THE VARIOUS FORMS OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
CHAPTER IV THE VARIOUS FORMS OF SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
15. The baptized can engage in spiritual leadership either as individuals
or together as members of various groups or associations.
16. Individual spiritual leadership,
flowing generously from its source in a truly Christian life (cf. John 4:14),
is the origin and condition of all baptized spiritual leadership, even of the organized type,
and it admits of no substitute.
Regardless of status, all baptized persons (including those who have no opportunity or possibility for collaboration in associations) are called to this type of spiritual leadership and obliged to engage in it.
This type of spiritual leadership is useful at all times and places, but in certain circumstances it is the only one appropriate and feasible.
There are many forms of spiritual leadership whereby the baptized build up the People of God, sanctify the world, and give it life in Christ. A particular form of the individual spiritual leadership as well as a sign specially suited to our times is the testimony of the whole baptized life arising from faith, hope, and charity. It manifests Christ living in those who believe in Him. Then by the spiritual leadership of the spoken and written word, which is utterly necessary under certain circumstances, the baptized announce Christ, explain and spread His teaching in accordance with one's status and ability, and faithfully profess it.
17. There is a very urgent need for this individual Christian leadership in those regions where the freedom of the People of God is seriously infringed. Individual Christian leadership has a special place in areas where Catholics are few in number and widely dispersed. Here the laity who engage in spiritual leadership only as individuals, whether for the reasons already mentioned or for special reasons including those deriving also from their own professional activity, usefully gather into smaller groups for serious conversation without any more formal kind of establishment or organization, so that an indication of the community of the People of God is always apparent to others as a true witness of love. In this way, by giving spiritual help to one another through friendship and the communicating of the benefit of their experience, they are trained to overcome the disadvantages of excessively isolated life and activity and to make their spiritual leadership more productive.
18. The faithful are called to engage in spiritual leadership as individuals in the varying circumstances of their life. They should remember, nevertheless, that man is naturally social and that it has pleased God to unite those who believe in Christ into the people of God (cf. 1 Peter 2:5-10) and into one body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12).
The group spiritual leadership of Christian believers then
happily corresponds to a human and Christian need
and at the same time signifies the communion and unity of the Church in Christ,
who said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).
For this reason the faithful should exercise their spiritual leadership by way of united effort.[2] They should be leaders both in their family communities and in their parishes and dioceses, which themselves express the community nature of spiritual leadership, as well as in the informal groups which they decide to form among themselves.
Group spiritual leadership is very important also because spiritual leadership must often be performed by way of common activity in both the Church communities and the various spheres. For the associations established for carrying on spiritual leadership in common sustain their members, form them for spiritual leadership, and rightly organize and regulate their spiritual leadership so that much better results can be expected than if each member were to act on his own.
In the present circumstances, it is quite necessary that, in the area of activity of the baptized,
the united and organized form of spiritual leadership be strengthened. In fact, only the pooling of resources is capable of fully achieving all the aims of modern spiritual leadership and firmly protecting its interests. Here it is important that spiritual leadership encompass even the common attitudes
and social conditions of those for whom it is designed. Otherwise those engaged in spiritual leadership are often unable to bear up under the pressure of public opinion or of social institutions.
19. There is a great variety of associations in spiritual leadership.
Some set before themselves the broad spiritual leadership purpose of the People of God;
others aim to evangelize and sanctify in a special way.
Some purpose to infuse a Christian spirit into the temporal order;
others bear witness to Christ in a special way through works of mercy and charity.
Among these associations, those which promote and encourage closer unity
between the concrete life of the members and their faith
must be given primary consideration.
Associations are not ends unto themselves;
rather they should serve the mission of the Church to the world.
Their spiritual leadership dynamism depends on their conformity with the goals of the People of God
as well as on the Christian witness and evangelical spirit of every member and of the whole association.
Now, in view of the progress of social institutions and the fast-moving pace of modern society, the global nature of the mission of the People of God requires that the spiritual leadership enterprises of Catholics should more and more develop organized forms in the international sphere. Catholic international organizations will more effectively achieve their purpose if the groups comprising them, as well as their members, are more closely united to these international organizations.
Maintaining the proper relationship to Church authorities, the baptized have the right to found and control such associations and to join those already existing. Nor is it always fitting to transfer indiscriminately forms of spiritual leadership that have been used in one nation to other nations.
20. Many decades ago Catholics in many nations began to exercise increasing spiritual leadership.
from whom they received the title of "Catholic Action," and were often described as the collaboration of the baptized in the spiritual leadership of the hierarchy.
21. All associations of spiritual leadership must be given due appreciation. Those, however, which the hierarchy have praised or recommended as responsive to the needs of time and place, or have ordered to be established as particularly urgent, must be held in highest esteem by priests, Religious, and the baptized and promoted according to each one's ability. Among these associations, moreover,
international associations or groups of Catholics must be specially appreciated at the present time.
22. Deserving of special honor and commendation in the Church are those baptized, single or married, who devote themselves with professional experience, either permanently or temporarily, to the service of associations and their activities. There is a source of great joy for the Church in the fact
that there is a daily increase in the number of baptized persons who offer their personal service to spiritual leadership associations and activities, either within the limits of their own nation or in the international field or especially in Catholic mission communities and in regions where the Church has only recently been implanted. The pastors of the Church should gladly and gratefully welcome these lay persons and make sure that the demands of justice, equity, and charity relative to their status be satisfied to the fullest extent, particularly as regards proper support for them and their families.
