A Closer Look At Vatican II
Arguably the chief theme running throughout the discussions and documents of the Second Vatican Council was the “universal call to holiness.” In the decades leading up to the council, lay activity in the Church was a hot topic. Lay “Catholic Action” groups throughout the world sought to influence a society that was often at odds with Catholic social teaching, while the movements for increased lay Marian devotion and engagement with the Church’s liturgical life both played central roles in the discussions of the Council.
Although a special focus on lay people can be discerned throughout the Council’s work, the laity were the emphasis of one document in particular. The council’s decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam actuositatem, was promulgated on Nov. 18, 1965 - one of the final documents to be completed, although work on it began during the earlier sessions of the council. Since the laity was such a huge overall focus, there was much deliberation as to what elements should go into this separate document on the laity, and what would be better to weave into the other documents.
Ultimately, for “the” lay document, the council decided to turn its attention to the laity’s unique role in the overall mission of the Church - the use of their gifts to spread the kingdom of Christ through the world. As the decree puts it:
“In the Church there is a diversity of ministry but a oneness of mission. Christ conferred on the Apostles and their successors the duty of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling in His name and power. But the laity likewise share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ and therefore have their own share in the mission of the whole people of God in the Church and in the world” (AA, 2).
Fifty years removed from Vatican II, when we think about the shift in the Church’s increased emphasis on the laity, we often think about the increase in lay involvement within the parish, such as the introduction of lay liturgical ministers, the increase in lay teachers, and lay people serving in various ministries that were once solely the realm of priests and religious.
The decree on the lay apostolate, though, has an even wider view of the role of the laity, beyond the scope of parish life. Primarily, it focuses on the mission of all the Christian faithful, as individuals, families and wider groups, to proclaim Christ to the world: “The apostolate of the Church and of all its members is primarily designed to manifest Christ’s message by words and deeds and to communicate His grace to the world” (AA, 6).
The decree charges the laity to take this Christian commitment into all parts of their lives, to truly bring the kingdom of God to their families, communities, workplaces and society at large. This includes developing service to different groups within the community, such as youth ministry or service to the poor, but also to the creation of national and international associations of the laity dedicated to the spread of the Gospel. In keeping with the Council’s vision of the universal call to holiness, the decree also charges the Church, as well as the family and Catholic schools and universities, with providing deeper formation for the laity, so that they are adequately prepared for the apostolate.
While the Church has come a long way in its desire for the laity to be more fully engaged in its apostolate to sanctify the world, we would all do well during this Year of Faith to return to the roots of this movement for lay apostolate, and be re-energized in this mission with which all are charged at baptism.
