Cardinal Dulles affirms lay mission in church, world

Published: 2006-04-05

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Laypeople are called to serve the church's mission, both by ministry within the church and by apostolate to the world, U.S. Cardinal Avery Dulles said in a lecture March 29. While some Catholics would like to restrict the use of "ministry" to what the ordained do, Scripture, tradition and official church documents make the use of the term much broader, the Jesuit theologian said. It is also a mistake to view lay ministry within the church -- a necessary support for strong lay apostolate toward the world -- as somehow undermining lay apostolate, he said. Cardinal Dulles, the Laurence J. McGinley professor of religion and society at Jesuit-run Fordham University, spoke about "The Mission of the Laity" in his spring McGinley lecture at the university.

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