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PROFILE OF THE 21ST CENTURY CATHOLIC
The Mission and Ministry of the Laity

July 2007

Voice of the Faithful emerged because Catholics took their Baptismal responsibilities seriously. Active Catholics stepped forward to offer leadership following the clergy sexual abuse crisis as their way of following Christ in the 21st Century. For many early VOTF members, Vatican II was the formative experience in their adult life in the Church. They had been formed to function as central to all the ministries in the Church such as liturgy, education, social ministries and a wide variety of other ministries.

VOTF has discovered, however, that many Catholics have not been adequately educated on the teaching of Vatican II. To make the documents of Vatican II more understandable and livable, we have adapted the behavioral model of William Marston for your reflection.

As Catholics, we are called to live our faith and respond to the Gospel by constantly seeking to improve the social order founded on truth, built on justice, and animated by love. To do this we must:

  1. Take Initiative
    We are called to actively build up the Body of Christ by sharing in the priestly, prophetic and kingly (or temporal) offices of Christ

  2. Make Competent Decisions
    The social order we work toward requires constant attention. To do this, we must:

    • be led by the Spirit through our consciences – the inner voice of God at work in us.

    • discern God’s will in addressing the needs of society.

    • be active according to our talents and the knowledge we possess.

  3. Influence Others

    • We are called to work collaboratively within parishes to resolve societal problems.

    • We are to model Christ in all our thoughts and actions as we witness to the ministry, cross, and resurrection of Jesus.

    • When necessary we must use the political system to create a more just society that will support the Gospel's moral precepts especially human dignity and the common good.

  4. Prudently, Prophetically, and Courageously transform our church and society to reflect the love of God for all Although we are to be prudent in what we choose to put our talents behind, we work vigorously to uphold the common good and make our Church "the initial budding forth of the Reign of God" (Paul VI).

William Moulton Marston, a Massachusetts born and Harvard educated psychologist, developed a behavioral theory characterizing all behaviors into a typology of dominance, influence, steadiness and compliance. His categories were used in organizing this paradigm of the 21st century Catholic.

 
 
 
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