By Mary Lackie

The third World Congress of the Lay Apostolate was a vast tidal wave of sentiment, a crystallization of lay opinion, said Louis Fink, of Atlanta, one of the 30 American delegates who attended the eight-day congress in Rome.

“It was not possible in eight days to reach specific agreement among 103 nations,” Fink said, “but eight resolutions were finally adopted’.

The Resolution No. 4 which received the most publicity and covered two pages of single space typing urged that the developed nations by 1970 contribute one per cent of their gross national product to the development (not relief or charity) of undeveloped countries—without political strings attached.

After five hours’ debate, delegates voted a section attached to the resolution. “It mentioned the agonizing problems of demographic expansion, and stressed the duty of husband and wife towards responsible parenthood,’ Fink said.

The resolution requested a clear stand by the teaching authority that would focus on fundamental moral and spiritual values while leaving the choice of scientific consultation.

In my personal judgment, Catholic laymen were saying, “We submit to the teaching authority of the Church (popes and bishops), but we urge a clear statement and we urge it promptly,’ Fink said. The resolution received 67 affirmative votes, 21 negative votes and 10 abstentions.

“Several of the American delegates felt that since the pope had requested the bishops not to discuss birth control, we shouldn’t,” he said. “Some others felt that it should be clarified and asked for a statement”.

Fink summarized the eight resolutions:

1) a unanimous vote against racial discrimination in any form;

2) a unanimous vote (with two abstentious) against oppression: political, social, religious, economic;

3) a resolution urging support of the efforts of U Thant and Pope Paul VI to bring peace. The Congress urged complete and universal disarmament with adequate controls by a unanimous vote, the Congress urged complete and universal disarmament with adequate controls;

4) the resolution on underdeveloped nations and birth control;

5) a recommendation for full rights for women in the Church and representation on parish, and diocesan boards, Roman commissions;

6) mass media—press, radio, TV—should consider themselves as part of the lay apostolate. Unanimous vote with two abstentions

7) Lay organizations were asked to unite on an international and national basis to help the handicapped.

8) an expression of gratitude to Pope Paul for establishing the Council on the laity, and a request for an enlargement of the membership by “democratic means;” an acceleration of the democratic structures in the Church at all levels throughout the world. One negative vote.

Cardinals, bishops, Orthodox and Protestant observers were invited to attend the sessions and participate in daily Bible services. Each day the 3,000 delegates began the meeting with a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in their own language. “It was fascinating to hear around you a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili, Indian, French, Dutch,” Fink said.

A paper by Yves Congar was read to the delegates. In his address, Father Congar said, the Church is a flowing, living organization, but its strength must come from the bottom up. There must be a structure to the dialogue between the laity and hierarchy.

Father Congar emphasized the need for cooperation between the theologians and magisterium (teaching authority) in the Church. “We’ve got to develop a theology that laymen and priests can understand. Cardinals, bishops and observers heard the statement over and over again from both priests and laymen that the Church statements be made in clear terms. Even the Documents of Vatican II are hard to read, especially in the translations,” Fink said.

Barbara Ward (Lady Jackson), a delegate from England, spoke briefly but clearly urging the adoption of the resolution on developing nations. “She pointed out that 80 per cent of the wealth of the world is controlled by 20 per cent of the people—who happen to live on the Atlantic Ocean, and happen to be Christian,” Fink said. She raised the question: “What are we going to do about it?”

The layman does not want to run the Church, but defined by Pope Paul in his address as “sanctifiers, teachers, and rulers, we did ask rather strongly that we be consulted, and that we be allowed to express ourselves as responsible Christians,’ Fink said.

The international flavor of the congress was apparent everywhere, Fink said. If you stopped for a Coke, you might meet a bishop, an editor, or as he did, two Congolese delegates. “Do you speak English,” Fink asked. One answered, “Yes, unless German, Italian or French would be more comfortable for you.”