NEWS UPDATES

 

  The Holy Father has called for the laity to possess a greater role in the Church, and women, in particular. How has the Pope been bringing to fruition a new era, if you will, from this point of view? I believe that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has made tremendous progress in the Church, and has changed in many ways the mentality of so many, both clerics and non-clerics. I think the laity feel much more comfortable within the structures of the Church nowadays than they did ten years ago when Pope Francis came into office. I believe that Pope Francis saw as his mission to continue the Second Vatican Council, the Council that called the laity to be an active, not only 'participant,' but 'member,' with all the rights due to baptism, that every person in the Church has. That was not so well known. Very seldom did theologians speak about the rights invested in all people who are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. I think he has done tremendously. He has named laypeople all over the Vatican and has encouraged the laity to be involved. He called me here to Rome to help especially with the laity, to promote the laity within the Church, and to find structures and ways in which the laity can be active members. I believe that he has done that. We will begin a synod on synodality, bringing together the ideas, not just from a group of theologians, but from the people.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-03/cardinal-farrell-on-ten-year-transformation-of-pope-francis.html (Photo - ANSA)