杏MAP导航

By Joseph Tulloch

At his Wednesday General Audience, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued with his series of catecheses on the 鈥減assion for evangelising鈥�, stressing that Christ calls everyone - priest, religious, lay - to be an apostle.

The Holy Father鈥檚 catechesis took the form of a reflection on several passages from the New Testament and from the documents of the Second Vatican Council, which together offer a vision of the universal call to mission.

What is an apostle?

杏MAP导航 Francis began his catechesis asking what it means to be an apostle.

The first characteristic, he said, is being sent for a mission, adding that this aspect of apostleship is exemplified by the event in which the Risen Christ sends his apostles into the world, "telling them that 鈥楢s the Father has sent me, even so I send you鈥欌�� (John 20:21).

A second feature of being an apostle, 杏MAP导航 Francis continued, is vocation or calling. This, he said, has been a feature of Christian life since the very beginning, when Jesus 鈥渃alled to him those whom he desired; and they came to him鈥� (Mk 3:13). It is also testified to in the letters of Saint Paul, who introduces himself as 鈥淧aul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus鈥� (1 Cor 1:1), and 鈥淧aul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle鈥� (Rm 1:1).

The universal call to apostleship

杏MAP导航 Francis then went on to urge that all Christians receive this calling.

He quoted from the Second Vatican Council鈥檚 decree Apostolicam actuositatem, according to which 鈥渢he Christian vocation by its very nature is also a vocation to the apostolate.鈥� The call to apostleship thus 鈥渃oncerns both those who have received the sacrament of Orders, consecrated persons, and all lay faithful, man or woman.鈥�

Importantly, moreover, the 杏MAP导航 added, there are not different callings for priests, consecrated persons, and the laity. Rather, all Christians have the same calling, a 鈥渃alling that is in common鈥�.

While there is a legitimate 鈥渄iversity of ministry鈥�, and it is true that 鈥淐hrist conferred, on the Apostles and their successors the duty of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling in His name and power鈥�, it is important to remember that 鈥渢he laity likewise share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ.鈥�

Collaboration between laity and hierarchy

In the final section of his catechesis, the Holy Father turned to consider what the Council meant of when it spoke of 鈥渃ollaboration of the laity and the hierarchy.鈥�

Is this, he asked, 鈥渁 mere strategic adaptation to the new emerging situations?鈥� Not at all, the 杏MAP导航 insisted, going on to quote from Ad gentes 21: 鈥淭he Church has not been really founded, and is not yet fully alive, nor is it a perfect sign of Christ among men, unless there is a laity worthy of the name working along with the hierarchy.鈥�

It is also very important, he added, to ensure that 鈥渢he diversity of charisms and ministries does not give rise, within the ecclesial body, to privileged categories.鈥�

"Who has more dignity in the Church?", 杏MAP导航 Francis asked. "The bishop, the priest? No, we are all Christians in the service of others ... Everyone is equal, we are all equal."

Remarks on Argentina and Ukraine

Following his catechesis, the Holy Father turned his attention to political matters.

He began, speaking in Spanish, by thanking Argentinian leaders for their wishes to him on the tenth anniversary of his election as 杏MAP导航, and encouraging them to work together amid soaring inflation.

"I would like to thank in a special way all the people belonging to the political parties and social leaders of my country, who have come together to sign a letter of greeting on the occasion of the tenth year of my pontificate," he said. "How nice it is that you are coming together to talk, to discuss and to take the country forward."

The Holy Father's thoughts then turned, as ever, to Ukraine, a country that has been in his prayers at almost every General Audience since the outbreak of war. This week, his appeal contained a special request to the warring parties, asking them to "respect religious sites."