|
| November 16, 1999 Publication Outlines Challenge of Developing New Lay Leaders and Ministers For Catholic Service Washington, DC. "If the church, secure on her foundations, boldly opens herself to lay activity, she will experience such a springtime as we cannot imagine." So declares Chicago Catholic bishop Gerald F. Kicanas, chairman of the U.S. hierarchy's Subcommittee on Lay Ecclesial Ministry. Bishop Kicanas' remarks form part of a sixty-seven page edited conference transcript published November 15, 1999 by FADICA entitled: Forming Lay Leaders, Church Service in the Twenty First Century. The proceedings are from a June, 1999 assembly of over forty private foundations examining challenges that the Catholic church is facing in preparing over forty thousand lay persons for ministry and shared leadership within religious institutions. The conference which also included Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, San Francisco Archbishop William J. Levada, as well as other national experts on lay ministry, found ambivalent attitudes among both clergy and laity to the new transition. "We need to clarify better the relationship between the lay minister who shares significantly in the ministerial work, the pastoral work of a diocese, and the bishop," says Bishop Kicanas. Another major challenge identified in the conference proceedings includes the lack of financial resources for theological studies for lay ministry. . . . "there is no place in our Catholic imagination yet for supporting this extremely crucial dimension of ministry in the church," states Franciscan School of Theology President, William M. Cieslak, OFM Cap. Up until the present religious orders, rather than dioceses, claims Father Cieslak, have had to underwrite and support the education and formation of laity. "The lay folks need all the support we can give them because as of now the amount of support that has been received has really been tiny", he says. Several conferees stressed the importance of quality training and formation for laypersons. "It seems that a well motivated laity is not enough . . . Those who are the visible bearers of the symbols of our faith must be well trained, and it is especially urgent at this time because of a transition within the ranks of lay ministers themselves," declares Woodstock Center theologian Dr. Dolores Leckey. Other conference speakers include: Msgr. Philip J. Murnion, National Pastoral Life Center, Rev. Mark Poorman CSC, University of Notre Dame, Sr. Mary Garvin, Gonzaga University and others. The proceedings are available from FADICA for $10.95. Return to List of News Releases | Back to Top |