Selected Aspects of the Mission of Lay People According to the Code of Canon Law

Abstract

The believer is the one who was incorporated into the Church through a baptism. In the legal aspect baptism means the acquisition of rights and incurring commitments typical for Christians. These rights and obligations are set out in the Code of Canon Law of 1983. A legal personality attained in Church, because of its sacramental character, cannot be lost or abolished. The laity, characterized by the appropriate knowledge and unblemished reputation, may be allowed to hold certain offices and ecclesiastical tasks. The Code of Canon Law from 1917 did not grant permission to this kind of participation, reserving all the power of jurisdiction for the clergy. The resolutions of the Second Vatican Council, expressed primarily in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium and the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity Apostolicam Actuositatem, had an impact on the admission of the laity to the power of ecclesiastical jurisdiction. The regulations allow the lay people; both men and women; to serve a number of judicial functions. Moreover, lay Catholics are members of the pastoral councils (diocesan and parish) and can participate in diocesan synods. Due to the lack of priests, if necessary, the laity can preside over liturgical prayers, confer the sacrament of baptism and Holy Communion. Nowadays, there has been the development of movements and associations of a religious nature, which implements many initiatives in the local community. The mission of the laity in Church is more and more frequently perceived and recognized.