catholic action: a particular lay vocation
TRANSCRIPT
Catholic Action:
a particular lay vocation
A personal response in a communitarian dimension
Catholic Action
•Is a particular vocation
•It is a call to holiness
»It stems from the Christian Initiation
promises.
»It is strengthened through the listening to
the Word of God, through participation in
the Eucharist and through the exercise of
love and pardon.
Catholic Action: a particular lay vocation
• CA requires fidelity and
commitment towards:
»The growth of all the Christian community,
»Pastoral projects and
»The spreading of the spirit of the Gospel in
all spheres of life (reference to ChL 31).
Catholic Action: a particular lay vocation
Catholic Action: a lay vocation
Catholic Action: a call to sanctity
» by serving the particular Church and its
mission as the fundamental orientation of
its apostolic commitment.
» by putting all its apostolic energy at the
service of communion.
Catholic Action: a particular lay vocation
San José
Moscatti
Santa Gianna
B. Molla
San José
Pampuri
Pierina
Morosini
Eduardo Pironio
Catholic Action is called to be
«a home and a school of sanctity»
San David
Roldán Lara
Pina
Suriano
Pier Giorgio
Frassatti
San Salvador
Lara Puente
San Manuel
Morales
You, Catholic Action Associations can vaunt of a long and
fruitful history, written by courageous witnesses to Christ and
his Gospel, some of which have been acknowledged by the
Church as blessed and saints. Today you are called to follow
in their track, to renew the commitment on the road to
holiness. Benedict XVI to IFCA 2012
CATHOLIC ACTION in Vatican Council II
Explicit quotations
•Christus Dominus 17 Decree on the pastoral ministry of Bishops.
•Apostolicam Actuositatem 20 Decree on the apostolate of the laity.
•Ad Gentes 15 Decree on the missionary activity of the Church.
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
Catholic Action in Christus Dominus 17
• Various forms of apostolate should be encouraged in the whole diocese.
• The faithful should be strongly urged to assume their duty of carrying out the apostolate, each according to his state in life and his ability. They should be invited to join or assist the various works of the lay apostolate, especially Catholic Action.
Associations, which directly or indirectly have a supernatural goal should also be promoted and supported.
These forms of apostolate should be adapted to current needs…
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
Catholic Action in Apostolicam Actuositatem 20
• History
• Characteristics: a) The immediate aim of these associations is the
Church’s apostolic aim.
b) The laity, in their own way,…assume the responsibility of running these organizations.
c) The laity act together in the same manner in which an organic body works.
d) These lay people…act under the superior guidance of their Hierarchy .
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
Catholic Action in Ad Gentes
After having described the mission, that of announcing the good news [1-13] and having stressed the importance of the catechumenate and of Christian initiation [14], when it speaks about the formation of the Christian Community it says:
“Lay people have an important part to play in the attainment of these goals and as such they deserve special attention”…
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
Catholic Action in Ad Gentes 15
Besides, various types of ministries are necessary for the building of the Church and for the growth of the Christian Community. These should stem from divine inspiration from among the faithful and should be carefully fostered and cultivated by all. Among these are the offices of priests, deacons and catechists as well as of Catholic Action.
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
Non explicit Quotation
•Lumen Gentium 33 Dogmatic Constitution on the Church.
•Apostolicam Actuositatem 24 Decree on the apostolate of the laity.
•Ad Gentes 21 Decree on the missionary activity of the Church.
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
Relevant Aspects in the conciliar documents
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
Catholic Action is in principle diocesan or it doesn’t exist:
•It is the Bishop who invites and encourages the lay faithful entrusted to him to involve themselves in apostolic work. He is the one to appeal for active participation and to convene Catholic Action.
•It is the Bishop who invites and encourages priests to promote these forms of lay apostolate.
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
• Relevant Aspects in the conciliar documents
Catholic Action is a vocation which:
•Traces its origin in the Apostolic Community.
•Has a charism which is identified by these four characteristics: It is – Missionary, Lay, Organic, Diocesan.
•As an organization it may exist under a different name but its vocation should be the same.
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
• Relevant Aspects in the conciliar documents
Catholic Action is a ministry which is carried out by lay people:
•They are called by God and they receive their “mandate” from the Church.
•They are at the service of the Community and adapt themselves to it thus contributing towards the building, consolidation and growth of the Church.
Catholic action in Vatican Council II
• Relevant aspects in the conciliar documents
The importance of associated apostolate:
• this type of apostolate is an answer to human and Christian exigencies.
