission, many talents
3. Rights of lay associations to form & necessary criteria to discern
authenticity e.g. Can.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
4. Education & Proper Awareness of Church Teaching & Guidelines
Apostolate of the Laity – Present Day
Why Catholics Find It So Hard to Evangelize?
Evangelism not part of Catholic culture
Framework behind Evangelization:
 God loves us everyone unconditionally
 As Christians, we believe that only in Christ can a person know &
experience the FULL redeeming love of God
 Only when Christians experience God in their lives, can they go &
share the power of God’s love to others
 Death comes to all, but Christ conquered death & those who
participate in the life of Christ by words & actions assured eternal
happiness
 Central belief of Christian Faith – “Christ rose from the dead” –
source & foundation why Christians are people of hope regardless of
circumstances & what makes Christian faith different from other
faiths
 Hope & Love compel Christian to act, yet some who attempt offer
distorted “evangelization” by various personal agendas; others think
merely “action” is enough; others believe “moral teaching” sufficient
Apostolate of the Laity – Present Day
Why Catholics Find It So Hard to Evangelize?
Evangelism not part of Catholic culture
Present Dangers : Relativism & Fundamentalism
 Sole focus on “morality” – similar to “Pelagian Heresy” that moral will
is capable of choosing good or evil without grace (God)
 Excessive anxiety getting teaching right & wrong; important but little
relevance if not centered upon Person of Christ
 Emergence of moralism as motive for action
 Fundamentalism – fastest growing Christian movement in world
today; offer “certainty” and “activity” in preaching of the Gospel
 All Christian Church’s not the same – different beliefs &
understanding of faith & doctrine; often with own narrated story of
what Catholics believe e.g. an evangelical telling a Catholic what a
Catholic believes about saints!
 Lack of laity’s knowledge of faith can make laity vulnerable & open to
being mislead!
Apostolate of the Laity
Laity Before & After Vatican II
 Laity before the Council seen as “auxiliary” to hierarchy
 Work of laity under hierarchy
 No recognition give to laity in regard to their baptism &
confirmation
 After Council, recognition of apostolate of laity as essential
character of Church
 Apostolate of laity not “conferred” by hierarchy but laity called
& sent by Christ, through the sacraments of baptism &
confirmation
 Call to laity to connect & integrate “faith & action” in their
apostolate
 Participation of laity in various fields & ministries result of
development of understanding of laity in Vatican II
Apostolate of the Laity
Apostolate of Laity – Summary
 Apostolate of Laity in Church spoken as “vocation”
 Laity are called by Christ by virtue of their baptism, and
are called to be sent through their confirmation
 Recognition that Church cannot be without lay apostolate
by virtue of person’s baptism; baptism gives person right
& responsibility to proclaim the Gospel
 Vocation of Laity moves people to deeper & deeper
service to Christ & Church; the desire to serve God &
others
 Holy Spirit moves laity to desire deeper knowledge to
understand & be of better service to Christ & Church