Specific mission of the laity

With this mission we have been sent in order to be light and supernatural leaven in all human activities. What is more, as Christian faithful, we have heard Christ’s command: Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes! We are not talking here of a function delegated by the Church’s Hierarchy, of a circumstantial extension of the hierarchy’s own mission. We are talking of the specific mission of the laity, inasmuch as they are living members of the Church of God.

A specific vocation, but not distinguishing us from others

It is a specific mission which has for us, by divine will, the force and the supporting strength of a special vocation, because we have been called to the Work to teach doctrine to everyone, carrying out a lay, secular apostolate by means of and in the exercise of the professional work we each do, in our own personal and social circumstances, precisely in the sphere of those temporal activities which have been left to people’s free initiative and Christians’ personal responsibility.

Teaching

That is why I want to speak to you today, my dear daughters and sons, of the urgent need for men and women to be present, with the spirit of our Work, in the secular field of teaching. This is a most noble profession, of the utmost importance for the good of the Church, whose main enemy has always been ignorance; and also for the life of civil society, because righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people (Prov 14:34); because by the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown (Prov 11:11).