By Jon Perez, Catholic Saskatoon News

Saint Pope John Paul II focused on the role of the lay faithful in evangelization in the document Christefideles Laici (The Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful) highlighting that each baptized person must respond to God’s call, and not remain idle, as described in the parable of the vineyard: “go into the vineyard too” (Matthew 20:3-4).

In the fourth session of a diocesan Awaken adult faith series on The Church of the New Evangelization Nov. 15, Sr. Malou Tibayan of the Verbum Dei Missionary Fraternity spoke about Pope John Paul II’s post-synodal apostolic exhortation, written a year after the 1987 Synod of Bishops on the laity’s mission and vocation in the Church.

Sr. Malou Tibayan highlighted the document’s themes, stressing the importance of encountering Jesus Christ. “Encountering Christ will urge the lay faithful to overcome idleness and help the mission to evangelize. Prayer shows us the way. Prayer answers the needs of the people and strengthens your relationship with Christ,” she said.

The papal document focuses on the role of the laity in the vocation and mission of the Church in promoting the value that every Catholic must preach the Good News in every way they can – wherever they live or work.

Christifedeles Laici cites both the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-7) in which the landowner goes out five times to hire labourers who are standing idle, and Christ’s words about the vine and the branches (John 15:1-5) that “apart from me, you can do nothing.” The mystery is that the lay faithful are both labourers in the vineyard and the “engrafted” branches of the vine, intimately connected to Christ, explained Tibayan.

Christifedeles Laici has five chapters, with the first defining the dignity and the role of the lay faithful, citing Pope Pius XII description of the laity as being “on the frontlines of the Church’s life” – not only “belonging” to the Church, but “being” the Church or “the community of the faithful on earth.” (Christifedeles Laici #9). Central to that identity is the call to holiness, including a call to a life of holiness in the world.

Tibayan stressed that the call is for each baptized person to live the mission where they are. “You are called to live your mission there, where you are working,” she said. “How can you live the mission there – being a nurse, being a doctor, being an accountant? That is your mission field.” She added that we must have “missionary intentionality” in whatever thing we do in the daily life. Grounded in Christ, and pursuing our call to holiness giving glory to God. “We need holy people.” Tibayan said.

The second chapter of the document also focuses on the words of Jesus in John 15:5 where he likens Himself to the Vine, with the Christian faithful as the branches. The chapter explores the mystery of that communion with Christ and within the Body of Christ, and includes reflections on ministries, and the importance of the discernment of charisms (gifts given by the Holy Spirit, discerned for the benefit of the whole Christian community, as is happening in the diocese of Saskatoon through the Called and Gifted program.)

The third chapter is about the co-responsibility of the lay faithful in the Church’s mission, and the call to abide in Christ (the “Vine”) in order to be fruitful in one’s ministry, as every Catholic’s mission is to increase and deepen our relationship with God. In light of this, we are called to reflect and to answer the question of whether our ministry is “bearing fruit” or needs pruning, said Tibayan.

The document’s fourth chapter is about being labourers in God’s vineyard and the different vocations that we can partake throughout life, whether as young people, adults or elders. The lay faithful are called to the mission of evangelization and holiness in every stage and walk of life.

“In every stage of our life we are called to become agents of evangelization,” said Tibayan. “Where is God calling you now, in this very stage of your life?“

Similarly, youth are not only considered as “objects of pastoral concern” but “ought to be encouraged to be active on behalf of the Church as leading characters in evangelization and participants in the renewal of society.” (Christifedeles Laici #46)

“And there is no retirement in the mission!” added Tibayan.

Finally, the fifth chapter strongly asserts how each baptized person can bear much fruit through ongoing formation and maturation in union with Christ.

In the concluding words of the document, John Paul II writes: “A great venture, both challenging and wonderful, is entrusted to the Church-that of a re-evangelization, which is so much needed by the present world. The lay faithful ought to regard themselves as an active and responsible part of this venture, called as they are to proclaim and to live the gospel in service to the person and to society.” (Christifedeles Laici #64)

“Pray and think about who God might be inviting to work in His vineyard through you,” urged Tibayan.

She concluded by pointing to the missionary dimension of the Eucharist, in which Jesus is asking us to take Him out into the world, to wherever we live and work. “We receive Jesus to bring Him to the world. To be Christ in the world, this is to be Christian; being the light in the world,” she said.

“We are missionaries. And being a missionary is not a dress that we take on and off every Sunday: it is our identity. And this is what this document Christifideles Laici is all about… there is no holiday, there is no retirement. We are missionaries.”

Series information:

The “Church of the New Evangelization” diocesan Awaken Adult Faith series held in fall 2023 is now available on the diocesan YouTube video channel:

• Part 1 – An overview of Vatican II, with Sr. Mirasol Abala: video / article
• Part 2 – Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelization in the Modern World), with Marilyn Jackson: video  / article
• Part 3 – Spe Salvi (Saved in Hope) with Bishop Mark Hagemoen: video / article
• Part 4 – Christefideles Laici (The Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful) with Sr. Malou Tibayan: video  / article
  • Part 5 – Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel) with Fr. David Tumback – Video link / article coming soon.

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Reporter Jonathan Perez is a parishioner at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon.