Pope Francis: Laypeople Are Not Guests in the Church

[Michie]

‘The laity, and especially women, need to be more valued in their human and spiritual skills and gifts for the life of parishes and dioceses.’

The Church is a home which priests and laypeople need to care for together, Pope Francis said on Saturday.

“It is time for pastors and laypeople to walk together, in every area of the Church’s life, in every part of the world,” he said in the Vatican’s New Synod Hall on Feb. 18.

“The lay faithful are not ‘guests’ in the Church, they are at home, so they are called to take care of their own home,” he said. “The laity, and especially women, need to be more valued in their human and spiritual skills and gifts for the life of parishes and dioceses.”

Pope Francis’ speech was addressed to the participants in a Feb. 16-18 conference on how pastors and laypeople can work together better for the mission of the Church.

Together with pastors, they must bear Christian witness in secular environments: the world of work, culture, politics, art, social communication,” the Pope said. “We could say: laypeople and pastors together in the Church, laypeople and pastors together in the world.”

Francis went on to list some of the many ways laypeople can participate in the life of the Church: performing some forms of preaching; collaborating with priests in the formation of children, young adults, seminarians and religious novices; offering spiritual direction; preparing engaged couples for marriage; and accompanying married couples.

Continued below.

Pope Francis: Laypeople Are Not Guests in the Church

‘The laity, and especially women, need to be more valued in their human and spiritual skills and gifts for the life of parishes and dioceses.’

www.ncregister.com

 

[Gnarwhal]

I've never felt like a guest. Except when I was a guest. Laymen are not undervalued but they are overused.

 

[Michie]

I've never felt like a guest. Except when I was a guest. Laymen are not undervalued but they are overused.

I can tell you about being an overused layperson!

 

[Gnarwhal]

I can tell you about being an overused layperson!

I bet! You do so much on here in this virtual world I can only imagine what you do for the parish IRL, especially cause you already run yourself ragged just taking care of your family!

 

[Michie]

I bet! You do so much on here in this virtual world I can only imagine what you do for the parish IRL, especially cause you already run yourself ragged just taking care of your family!

Well I am picking up mom up next Thursday. I think her looking around will help. She has been here before of course but she wants to look at everything with a different eye. So I hope she takes the leap. It would help me a lot I think. We have more than enough room. I’m taking care of her diabetic dog so I think that made here a little more open to it. Lol

 

[Gnarwhal]

Well I am picking up mom up next Thursday. I think her looking around will help. She has been here before of course but she wants to look at everything with a different eye. So I hope she takes the leap. It would help me a lot I think. We have more than enough room. I’m taking care of her diabetic dog so I think that made here a little more open to it. Lol

Man that would be huge if she does, I'll pray it goes your way cause I know that would make what you do quite a bit easier.

 

[Michie]

Man that would be huge if she does, I'll pray it goes your way cause I know that would make what you do quite a bit easier.

Amen!

 

[Wolseley]

Well, I gotta tell ya, Frank---the Church would feel a lot less un-familylike to an awful lot of laypeople if you'd stop trying so hard to suppress the Latin Mass. Why do you have your undies in such a bunch about it, anyway? What does it hurt?

 

[Michie]

Well, I gotta tell ya, Frank---the Church would feel a lot less un-familylike to an awful lot of laypeople if you'd stop trying so hard to suppress the Latin Mass. Why do you have your undies in such a bunch about it, anyway? What does it hurt?

I’d push the agree reaction button but the only thing I see anymore is like. So just let me say I agree! The Church is big enough for both. And yeah, what does it hurt?

And another thing.. why are traditional Catholics suddenly in the FBI’s spotlight? What have they been told and who said that this group was a threat??

Just asking.

 

[mourningdove~]

And another thing.. why are traditional Catholics suddenly in the FBI’s spotlight? What have they been told and who said that this group was a threat??

