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Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
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                               VIS-Press releases

REFLECTIONS ON THE ROLE OF THE LAITY IN THE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, DEC 17, 2005 (VIS) - This morning, the Pope received the third
group of prelates from the Conference of the Polish Episcopate, who have just
completed their five-yearly "ad limina" visit. In remarks to them, he offered
some reflections on the role of lay people in the Church.

After first highlighting how "the essential element in the structure of the
Church is the parish," the Pope stated that "the first and most important
requirement is that the parish should constitute an 'ecclesial community' and
an 'ecclesial family'." Apart from the "indispensable role of priests,
especially pastors, ... the active participation of the laity is also important
in the formation of the community. ... Pastoral councils must collaborate with
a spirit of common concern for the good of the faithful."

The Holy Father highlighted the need for pastors to maintain "active contact
with the various communities dedicated to the apostolate within the parish,"
adding that such communities must "collaborate among themselves, never must
there be any rivalry between them."

Pastors must do all in their power "to ensure that the people entrusted to
their care are made aware of the gift (of the Eucharist), and that they
participate in it as frequently as possible," both in Mass and communion, and
in adoration. In this context, Benedict XVI called on priests to look after
children and altar boys and to show special pastoral solicitude "for the girls
who actively participate ... in the liturgy. This pastoral service can prove
very fruitful in terms of priestly and religious vocations."

Turning to consider the subject of ecclesial movements, the Pope recalled the
duty of diocesan bishops to maintain "active contact with them, encouraging
them to operate in accordance with a charism recognized by the Church and, at
the same time, to guard against closing themselves off from the reality
surrounding them." Pointing out that many of these movements have established
contacts with non-Catholic Churches, the Pope told the bishops "to take care to
interpret ecumenism correctly," and to seek "the truth, not simplistic
compromises that can bring Catholic movements to lose their own identity."

The Holy Father stressed that people who occupy important positions in society,
or who dedicate themselves to political life, need the Church's help, and that
a clear distinction must be made "between the tasks which Christians undertake,
individually or as a group, on their own responsibility as citizens guided by
the dictates of a Christian conscience, and the activities which, in union with
their pastors, they carry out in the name of the Church."

He concluded with a reference to the theme of voluntary work, including care
for the poor, the sick, people alone, and the physically and mentally
handicapped. "I know that in Poland a form of voluntary work is being developed
that has the aim of defending human life. ... All these people await the
encouragement and the moral support of bishops, of priests and of the entire
community of believers."

"Missions are another field of Church life in which volunteers are active. Ever
greater numbers of lay people leave for mission lands to exercise their
profession and their talents, and at the same time to bring a testimony of
Christian love to those living in the poorest regions of the world. Theirs is
an activity worthy of admiration and recognition."
AL/.../POLAND VIS 051219 (570)

SUMMARY

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