Lay Survey
Spanish Version
The Second Vatican Council clearly and vigorously encouraged the participation of the laity in the life of the Church. Subsequent documents from the Holy See and our own Bishops' Conference have continued to encourage the rights and responsibilities of the laity. As Vatican II noted, we as bishops need to
“Recognize and promote the dignity as well as the responsibility of the laity in the Church; [to] willingly employ their prudent advice; [to] confidently assign duties to them in the service of the Church, allowing them freedom and room for action; [to] encourage lay people so that they may undertake tasks on their own initiative; . . . [and to consider] the projects, suggestions and desires proposed by the laity.” (Lumen Gentium, 37)
I believe that the broad response to our recent Lay Survey demonstrates how this teaching is being realized.
At the end of the recent Jubilee Year, Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic letter,
Novo Millennio ineunte, in which he urged Catholics to develop a spirituality of communion. In this letter, he writes,
“The theology and spirituality of communion encourage a fruitful dialogue between Pastors and faithful: on the one hand uniting them "a priori" in all that is essential, and on the other leading them to pondered agreement in matters open to discussion.
To this end, we need to make our own the ancient pastoral wisdom which, without prejudice to their authority, encouraged Pastors to listen more widely to the entire People of God. . . Saint Paulinus of Nola urges: ‘Let us listen to what all the faithful say, because in every one of them the Spirit of God breathes.’”(Novo Millennio ineunte, 45)
I am grateful that we have had such an experience of listening through the Lay Survey and I pray that this experience and its results will be part of the ongoing conversation and collaboration between clergy and laity for many years to come, in the spirit of communion.
Bishop John McRaith
(1999-2002)