Last week we saw that the laity is a source of hope and love. This leads us to paragraph No. 9 of Christifideles Laici and John Paul II’s next teaching that the laity belongs to the Church and is responsible for helping Her to thrive! 

The laity plays an important and active role in the Church’s life. Each one of us is called to build up our parish by taking initiative and contributing meaningfully to its mission. 

So, participation in parish life isn’t just reserved for the few who have time on their hands; it’s part of how every Catholic layperson is meant to live their vocation. We belong to the Church and our role is indispensable. 

But, participating in the Church never means replacing the priest. Instead, true lay participation means using our talents and gifts to support our priests in their mission to bring people to Jesus Christ. Just as we need our priests to live out their unique vocation, our priests need us to do the same. 

Our parishes, our priests, and our Church are counting on us to participate in the life of the Church. This is where we are meant to be and it is where we belong.