Lay People in the Church - Morris Achana - 11055

Reflection on: LAY PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH- What is a layman?

ACHANA MORRIS

Reg. No. 11055T

What is a layman?

In my own understanding of a layman in the Catholic setting, it means someone who does not live a consecrated life in the Church. I would also say that, a lay is one who is a faithful subject in the Church and actively participating in Church activities like being involved in choir.

Lay in Catholic Church also mean people who are free to marry unlike priests, brothers and sisters. In my understanding of the Catholic Church, lay are the faithful Christians who present their offerings at the altar, pay their Church tithes as one of their obligations.

Looking at their way of lives, lay are so much concerned with earthly life such as paying attention to their families though some of them live contemplative life related to the lives of the consecrated clergy. Those who are contemplative, pay much attention to God as a way through which they can communicate to God. These groups include: charismatic and lay apostolic movement.

Among the lay group, we also have lay fold who are another sort of Christians. They are given opportunity to possess temporal goods which are only needed for their use, they are free to marry, till the earth, lay their offerings on the altar and pay Church tithes. They have the possibility of being saved only if they avoid evil life and get involved in doing good.

However, though there are differences between clerics and lay, they are all part of one Church. Additionally, lay are people in Church who are given chance to exercise sacred activities such as presentation of the Gospel procession and gifts.

On viewing the positions of lay as people of God, they are like clerics and monks who are ordered to heavenly things.  On the other hand, lay play a great role in Church and they are the Church. For instance, as earlier looked upon, they pay Church tithes and offertory and contribute positively in liturgy through singing and taking readings during Mass.

Conclusively, the lay people include men and women who are members of the Church. They earn their daily food through involvement in secular work and much of their time and energy are spent on temporal occupation as they plan on how to maintain and support their families. It is through their involvement in secular work that they are able to sacrifice part of it for offerings in Church. Therefore, the positions of lay in Church should not be neglected since they are also part of the Church.