Review article
The mission of the lay faithful in pastoral work in the past and today
Alojzije Čondić
orcid.org/0009-0008-6266-9128
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Split
Abstract
The mission of the lay faithful has been long discussed, and lately more and more frequently, exclusively from the clerical aspect ignoring the overall essence of the Church in communion of priests and believers. The reducing approach to laity has had fatal effects encouraging laicism and weakening sensus ecclesiae. Both effects are reflected on the Church awareness and form of pastoral. As the theme of the mission and participation of lay faithful in pastoral is very complicated, the author first explains the terminology, i.e. the emergence of the term layperson and its biblical and ancient under- standing. Then, he refers to the positioning of the lay faithful throu- ghout history, i.e. to the valuation of the lay faithful in the pastoral context and repercussion of their understanding on life of the Chur- ch and society. Also, the author presents a turn of Vatican II towards the lay faithful pointing out the differences and correlation betwe- en the common and ministerial priesthood. Finally, he refers from the theological-pastoral aspect to the participation and cooperation of the lay faithful toward the organic form of the pastoral emphasi- sing their importance in fostering the growth of the church being in secular social-cultural circumstances.
Keywords
lay faithful; pastoral work; common and ministerial priesthood; synodality
Hrčak ID:
161301
URI
Publication date:
6.7.2016.
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