“Created for the glory

and praise of God.”

Catholic Church - Context

Radical shifts in secular culture Rapid change in Western

Catholic culture Diversity of expectations for

priests and laity (especially women)

Decrease in candidates for priesthood

Catholic Church - Needs

New Fire of Jesus the High Priest His love His vision “New Evangelization” (“Year of Faith”)

New relationships between laity and priests based on….

Clear understanding of: Identity Roles

Roles and Identity (Christifideles Laici)

Only from inside the Church's mystery of communion is the "identity" of the lay faithful made known, and their fundamental dignity revealed.

Only within the context of this dignity can their vocation and mission in the Church and in the world be defined (and renewed).

The Holy Spirit continues to renew ...the ...Church and ... has inspired new aspirations towards holiness and the participation of so many lay faithful.

The need today:

Moving from “theory” to “practice”Aka, “Formation”

The Challenge and Approach

Formation – What and Why

What: A Continual Process of Maturation A Comprehensive Integrated Program

for Living an Integrated Life

Why: Discover vocation and mission “Renew the face of the earth”

Two Approaches

Lay Formation

Discovery – Vocation and Mission

Legionaries of Christ: Personal Prayer Communal Prayer Vocation “Apostolate"

Discovery - Vocation and Mission

“I Will give You Shepherds” Human (You) Intellectual (You) Spiritual (You) Pastoral (Them)

Gifts and Charisms

Lay Formation

Gifts and Charisms

Gifts Galatians 5:22-23, Aquinas, Catechism (and

elsewhere) Given to us Purpose: for our inner transformation

Charisms:

Talents to be given to others How God enters world through our consent

Gifts and Charisms

Key: An awareness of one’s own

”Spiritual Gifts” An awareness of one’s own

“Human Charisms” Individual and parish level

Leads to Better understanding of one’s specific

vocation.Provides outline of tasks.

Lay Faithful (Closing Thought)

Lay faithful must be formed according to the union which exists from their being members of the Church and citizens of human society.

There cannot be two parallel lives in their existence: on the one hand, the so-called "spiritual" life, with its values and demands; and on the other, the so-called "secular" life, that is, life in a family, at work, in social relationships, in the responsibilities of public life and in culture. (Charles Chaput)