15. The baptized can engage in spiritual leadership either as individuals
or together as members of various groups or associations.
16. Individual spiritual leadership,
flowing generously from its source in a truly Christian life (cf. John 4:14),
is the origin and condition of all baptized spiritual leadership, even of the organized type,
and it admits of no substitute.
Regardless of status, all baptized persons (including those who have no opportunity or possibility for collaboration in associations) are called to this type of spiritual leadership and obliged to engage in it.
This type of spiritual leadership is useful at all times and places, but in certain circumstances it is the only one appropriate and feasible.
There are many forms of spiritual leadership whereby the baptized build up the People of God, sanctify the world, and give it life in Christ. A particular form of the individual spiritual leadership as well as a sign specially suited to our times is the testimony of the whole baptized life arising from faith, hope, and charity. It manifests Christ living in those who believe in Him. Then by the spiritual leadership of the spoken and written word, which is utterly necessary under certain circumstances, the baptized announce Christ, explain and spread His teaching in accordance with one's status and ability, and faithfully profess it.
17. There is a very urgent need for this individual Christian leadership in those regions where the freedom of the People of God is seriously infringed. Individual Christian leadership has a special place in areas where Catholics are few in number and widely dispersed. Here the laity who engage in spiritual leadership only as individuals, whether for the reasons already mentioned or for special reasons including those deriving also from their own professional activity, usefully gather into smaller groups for serious conversation without any more formal kind of establishment or organization, so that an indication of the community of the People of God is always apparent to others as a true witness of love. In this way, by giving spiritual help to one another through friendship and the communicating of the benefit of their experience, they are trained to overcome the disadvantages of excessively isolated life and activity and to make their spiritual leadership more productive.
18. The faithful are called to engage in spiritual leadership as individuals in the varying circumstances of their life. They should remember, nevertheless, that man is naturally social and that it has pleased God to unite those who believe in Christ into the people of God (cf. 1 Peter 2:5-10) and into one body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12).
The group spiritual leadership of Christian believers then
happily corresponds to a human and Christian need
and at the same time signifies the communion and unity of the Church in Christ,
who said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).
For this reason the faithful should exercise their spiritual leadership by way of united effort.[2] They should be leaders both in their family communities and in their parishes and dioceses, which themselves express the community nature of spiritual leadership, as well as in the informal groups which they decide to form among themselves.
Group spiritual leadership is very important also because spiritual leadership must often be performed by way of common activity in both the Church communities and the various spheres. For the associations established for carrying on spiritual leadership in common sustain their members, form them for spiritual leadership, and rightly organize and regulate their spiritual leadership so that much better results can be expected than if each member were to act on his own.
In the present circumstances, it is quite necessary that, in the area of activity of the baptized,
the united and organized form of spiritual leadership be strengthened. In fact, only the pooling of resources is capable of fully achieving all the aims of modern spiritual leadership and firmly protecting its interests. Here it is important that spiritual leadership encompass even the common attitudes
and social conditions of those for whom it is designed. Otherwise those engaged in spiritual leadership are often unable to bear up under the pressure of public opinion or of social institutions.
19. There is a great variety of associations in spiritual leadership.
Some set before themselves the broad spiritual leadership purpose of the People of God;
others aim to evangelize and sanctify in a special way.
Some purpose to infuse a Christian spirit into the temporal order;
others bear witness to Christ in a special way through works of mercy and charity.
Among these associations, those which promote and encourage closer unity
between the concrete life of the members and their faith
must be given primary consideration.
Associations are not ends unto themselves;
rather they should serve the mission of the Church to the world.
Their spiritual leadership dynamism depends on their conformity with the goals of the People of God
as well as on the Christian witness and evangelical spirit of every member and of the whole association.
Now, in view of the progress of social institutions and the fast-moving pace of modern society, the global nature of the mission of the People of God requires that the spiritual leadership enterprises of Catholics should more and more develop organized forms in the international sphere. Catholic international organizations will more effectively achieve their purpose if the groups comprising them, as well as their members, are more closely united to these international organizations.
Maintaining the proper relationship to Church authorities, the baptized have the right to found and control such associations and to join those already existing. Nor is it always fitting to transfer indiscriminately forms of spiritual leadership that have been used in one nation to other nations.
20. Many decades ago Catholics in many nations began to exercise increasing spiritual leadership.
from whom they received the title of "Catholic Action," and were often described as the collaboration of the baptized in the spiritual leadership of the hierarchy.
21. All associations of spiritual leadership must be given due appreciation. Those, however, which the hierarchy have praised or recommended as responsive to the needs of time and place, or have ordered to be established as particularly urgent, must be held in highest esteem by priests, Religious, and the baptized and promoted according to each one's ability. Among these associations, moreover,
international associations or groups of Catholics must be specially appreciated at the present time.
22. Deserving of special honor and commendation in the Church are those baptized, single or married, who devote themselves with professional experience, either permanently or temporarily, to the service of associations and their activities. There is a source of great joy for the Church in the fact
that there is a daily increase in the number of baptized persons who offer their personal service to spiritual leadership associations and activities, either within the limits of their own nation or in the international field or especially in Catholic mission communities and in regions where the Church has only recently been implanted. The pastors of the Church should gladly and gratefully welcome these lay persons and make sure that the demands of justice, equity, and charity relative to their status be satisfied to the fullest extent, particularly as regards proper support for them and their families.