Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Profession of Faith 239 902 In a very special way, parents share in the office of sanctifying “by leading a conjugal life in the Christian spirit and by seeing to the Christian education of their children.” 435 903 Lay people who possess the required qualities can be admitted permanently to theministries of lector and acolyte. 436 “When the necessity of the Church warrants it and when ministers are lacking, lay persons, even if they are not lectors or acolytes, can also supply for certain of their offices, namely, to exercise the ministry of the word, to preside over liturgical prayers, to confer Baptism, and to distribute Holy Communion in accord with the prescriptions of law.” 437 Participation in Christ’s prophetic office 904 “Christ . . . fulfills this prophetic office, not only by the hierarchy . . . but also by the laity. He accordingly both establishes them as witnesses and provides them with the sense of the faith [ sensus fidei ] and the grace of the word”: 438 To teach in order to lead others to faith is the task of every preacher and of each believer. 439 905 Lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission by evangeli- zation, “that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and the testi- mony of life.” For lay people, “this evangelization . . . acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world.” 440 This witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate; the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers . . . or to the faithful. 441 906 Lay people who are capable and trained may also collaborate in catechetical formation, in teaching the sacred sciences, and in use of the communications media. 442 907 “In accord with the knowledge, competence, and preeminence which they possess, [lay people] have the right and even at times a duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard to the integrity of faith and 435 CIC, can. 835 § 4. 436 Cf. CIC, can. 230 § 1. 437 CIC, can. 230 § 3. 438 LG 35. 439 St. Thomas Aquinas, STh. III, 71, 4 ad 3. 440 LG 35 § 1, § 2. 441 AA 6 § 3; cf. AG 15. 442 Cf. CIC, cann. 229; 774; 776; 780; 823 § 1. 1143 785 92 2044 2472 2495