The excerpts below from Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), relate specifically to laity, women and youth. May the words inspire and guide us by the grace of the Holy Spirit!
102. Lay people
are, put simply, the vast majority of the People of God. The minority –
ordained ministers – are at their service. There has been a growing awareness
of the identity and mission of the laity in the Church. We can count on many
lay persons, although still not nearly enough, who have a deeply-rooted sense
of community and great fidelity to the tasks of charity, catechesis and the
celebration of the faith. At the same time, a clear awareness of this
responsibility of the laity, grounded in their baptism and confirmation, does
not appear in the same way in all places. In some cases, it is because lay
persons have not been given the formation needed to take on important
responsibilities. In others, it is because in their particular Churches room
has not been made for them to speak and to act, due to an excessive clericalism
which keeps them away from decision-making. Even if many are now involved in
the lay ministries, this involvement is not reflected in a greater penetration
of Christian values in the social, political and economic sectors. It often
remains tied to tasks within the Church, without a real commitment to applying
the Gospel to the transformation of society. The formation of the laity and the
evangelization of professional and intellectual life represent a significant
pastoral challenge.
103. The Church
acknowledges the indispensable contribution which women make to society through
the sensitivity, intuition and other distinctive skill sets which they, more
than men, tend to possess. I think, for example, of the special concern which
women show to others, which finds a particular, even if not exclusive,
expression in motherhood. I readily acknowledge that many women share pastoral
responsibilities with priests, helping to guide people, families and groups and
offering new contributions to theological reflection. But we need to create
still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church.
Because “the feminine genius is needed in all expressions in the life of
society, the presence of women must also be guaranteed in the workplace”[72]
and in the various other settings where important decisions are made, both in
the Church and in social structures.
104. Demands
that the legitimate rights of women be respected, based on the firm conviction
that men and women are equal in dignity, present the Church with profound and
challenging questions which cannot be lightly evaded. The reservation of the
priesthood to males, as a sign of Christ the Spouse who gives himself in the
Eucharist, is not a question open to discussion, but it can prove especially
divisive if sacramental power is too closely identified with power in general.
It must be remembered that when we speak of sacramental power “we are in the
realm of function, not that of dignity or holiness”.[73] The ministerial
priesthood is one means employed by Jesus for the service of his people, yet
our great dignity derives from baptism, which is accessible to all. The
configuration of the priest to Christ the head – namely, as the principal
source of grace – does not imply an exaltation which would set him above
others. In the Church, functions “do not favour the superiority of some
vis-à-vis the others”.[74]Indeed, a woman, Mary, is more important than the
bishops. Even when the function of ministerial priesthood is considered
“hierarchical”, it must be remembered that “it is totally ordered to the
holiness of Christ’s members”.[75] Its key and axis is not power understood as
domination, but the power to administer the sacrament of the Eucharist; this is
the origin of its authority, which is always a service to God’s people. This
presents a great challenge for pastors and theologians, who are in a position
to recognize more fully what this entails with regard to the possible role of
women in decision-making in different areas of the Church’s life.
105. Youth
ministry, as traditionally organized, has also suffered the impact of social
changes. Young people often fail to find responses to their concerns, needs,
problems and hurts in the usual structures. As adults, we find it hard to
listen patiently to them, to appreciate their concerns and demands, and to
speak to them in a language they can understand. For the same reason, our
efforts in the field of education do not produce the results expected. The rise
and growth of associations and movements mostly made up of young people can be
seen as the work of the Holy Spirit, who blazes new trails to meet their
expectations and their search for a deep spirituality and a more real sense of
belonging. There remains a need, however, to ensure that these associations
actively participate in the Church’s overall pastoral efforts.[76]
106. Even if it
is not always easy to approach young people, progress has been made in two
areas: the awareness that the entire community is called to evangelize and
educate the young, and the urgent need for the young to exercise greater
leadership. We should recognize that despite the present crisis of commitment
and communal relationships, many young people are making common cause before
the problems of our world and are taking up various forms of activism and
volunteer work. Some take part in the life of the Church as members of service
groups and various missionary initiatives in their own dioceses and in other
places. How beautiful it is to see that young people are “street preachers”
(callejeros de la fe), joyfully bringing Jesus to every street, every town
square and every corner of the earth!
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