The abundance of gifts and deep wells of enthusiasm in a congregation are often underappreciated. A wise priest can learn to tap into and liberate these, energising the whole parish’s missionary endeavour 

Fifty one years ago the Second Vatican Council emphasised the crucial importance of lay people in the Church. The Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People (Apostolicam Actuositatem)  says that the Church cannot survive without the laity. The Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes Divinitus)  says the efforts of all the faithful must be united so that the people of God “might everywhere spread the kingdom of Christ ... and prepare the way for his coming”. For the last five decades the Church has tinkered with the idea of doing something about the laity in parish life, with a high level of fear and procrastination. At the same time, the laity themselves have been more and more exposed to golden opportunities to live out their Christian mission in the wider world, most of all in their places of work. “Go forth, the Mass is ended” is lived out powerfully and successfully across the land. Such lay people are leading lights, the real missionaries of our time, as they exercise Ministry and Word to their colleagues and friends.

I have read the Decree on the Laity once more, only to discover in it a rich resource for dynamic team ministry. Right at the start the decree says: “In the Church there is diversity of ministry but unity of mission.”