Bishops to address place of professional lay ministry in church life

Published: 2005-10-28

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- This fall the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops plans to issue a major resource document on lay ecclesial ministry, a phenomenon of growing importance in the church. When the bishops meet in Washington Nov. 14-17, they will vote on the proposed document, "Co-workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: Resource for Guiding Development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry." The introduction calls the document a "pastoral and theological reflection on the reality of lay ecclesial ministry," an "affirmation of those who serve in this way," and an attempt to pull together the current "best thinking and practice" in that field. The proposed document discusses the appropriate human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation of those who seek to engage in lay ministerial leadership in the church. It also addresses the role of lay ecclesial ministers in the church community, their relationship to the church's ordained leaders, guidelines and procedures for authorizing lay people to enter such roles and concerns that should be dealt with in the ministerial workplace.

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