The Source and Relation between Lay Ministry and Ordained Ministry (PDF)

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2017 in the subject Theology - Miscellaneous, , language: English, abstract: On the basis of the fact that lay people are included in the People of God and that all Christ's faithful are called to share in the life and mission of Christ, the laity does really have mission to undertake in the Church. The Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity seeks to unfold the ministry of the laity in the Church's mission in a clearer way. According to this decree there is a common call to all Christ's faithful in the building up of the Body of Christ, the Church. There is a diversity of ministries and the lay faithful have their mission to perform within the ecclesial structures.

Every member of the Church whether he or she is cleric or lay is called to mutual and collaborative ministry. The diversity of ministries in the Church is a witness to the unity of all members in the Church.

Though the duties, activities and rights of the laity underwent many considerable changes during the course of the history of the Church, the fact remains that the lay faithful have their ministry in the Church. The mission of the Church is the concern of all the members of the Church, clerics and lay persons alike. However, all the Christfideles do not perform the mission of the Church in the same way; they undertake ministries in the Church, each according to his condition or gift(s) received from God himself.