Predecessor Documents Called and Gifted, USCCB, 1980 Called and - PDF document

Predecessor Documents • Called and Gifted, USCCB, 1980 • Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium , C0-Workers in the Vineyard of USCCB, 1995 the Lord • Lay Ecclesial Ministry: The State of the Questions (Subcommittee on Lay Ministry, 1999) Unit I: Origins of the Document • Compare to Plan for Priestly Formation & National Directory for the Formation, Ministry What is a Lay Ecclesial Minister? and Life of Permanent Deacons in the U.S. Differences: Co-Workers does not have force of church law, while the other two do. Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 2 Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the What? Lord USCCB 2005 Respond to new realities present in the Church’s life and Mission: • Growth and diversification of Catholic population • Expanded and diversified lay participation • Emerging groups of laity now perform ecclesial ministries Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 3 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 4 How? Why? • To support Lay Ecclesial Ministry within the Offers theological and pastoral resources to two interrelated terms: dioceses, programs, and academic institutions • Offers a theology for an emerging Ministries: those services performed by the phenomenon church • Offers a view of the church within which this Ministers: those persons who perform those phenomenon occurs services. To recognize LEM within the context • Situates this phenomenon within other of how we understand and organize lay and existing ministerial forms. ordained ministries. Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 5 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 6

For Whom? For What? • Diocesan bishop Guiding, educating, forming, employing, evaluating, and sustaining those laity called to • Those who educate and form LEM collaborate with priests and deacons. • Lay ministers: see Romans 16:3-16 “my co- workers” Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 7 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 8 Lay Ecclesial Ministry Lay Ecclesial Ministry • A way of serving the mission of Christ • Lay: Service done by lay persons. The sacramental basis in the Sacraments of • that flows from baptism and the gifts of Initiation, not the Sacrament of Ordination. the Spirit • Ecclesial: This ministry is the ministry of the • involving a stable commitment church. • responsibility for ecclesial leadership • Ministry: Participates and continues the ministry of Christ, who is priest, prophet, and king. Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 9 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 10 Lay Ecclesial Ministry, cont. Two perspectives • The ministry – new set of roles and • Requiring appropriate formation responsibilities that need to be identified and • And authorization ordered, requiring ecclesial authorization and coordination. • To collaborate with the ordained • In the work of pastoring the people of • The minister – needing to be acknowledged, God. affirmed, supported through public recognition, and clarity about their rights and responsibilities. Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 11 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 12

Ministry: Serving Baptism and Gifts of the Spirit the Church and its Mission • Particular way of responding to the baptismal • Whose ministry is it anyway? call to further the mission of Christ • Flows from the charisms given to the Holy • Announce the reign of God Spirit and needed by the church • Sacramental basis in baptism and • Transform the world in the light of Christ confirmation • Does not require sacramental gifts of holy orders Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 13 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 14 Three degrees of involvement Responsibility for Ecclesial Leadership • Public activity directed toward building up the • All laity – witness in secular area body of Christ for its mission in the world • Direct ministries which require short-term • Recognized and affirmed by the church preparation, are volunteered, under community supervision of the pastor’s delegate • Involves a leadership responsibility for some • Further call to make a significant life area of ministry, usually with a relationship of commitment to work in collaboration with coordination and direction of others in the the ordained in their pastoral ministry community Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 15 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 16 Stable Commitment A Distinction • Significant and long-term commitment, not • Ministries ordinarily entrusted to the laity necessarily life-long because of their baptismal call • Often marked by employment (full- or part- • Ministries, ordinarily reserved to the time) on parish staffs, in diocesan offices, or ordained, delegated to the laity by exception within church –related organization in case of need Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 17 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 18

Characteristics of Lay Ecclesial Ministry Discipleship vs. Ministry • Authorization by the hierarchy to serve publicly in • Discipleship: Gospel living and a following of the local church Jesus required of all Christians by virtue of their baptism • Leadership in a particular area of ministry • Close mutual collaboration with the pastoral ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons • Ministry: The work of some Christians who are continue the ministry of Jesus as individuals. May • Preparation and formation appropriate to the be occasional, does not receive ecclesial level of responsibilities that are assigned to them authorization • Vocation personally and ecclesially discerned • Stability because it is on-going ministry rather • Lay ecclesial ministry: public ministry in the than occasional ministry name of the church, authorized by the church Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 19 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 20 Church vs. World??? Application of the term LEM • The Lay Faithful are marked by their place in • Not a specific position title the secular world. • Responsibility of the bishop to identify the roles that most clearly exemplify lay ecclesial ministry • Ministry to the church is not a retreat by the laity from their role in the secular realm. They • Application of the term may vary diocese to build ecclesial communion precisely to diocese strengthen the community for its mission in the world. Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 21 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 22 Vocation Discernment of Vocation • Personal discernment • Full communion with the Catholic Church • Desire to serve the Church and its mission, love of God and God’s people • Commitment to regular personal prayer, • Ecclesial discernment and ratification Mass, and sacraments • Zeal to live a Christian life, live and teach according to the magisterium • Emotional maturity Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 23 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 24

Discernment, cont. Discernment, cont. • Chaste living as a single, celibate, or married • Needed intellectual gifts person. • Commitment to good communication and • Friendships and collegial relationships that lead conflict resolution skills to personal and professional growth • Knowledge of and adherence to church • Mature emotional balance, respect for all, doctrine freedom from personal agenda • Willingness and ability to engage in disciplined • Respect and appreciation for Tradition and study the traditions of the church • Appreciation of new ideas, critical thinking • Ability or potential to direct others in their ability, and ability to manage stress service Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 25 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 26 Discernment Vocation What talents, virtues, and limits do I possess • Discerned within the Church and that indicate my ability to serve God’s people authenticated by the bishop, or his delegate, through a commitment to lay ecclesial who is alone able to authorize someone to ministry? service in ecclesial ministry. • Vocation to build up the church from within in addition to engagement with the world. • This does not mean that the ministries of LEM are distinctive to lay persons alone. Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 27 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 28 Authorization to Collaborate with the Appropriate Formation Ordained Lay ecclesial ministry requires a ministerial • Lay Ecclesial ministry involves such a competence that comes from formation and substantial collaboration with the ordained in preparation through a formal degree, their pastoral ministry that it requires certification, informal training, or pastoral authorization by the bishop or his delegate. experience. • This can take a variety of forms, including a public ritual. Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 29 Prepared by Susan K. Wood, SCL 30