Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.53745/ccp.47.92.8
Historical-legal aspect of the permanent office of reader and acolyte (can. 230, § 1)
Lucija Boljat
orcid.org/0000-0002-0404-8429
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Sažetak
The participation of the lay person in the consecration service of the Church has its basis in baptism and confirmation, and for many also in marriage. The paper attempts to present a brief historical overview of the origin of the offices of reader and acolyte from early Christian sources, their availability to the layperson, up to the gradual exclusion and passive position of laics in the Church. Around the fourth century, the liturgical services of readers and acolytes gradually became one of the lower offices, as a mandatory step towards priestly ordination. By renewing the image of the Church, the Second Vatican Council made changes in the position of layperson. The turn from clericalism and the passive role of laypersons towards their participation in Christ's threefold service, mission, and indispensable task in the Church is visible in the documents of the Second Vatican Council (especially SC, LG, AA), which significantly influenced the drafting of the new Code of Canon Law. In the paper, the author analyzes the provision of the Code of Canon Law (from 1983) on the permanent offices of reader and acolyte, which are assigned to lay men according to the prescribed liturgical rite (can. 230, § 1). In various ways, justification was sought for the exclusion of women from the permanent service of readers and acolytes. However, there is no sufficient justification for such exclusion in the theological and legal interpretations, and one can raise a question of unjustified discrimination. Seeing the need of the Church, on January 10, 2021, Pope Francis proclaimed the Motu Proprio Spiritus Domini Apostolic Letter, by which he changed the provision of can. 230, § 1, and consequently opened the possibility that the permanent offices of readers and acolytes may be assigned to laics, whether men or women.
Ključne riječi
consecration service of the Church; permanent service; reader; acolyte; lay person; Spiritus Domini
Hrčak ID:
313283
URI
Datum izdavanja:
23.1.2024.
Posjeta: 741 *