Our Q and A with Dr. Zeni Fox, professor emeritus of Pastoral Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University.Dr. Fox continues to teach, write and serve on various boards and committees and is well-known for her work in lay ministry formation.
How would you describe the vocation that each layman and laywoman is called to by God?
The answer to the Baltimore Catechism question: “Why did God make you?” “God made me to know him, to love him, and to serve him in this life, and to be happy with him forever in the next,” captures the essence of vocation.
The Second Vatican Council presented this ideal of service when it taught that we are all called to holiness. An aspect of that call is the invitation to share in the work that Jesus began: proclaiming God’s reign (God’s kingdom), and working toward the fullness of its coming. Today we call this ministry.
The United States Bishops taught that lay persons are called to ministry in the world, and in the Church. In their lives as parents, workers, neighbors, citizens, they are called, in the words of John Paul II, to transform the social order.And as Baptized Catholics, they are called to serve the Church, for example, as directors of religious education, and catechists.
Why is faith formation important to the lay vocation, and how do lay formation programs empower the laity to pursue their vocation?
Faith Formation: Borrowed from the language of communities of vowed religious, this refers to all formal programs designed to assist Catholics in growing in their faith, intellectually and spiritually, and in understanding how to share in the work of ministry.For example, pre-Baptismal preparation for parents to assist them in understanding their roles as Catholic parents, and lay formation programs for particular ministries in the life of the Church.
In addition to such ministry-focused programs, there are countless ways of growing in holiness, including the classic paths of prayer, fasting and service, and the paths provided by everyday life for growing into love.The self-emptying of generous parenthood and faithful commitment to the tasks of one’s work are two examples.
What would you say to encourage more laymen and women to get started in lay formation and become more intentional about fulfilling their vocation?
Seeking one’s path: God’s call to ministry sometimes comes through an awareness of the needs of the Church, and/or Church members.In the past 50 years, we have seen a great decline in the number of vowed religious and priests; the need for co-workers in the vineyard is evident. Called “the backbone of parish ministry,” strong formation is central for them, in their leadership roles.
And sometimes God’s call comes through the desire to share the richness of what one has received, the richness of intellectual and spiritual insights, the richness of an awareness of God’s presence in our lives, in our world.