Benedict XVI to the International Forum of Catholic Action
Lay people co-responsible
for the being and acting of the Church
Co-responsibility demands a change of mindset, particularly with regard to
the role of lay people in the Church. The Pope
wrote
this in a Message addressed to the participants in the International Forum of
Catholic Action, taking place in Iaşi, Romania. Benedict XVI emphasized the need
for “a mature and committed laity” to be consolidated, “which can make its own
specific contribution to the ecclesial mission with respect for the ministries
and tasks that each one has in the life of the Church and always in cordial
communion with the bishops”. This implies that in serving the Church lay people
must take on “the apostolic aim of the Church in its entirety,” in “a fruitful
balance between the universal Church and the local Church”, in a spirit “of
close union with the Successor of Peter”, and with that style which Benedict XVI
described as “active co-responsibility” with their pastors. The laity's role is
of fundamental importance, especially “in this phase of history”, the Pope
stressed, to be interpreted “in the light of the Church’s social Magisterium”,
and also to be, “increasingly, a laboratory of the globalization of solidarity
and charity”, so as to grow, with the whole Church, in the co-responsibility of
offering humanity a future of hope and with the courage to formulate demanding
proposals”. Lastly, recalling the “long and fruitful history” of Catholic
Action written by “courageous witnesses of Christ”, Benedict XVI invited the
participants in the Forum to renew their commitment “to walking on the way of
holiness, keeping up an intense life of prayer, encouraging and respecting
personal ways of faith”.
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