The "who"? Ultimately, it is the devil, the father of lies, who is directly, and indirectly, influencing and orchestrating the bizarre events we continue to see happening, and those happening of which we do not yet know ...

 

[fide]

I've never felt like a guest. Except when I was a guest. Laymen are not undervalued but they are overused.

My experience is, lay men are welcomed and used as long as they are on the same page as the pastor. Those who see things differently, and are vocal about it, are banned from any participation in the church. It is sort of like Pope Francis and clergy (from priests to cardinals): those using the Francis book are welcomed, promoted, advanced in power and status. Those who see things as traditional priests and bishops and cardinals, are subject to being marginalized, restricted and silenced. Or laicized.

 

[fide]

The Church is big enough for both. And yeah, what does it hurt?

I've been pondering this question for years now, and I've come to the conclusion that the answer is so simple it is "too simple" to be believable. I'll say it simply: pride. Tolerance, willingness to trust God and give room for time and for His merciful grace for others stumbling towards Him, is simply intolerable to the pride-filled heart. Peaceful patience toward others offends, insults the prideful heart.

The bottom-line fundamental - I'd say "defining" - characteristic of "progressives" is pride. Arrogance, hubris, implicit superiority, pride. Unrelenting, insuppressible, dominating pride that traces its ancestry back to the first human victims of it, in the Garden. Pride-full "progressives" are the smartest, wisest, most-capable-to-know-what-is-best for themselves, for you, for me, for anyone in sight, is.... well, they are. Of course. They were born to rule because they know better than anyone.

"Progressives" therefore should (in their minds) rule the government - of this country - of any and every country - of the Church and of every church. And those who aren't "on board" and "all in" with them, are the enemy and are thus "impermissible." The non-compliant must be silenced.

Pride - excessive, inordinate, distorted and disordered self-love - is the "great temptation" for us all, the best-camouflaged and disguised temptation we have to fight within ourselves, and need to overcome. When it is embraced in a human soul - that person is dangerous to himself and to those around him. Or her.

 

[Wolseley]

I've been pondering this question for years now, and I've come to the conclusion that the answer is so simple it is "too simple" to be believable. I'll say it simply: pride. Tolerance, willingness to trust God and give room for time and for His merciful grace for others stumbling towards Him, is simply intolerable to the pride-filled heart. Peaceful patience toward others offends, insults the prideful heart.

The bottom-line fundamental - I'd say "defining" - characteristic of "progressives" is pride. Arrogance, hubris, implicit superiority, pride. Unrelenting, insuppressible, dominating pride that traces its ancestry back to the first human victims of it, in the Garden. Pride-full "progressives" are the smartest, wisest, most-capable-to-know-what-is-best for themselves, for you, for me, for anyone in sight, is.... well, they are. Of course. They were born to rule because they know better than anyone.

"Progressives" therefore should (in their minds) rule the government - of this country - of any and every country - of the Church and of every church. And those who aren't "on board" and "all in" with them, are the enemy and are thus "impermissible." The non-compliant must be silenced.

Pride - excessive, inordinate, distorted and disordered self-love - is the "great temptation" for us all, the best-camouflaged and disguised temptation we have to fight within ourselves, and need to overcome. When it is embraced in a human soul - that person is dangerous to himself and to those around him. Or her.

I have been watching my way through The Chosen (which, if you haven't seen, is well worth the time, BTW), and what you said above reminds me a great deal of the character of Shmuel the Pharisee, who follows Jesus around, trying to find a way to put Him out of commission. Why? Because Jesus performs miracles out of love and compassion, instead of rigidly following the Mosaic Law to a degree of stiffness that borders on cruelty. And since Jesus violates "The Law", He has to be stopped, regardless of how many lost souls He brings back to God.

In other words, the anti-Latin Mass faction in the Vatican is much like the Pharisees in Jesus' day: it's either my way or the highway, and if you don't do it my way---even if the way you're doing things doesn't violate any Church teaching---then you have to be stopped.