• at the same time it signifies the communion and unity of the Church in Christ.
• very often this requires a combined effort in Church communities as well as in various other spheres (AA 18).
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
• Relevant Aspects in conciliar documents
The mission of apostolic associations:
• offer support to their members and prepare them for apostolic work.
• organize and regulate their apostolic work.
• better results can be expected than if each member were to act on his own (AA18).
Catholic Action in Vatican Council II
• Relevant Aspects in conciliar documents
“You have chosen to live, as lay people, for the Church and for its entire mission...”
John Paul II
Apostolicam Actuositatem
Catholic Action The 4 characteristic notes
Key to the reading of these notes
•These have to be read in the light of the Council
•Catholic Action can only be defined within the Church.
•They are all related to one another and they have to be taken all together.
Apostolicam Actuositaten: the 4 characteristic notes
First note: Catholic Action’s Ecclesial character
“The immediate aim of organizations of this kind is the Church’s apostolic aim, that is to make the gospel known and men holy and to form in them a Christian conscience, so that they can infuse the spirit of the gospel into the various communities and spheres of life” (AA 20.a)
Apostolicam Actuositaten: the 4 characteristic notes
Second note: Lay people as protagonists Catholic Action’s secular nature
“Lay people, collaborate with the hierarchy in their own secular way, by bringing forward their experiences and by assuming responsibility for the running of these organizations. They study the circumstances in which pastoral work has to be carried out and draft and execute the plan of action.” (AA 20.b)
Apostolicam Actuositaten: the 4 characteristic notes
Third note: United as an organic body
“The laity act together in the same
way as an organic body so that the
Church is seen better as a community
and so that the apostolate is more
effective.” (AA 20.c)
Apostolicam Actuositaten: the 4 characteristic notes
Fourth note: Under the higher direction of the Hierarchy
These lay people, whether they offer themselves freely or are invited to give their share, cooperate directly with the hierarchy. They all function under the higher direction of the hierarchy itself, which can sanction this cooperation by an explicit «mandate».” (AA 20.d)
Apostolicam Actuositaten: the 4 characteristic notes
Fourth note: Under the higher direction of the Hierarchy
»This means constant and trustful dialogue
among the Bishop, priests and lay people.
»This does not diminish the importance of the
vocation of the laity but rather gives its more
importance. It puts a greater responsibility on
the Association to animate the different spheres
of life.
Apostolicam Actuositaten: the 4 characteristic notes
Catholic Action in Christifideles laici
The Vocation and Mission of the Lay
Faithful in the Church and in the World
Among the various forms of the lay
apostolate which have a particular
relationship to the hierarchy, the Synod
Fathers have singled out various
movements and associations of Catholic
Action in which "indeed, in this organic
and stable form, the lay faithful may freely
associate under the movement of the Holy
Spirit, in communion with their bishop and
priests,
(continues)
Catholic Action in Christifideles laici
The participation of lay faithful in the life of the Church as an Organic Communion
so that in a way proper to their vocation
and with some special method they
might be of service through their
faithfulness and good works to promote
the growth of the entire Christian
community, pastoral activities and
infusing every aspect of life with the
gospel spirit“ (31)
Catholic Action in Christifideles laici
The participation of lay faithful in the life of the Church as an Organic Communion
Catholic Action A specific way and a particular
method of being of service
“The Church cannot do
without Catholic Action.
The Church needs groups
of lay people who, faithful
to their vocation and in
close collaboration with
their legitimate Pastors, are
ready to share with them
the daily hard work of
evangelizing all spheres of
life.”
John Paul II
(Rome, 26 April 2002)
“First and foremost, as an
Association, it should be a
good example of unity.
Notwithstanding the
differences in ages, conditions
of life, geographical distances
and the varied living
circumstances, the association
proves that, in spite of
everything, a spirit of
communion can still prevail.”
John Paul II
(Rome, 8 September 2003)
The three assignments
John Paul II’s legacy to Catholic Action Contemplation, Communion, Mission
Dear CA members, I invite you to renew your ‘yes’ and I entrust you with three assignments:
• Contemplation
• Communion
• Mission
“Dear friends, respond generously to this call to holiness in accordance with the ways that best suit your secular condition! Continue to let yourselves be inspired by the three great "consignments" that my Venerable Predecessor, the Servant of God John Paul II, entrusted to you at Loreto in 2004: contemplation, communion and mission”
Benedict XVI
to Catholic Action
Rome 4 May 2012