Lay people and consecrated persons: co-responsible in the mission
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
In the life of the Church, lay people and consecrated persons already collaborate actively in many areas: evangelisation, catechesis, pastoral care, charitable work, education and the accompaniment of individuals and communities. However, it remains essential to explore further how these two vocations complement one another and how they can walk together more consciously in their shared mission.
In this context, synodality presents itself as a privileged path for strengthening listening, shared discernment and co-responsibility. Through this process, it is possible to recognise how diverse gifts and charisms integrate and enrich one another in the service of the Church.
As Pope Francis pointed out:
“What we must all do: bear witness with our lives. And take joint responsibility for the Church’s mission. The laity, the baptised, are at home in the Church, and must care for it. Just as we, the priests and consecrated persons, do. Each contributing what they do best. We are jointly responsible for the mission; we participate in and live within the communion of the Church.”
In the same vein, Pope Leo XIV reminds us:
“We need a Church where everyone feels responsible for the mission.”
In this context, the UMOFC School of Synodality held a webinar entitled “Laypeople and Consecrated Persons: Jointly Responsible for the Mission”, which offered a reflection on how synodality, through shared responsibility, discernment and dialogue, can strengthen collaboration between vocations. The meeting provided an opportunity to explore specific areas of cooperation and ways of fostering more conscious and effective joint action in the Church’s mission.
The event featured prominent international speakers. Dr Estela Padilla, a member of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality and of the Commission for its Implementation (Philippines/Asia), emphasised the importance of making synodality an ecclesial way of life:
“Synodal pastoral planning allows us to make synodality something ordinary, not extraordinary; to make it truly the way we live and act. When we listen to everyone, God’s call becomes clear. And then we ask ourselves: what conversion is needed? What steps must we take? In that process, God’s dream becomes clearer, guides our path and drives us to make decisions that have a real impact.”
For her part, Dr Trudy Dantis, Director of the National Centre for Pastoral Research at the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, emphasised that collaboration is particularly strengthened “when laypeople and consecrated persons learn and reflect together, basing their decisions on lived experience. It is then that synodality becomes credible: it ceases to be merely an idea or theory and, as we walk together, listening deeply, discerning faithfully and sharing responsibility, it becomes integrated into the life of the Church.”
From her perspective, Sr Roxanne Schares, SSND, highlighted the transformative value of collaboration: “Together, religious and laypeople, we find the moral courage to be seeds of hope and that leaven of change. Thus, our participation in God’s mission becomes more relevant, transformative and impactful. For this reason, collaboration is essential, because it expresses our true identity as the People of God, with the diversity of our gifts and our shared responsibility in the mission.”
Throughout the dialogue, the panellists shared perspectives and experiences on the importance of moving towards an increasingly participatory Church, where collaboration between laypeople and consecrated persons is not merely a widespread practice, but a conscious expression of shared responsibility in the mission.
Thus, the meeting reaffirmed the call to continue building together a synodal Church, where every vocation contributes to the service of the common mission.
Next Tuesday, 24 March, a new meeting will take place with different panellists in Spanish, and on Wednesday, 25 March, in French. You can find all the information on our social media.
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