CHRISTIFIDELES LAICI

Apostolic exhortation of Pope john paul ii, "The Lay Members of Christ's Faithful People," issued Dec. 30, 1988, following the seventh ordinary assembly of the Synod of Bishops (Oct. 1–30, 1987) whose theme was the "Vocation and Mission of the Laity in the Church and in the World Twenty Years after the Second Vatican Council." The text comprises an introduction (nos. 1–7) and five chapters: "The Dignity of the Lay Faithful in the Church as Mystery," (nos. 8–17), "The Participation of the Lay Faithful in the Life of Church as Communion" (nos. 18–31), "The Coresponsibility of the Lay Faithful in the Church as Mission" (nos. 32–44), "Good Stewards of God's Varied Grace" (nos. 45–56), and "The Formation of the Lay Faithful in the Lay State" (nos. 57–64). The exhortation ends with an appeal to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.

Christifideles laici builds on the scriptural images of the vineyard (Mt 20:1) and of the vine and the branches (Jn 15:5). According to John Paul, the 1987 synod's significance might well consist in its recognition of the Lord's call to go into the vineyard, addressed to everyone (no. 64). The vineyard represents the whole world that is to be transformed (no. 1). The biblical phrase, "I am the vine, you are the branches," "lends itself to a consideration of fruitfulness and life…. Bearing fruit is an essential demand of life in Christ and life in the church" (no. 32). The pope's intent is to promote the gift and responsibility the lay faithful have in the communion and mission of the church (no. 2). It is, therefore, essential to view them in the "context of the church as communion" (no. 18) in which each layperson "offers a totally unique contribution on behalf of the whole body" (no. 20).

The foundation for the dignity and mission of the lay faithful is the "radical newness of the Christian life that comes from baptism" (no. 10). Accepting the synod's call to describe the lay faithful in positive terms (rather than as those who are simply not priests and not consecrated religious), the pope insists that only by acknowledging the richness of the mystery of baptism can a basic description of the laity be achieved (no. 9). The call to holiness is universal and is rooted in baptism; in fact, "the vocation to holiness" is an essential element of the new life of baptism (no. 17). It is the vocation and mission of the lay faithful—precisely as church members— to proclaim the gospel (no. 33) and to take an active, responsible role in the world's "re-evangelization" (no.64).

The biblical theme of fruitfulness is re-emphasized in the pope's discussion of lay formation, the objective of which is the ongoing discovery of a person's vocation along with "the ever-greater willingness to live it" (no.58). The pope accents the necessity of total and ongoing formation (no. 57).

The distinctive feature of the lay state is found in its "secular character" (no. 55). The vocation of the lay faithful "properly concerns their situation in the world" (no. 15). Two temptations are to be avoided: (1) being so greatly interested in "church services and tasks" that the lay faithful do not become "actively engaged in their responsibilities" in the world; (2) "legitimizing the unwarranted separation of faith from life" (no. 2). Formation of the laity should be integrated, not presenting "spiritual" life and "secular" life as two parallel lines of their existence (no. 59). The pope adds that faith is not "entirely thought out, not faithfully lived" if it does not affect a person's culture (no. 59).

Discussing the role of women in church and society, the pope quotes a synod recommendation which said the church needs to "recognize all the gifts of men and women for her life and mission, and put them into practice" (no. 49). The many provisions of the revised Code of Canon Law on the participation of women in the church's life and mission need to be more widely known and "realized with greater timeliness and determination" (no. 51). The first step in promoting women's full participation in church and society is to openly acknowledge their personal dignity (no. 49).

The church's pastors need to "acknowledge and foster" the ministries, offices, and roles of the lay faithful "founded in baptism, confirmation and matrimony." The pope notes that in the synod "a critical judgment was voiced" about using the word "ministry" too indiscriminately so that the common priesthood and ministerial priesthood either are confused or equated (no. 23). The ministries, offices, and roles of the lay faithful in the church should be "exercised in conformity to their specific lay vocation" (ibid.). A discussion of the charisms, the gifts of the Spirit, follows the discussion of ministries, offices, and roles (no. 24).

Some other concerns discussed in the exhortation include the aged, associations and movements, culture, the family, men's roles, parishes, public and political life, small Christian communities, spirituality, work, and youth.

Bibliography: For the text of Christifideles laici, see: Acta Apostolicae Sedis 81 (1989): 393–521 (Latin); Origins 18, no. 35 (Feb. 9, 1989): 561–595 (English); The Pope Speaks 34 (1989): 103–168 (English). For commentaries and summaries of Christifideles laici, see: r. w. oliver, The Vocation of the Laity to Evangelization: An Ecclesiological Inquiry into the Synod on the Laity (1987), Christifideles Laici (1989), and Documents of the NCCB, 1987–96 (Rome 1997). p. coughlan, The Hour of the Laity: Their Expanding Role (Philadelphia 1989).

[d. gibson]