John Paul II on Ministries in English
I am more impressed with the Pope John Paul II's speech of 21 September, now that it has been posted on the internet in English.
That Vatican Information Service reported that:
"... John Paul II indicated that "the lay faithful can exercise certain duties and functions in collaboration with the pastoral service, when they are expressly asked by their respective holy pastors." ..."
I was critical of this in my journal of 24 September. But the English translation of the speech does not have this.
The closest he comes to what the Vatican Informatin Service reported was:
"I wish to recall here that non ordained lay persons can exercise tasks and functions of collaboration in the pastoral service when they have been properly prepared for that by their Pastors and in accord with the prescriptions of law (can. 228 1)."
I agree with this and see it as completely reasonable.
I still believe that more should be done by the Church hierarchy, including John Paul II, to promote the ministies of instituted lector and instituted acolyte.
But seeing the complete speech gives me more confidence that this is the direction in which things are moving.
By J.R. Lilburne, 5 October 2002. I give what I have written to the public domain.
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