Currents News Staff
In his video message for the month of October, Pope Francis asked Christians to pray for the laity, especially women in leadership roles in the Church.
He observed that every Catholic is born a lay person, and that “lay people are protagonists of the Church.” The pontiff also said that “today, it is especially necessary to create broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church,” and to avoid “falling into forms of clericalism that diminish the lay charism.”
“No one has been baptized a priest or a bishop. We have all been baptized as lay people. Lay people are protagonists of the Church,” Pope Francis said. Today, it is especially necessary to create broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church. And we must emphasize the feminine lay presence because women tend to be left aside.
“We must promote the integration of women, especially where important decisions are made. We pray that by the virtue of baptism, the laity, especially women, may participate more in areas of responsibility in the Church, without falling into forms of clericalism that diminish the lay charism.”