AA 25 continues with its theme of cooperation …
Lay people have rights:
Bishops, pastors of parishes, and other priests of both branches of the clergy should keep in mind that the right and duty to exercise this apostolate is common to all the faithful, both clergy and laity, and that the laity also have their own roles in building up the Church.
And clergy should play fair:
For this reason they should work fraternally with the laity in and for the Church and take special care of the lay persons in these apostolic works.
Bishops should find priests who can actually work with lay people. In other words, they should be:
- properly trained,
- capable of promoting lay ministry
- able to represent the interests of the bishops
- able to adhere to “the spirit and teaching of the Church”
(Hmm, that Spirit of Vatican II seems not so elusive here …)
More of the list:
- able to promote proper relations been laity and hierarchy
- devote themselves to nourishing the spiritual life
- also to nourish an apostolic attitude in the Catholic societies entrusted to them
- give wise counsel
- promote the undertakings of lay groups
- continual dialogue (es; AA says “dialogue.”) to enhance apostolic activity
- promote unity within groups and with other groups
Religious brothers and sisters “should value the apostolic works of the laity and willingly devote themselves to promoting lay enterprises. They should also strive to support, uphold, and fulfill priestly functions.”
Nice. An eleven-point list of virtues. Dialogue and spirit both mentioned by name. Make like one big happy family.
Catholic Sensibility 