Over the last century, the Catholic Church has increasingly recognised the vital role of lay people in its mission, as evidenced by developments from Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum (1891) through the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) and the current emphasis on synodality initiated by Pope Francis and continued by Pope Leo XIV. This article explores these developments briefly.
Pope Leo XIII: The Lay Person as Citizen and Worker
Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum is widely regarded as the foundational text of modern Catholic social teaching. While primarily addressing the rights and duties of capital and labour, it also laid the groundwork for a theology of human dignity rooted in the rights and responsibilities of all people—especially lay workers.
“Every man has by nature the right to possess property as his own. This is one of the chief points of distinction between man and the animal creation” (Rerum Novarum, 1891, para. 6).
In Sapientiae Christianae (1890), he further affirmed the responsibility of lay people to engage in public life and to witness to their faith:
“No one, however, must entertain the notion that private individuals are prevented from taking some active part in this duty of teaching… becoming, as it were, living echoes of their masters in the faith” (Sapientiae Christianae, 1890, para. 16).
Vatican II: The Lay Apostolate and the Secular Vocation
The Second Vatican Council, convened by Saint John XXIII and opened on 11 October 1962, sought to renew the Church’s engagement with the modern world. The Council marked a turning point in the Church’s understanding of the laity. Lumen Gentium (1964) and Apostolicam Actuositatem (1965) articulated a renewed theology of the Church as the “People of God”, in which all the baptised share in Christ’s mission.
“What specifically characterises the laity is their secular nature… They live in the world… and are called there by God that by exercising their proper function and led by the spirit of the Gospel they may work for the sanctification of the world from within as a leaven” (Lumen Gentium, 1964, para. 31).
This vision was deeply influenced by Joseph Cardijn, founder of the Young Christian Workers (YCW), who championed the “specifically lay apostolate”—a mission rooted in the everyday realities of work, family, and community. His See–Judge–Act method became a cornerstone of Catholic Action and was explicitly referenced in Apostolicam Actuositatem:
“Laymen should take on themselves as their distinctive task this renewal of the temporal order… the laity should develop in themselves a sense of responsibility, and learn how to see, judge and act in the light of faith” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 1965, para. 4).
Cardijn’s Role in Vatican II: A Hidden Architect
Stefan Gigacz (2023) has shown that Cardijn’s influence on Vatican II was far more significant than previously acknowledged. Although only made a bishop and cardinal in 1965, Cardijn had already shaped the preparatory documents on the laity and inspired many bishops and theologians who participated in the Council. Cardijn’s genius, Gigacz argues, was in developing a method of formation that empowered even those with limited formal education to reflect on their lives, discern Gospel values, and take action for justice.
His See–Judge–Act method was not only adopted in Mater et Magistra (John XXIII, 1961, para. 236), but also influenced the structure of Gaudium et Spes and Apostolicam Actuositatem. Cardijn’s contribution helped articulate a theology in which lay people are protagonists of faith in their daily realities, not merely auxiliaries to the clergy.
Synodality: Walking Together as the People of God
Building on the teachings of Vatican II, Pope Francis has made synodality a central theme of his papacy. In his 2015 address marking the 50th anniversary of the Synod of Bishops, he stated:
“It is precisely this path of synodality which God expects of the Church of the third millennium” (Francis, Address on the 50th Anniversary of the Synod of Bishops, 17 October 2015).
The 2018 document Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church defines synodality as the Church’s modus vivendi et operandi, emphasising the participation of all the baptised in discernment and decision-making:
“Synodality is the specific way of living and operating in the Church, the People of God, which reveals and gives substance to her being as communion when all her members journey together” (International Theological Commission [ITC], 2018, para. 6).
Gigacz (2023) notes that Pope Francis’s emphasis on synodality, dialogue, and lay participation is a continuation of Cardijn’s legacy. Francis has repeatedly used Cardijn’s key terms—consciousness, responsibility, and participation—and has promoted structures that empower lay people to act for social transformation.
The Theology of Work: Saint John Paul II and the Dignity of the Person
Saint John Paul II offered one of the most profound theological reflections on the dignity of work in Laborem Exercens (1981). He argued that the value of work lies not in the product but in the person who performs it:
“The basis for determining the value of human work is not primarily the kind of work being done but the fact that the one who is doing it is a person” (Laborem Exercens, 1981, para. 6).
This personalist view sees work as a means of self-realisation and participation in God’s creative action. John Paul II introduced the concept of the virtue of industriousness, linking moral development to the act of working:
“Through work [the human person] not only transforms nature… but also achieves fulfilment as a human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes ‘more a human being’” (Laborem Exercens, 1981, para. 9).
In Centesimus Annus (1991), he further emphasised that work must serve the integral development of the person—economically, socially, and spiritually. This theology affirms that the dignity of work is inseparable from the dignity of the person, and that lay people, through their daily labour, participate in the mission of the Church and the building of the Kingdom of God (Centesimus Annus, 1991, paras. 32–43).
Conclusion: A Church of the Laity, for the World
From Rerum Novarum to Vatican II and the current synodal journey, the Church has progressively deepened its understanding of the dignity and vocation of lay people. Joseph Cardijn’s legacy reminds us that this dignity is not abstract—it is lived in the workplace, the home, the school, and the community.
As Cardijn Community Australia continues to reflect on its mission, these foundational teachings challenge us to renew our commitment to forming lay leaders, fostering dialogue, and walking together in faith and action.
References
- Francis, Pope. (2015). Address Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Institution of the Synod of Bishops. Vatican. Link
- Gigacz, S. (2023). The Leaven in the Council: Joseph Cardijn and the Jocist Network at Vatican II. Retrieved from The Leaven.
- International Theological Commission. (2018). Synodality in the Life and Mission of the Church. Vatican. Link
- John Paul II, Pope. (1981). Laborem Exercens: On Human Work. Vatican. Link
- John Paul II, Pope. (1991). Centesimus Annus: On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum. Vatican. Link
- John XXIII, Pope Saint. (1961). Mater et Magistra: Christianity and Social Progress. Vatican. Link
- Leo XIII, Pope. (1890). Sapientiae Christianae: Encyclical on Christians as Citizens. Vatican. Link
- Leo XIII, Pope. (1891). Rerum Novarum: Encyclical on Capital and Labour. Vatican. Link
- Second Vatican Council. (1964). Lumen Gentium: Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. Vatican. Link
- Second Vatican Council. (1965). Apostolicam Actuositatem: Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity. Vatican. Link