This week, I offer another reflection in preparation for the parish and diocesan assemblies.
When we think of faith formation, religious education or theological studies, we immediately jump to sacramental preparation and preparation for religious life and priesthood. We don’t readily think of ongoing formation for adults. This past Saturday at the Cathedral, certificates were awarded to 40 adults who completed a program of theological study and formation. They added their names to the list of some 140 who have completed the program over the past three years, earning a diocesan certificate in Catholic theology (more at evangelizeri.org/certificate). The participants spoke enthusiastically about personal enrichment and the desire to know more about the faith, but they also understand that they are now better equipped to serve their families, friends, coworkers and their parishes. They want to share what they’ve received.
Two Church documents: Apostolicam Actuositatem, a decree from the Second Vatican Council, and “Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord,” a document from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, treat ongoing faith formation for adults and offer much for reflection in preparation for the upcoming diocesan and parish assemblies.
The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) marked a profound theological shift in how the Church understands itself, moving toward a model of the Church as the “People of God.” Central to this ecclesiology, as detailed in the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium, is the idea that all baptized Christians—not just bishops and priests—share an inherent dignity and a common call to holiness. Through the Sacraments of Initiation, the laity are integrated into Christ and actively participate in His priestly, prophetic, and kingly office. This fundamentally describes the laity not as passive recipients of pastoral care, but as active protagonists who are essential to the Church’s salvific mission both in the marketplace and within parish life.
According to the Council’s 1965 decree on the lay apostolate, Apostolicam Actuositatem, co-responsibility fosters a collaborative partnership where different charisms and roles are united and animated by the Holy Spirit, where the hierarchy and the laity work together as “fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 8). This principle introduces and furthers co-responsibility within the parish, meaning that clergy and laity are mutually responsible for advancing the life and mission of the Church.
In a parish setting, this shift in thinking has permitted laypeople to engage in vital leadership and service roles—ranging from liturgical ministries and catechesis to administrative and advisory positions—working alongside pastors to discern the “signs of the times” and to contribute to the building up of the community. Instead of operating under a model where the clergy “do everything,” Vatican II encourages a collaborative environment where pastors consult and cooperate with the laity, recognizing that the mission of evangelization belongs to all the baptized.
Apostolicam Actuositatem describes the Church’s mission as consisting of two interconnected spheres: the evangelization and sanctification of humanity and the renewal of the temporal order. The “temporal order”—culture, family, politics, economics, and the workplace—is the specific, proper arena of the laity. The document outlines key fields of action, giving special emphasis to the family as the primary building block of society and the Church. It also puts emphasis on the workplace, social environments, and national/international spheres. It recognizes that the lay apostolate can be exercised either individually (through the witness of daily life and speech) or corporately through associations, emphasizing that both forms are vital. For lay people to be effective in serving the Church’s mission, ongoing formation is key.
Forty years after the Council in 2005, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, a landmark document, was released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Taking direction from the teachings of Vatican II, specifically, Apostolicam Actuositatem, the document addresses how lay ecclesial ministers share in the mission of the Catholic Church, ensuring that both groups work as true partners in cultivating the faith and promoting the Church’s mission. It presents and encourages co-responsibility between the laity and the clergy.
Co-responsibility emerges directly from the Sacraments of Initiation, primarily the Sacrament of Baptism. Lay ministry is not a modern convenience or a concession to a shortage of priests. The document emphasizes that every baptized person receives unique charisms from the Holy Spirit. There is then a fundamental partnership in discipleship. We see this with St. Paul and the lay disciples in the New Testament. While the ordained priesthood maintains its distinct sacramental role, the laity possesses a genuine right and duty to serve the Church in ministry according to their state and charisms.
The document introduces the term “lay ecclesial minister” as a general, formal designation for laypeople entrusted with professional leadership roles in the Church. To foster orderly co-responsibility, the USCCB outlines specific criteria for these individuals, including authorization by the hierarchy to serve publicly and leadership in a particular area of ministry (such as directors of religious education, youth ministers, or pastoral associates). This structured accountability ensures that lay leadership is neither independent of the Church’s structure, nor entirely subordinate, but integrated in a balanced way into local parishes.
True co-responsibility requires a standard of excellence, which is why the document places a major emphasis on comprehensive preparation and formation. The bishops clarify that passion alone is insufficient for leadership in the Church. Lay ecclesial ministers must undergo rigorous intellectual, spiritual, human and pastoral formation. By advocating for robust diocesan formation standards, the document elevates lay ministry to a recognized profession, giving lay leaders the competence needed to confidently collaborate as peers with bishops, priests and deacons. Lay people, our parishes, and our diocese can benefit greatly from formation programs such as our Certificate in Catholic Theology.
At its heart, the document models an ecclesial communion where the clergy and laity are co-workers in a shared vineyard. This requires close mutual collaboration; a relationship built on deep mutual respect for the distinct offices and gifts of each person. The document encourages the nurturing of a culture of encounter—a listening, collaborative Church where the diverse gifts of the People of God are harmonized to advance Christ’s mission.
