On Living Lay Life in the Name of the Church

[[Dear Sister Laurel, you wrote that you do not write in the name of the Church and that you live eremitical life in the name of the Church. But isn't writing part of your life and isn't this blog a part of your life and ministry. It seems to me that there's no big jump in saying you write in the name of the Church. No? Too, I wondered if because I am a Catholic and because I am a lay person, is that what people (you!) mean when they talk about canonical standing or standing in law? Does that mean the Church has commissioned me to live lay life in her name?? I think that's incredible, awesome even!! I hadn't realized!]]

Great question, thanks!! When I say I don't write in the name of the Church I am being pretty literal. The Church did not consecrate me as a writer, nor did they commission me specifically to write. They consecrated me as a hermit and commissioned me to live a life of prayer and penance in the silence of solitude. Writing is one of the ways this life spills over into ministry. Because writing is a really important part of my life and because I tend to write these days mainly about my exploration of c 603 and eremitical life, I can see where I might slide into thinking of my writing as part of my consecration and commissioning. It's a fine line, though, and that is especially so since my Director encourages at least some of my writing. Perhaps if my Bishop was to say I needed to write more, or in some way directly encouraged me to write, my position might change, but for now, what this all means for me is that I don't say I write in the name of the Church; instead, I live eremitical life in the name of the Church and writing is a part of that.

Yes, you have standing in law as a lay person! If you married in the Church you also have standing in law as a married person. The Church gives certificates for the various stages or ecclesially significant moments regarding these things. You might not know this but your Church of Baptism keeps track of the various sacraments you have received and other ecclesial events in their own records. If you entered religious life and made vows, a record of that also goes to your Church of Baptism or home parish. If you (just for example) were divorced and received a decree of nullity, that too is kept not only in the chancery where it was given, but also sent to your home parish and added to your baptismal record. If you are ordained a deacon or priest, the same thing happens. Thus, when someone writes for your baptismal certificate, they will receive notice of the other Sacramental and other events (profession and consecration) that impact and may modify your standing in law.

And yes! so long as you have not been ordained, the Church has commissioned you to live lay life in her name. That is why you are called and able to call yourself a Catholic!! You live your entire life as part of the People of God (laos) in the name of the Church. Whatever you do as a layperson redounds to the honor or dishonor of the faith. Thus, when someone calls themself a Catholic Hermit, the same thing is true. They claim to be living eremitical life in the name of the Church and anything they do redounds to the honor or dishonor of the Church. Simply being a Catholic layperson is indeed an awesome calling. Consider all of the ways lay persons bring the sensibilities, ethics, and Gospel of the Church to the world!! Their lives are far more varied than the lives of priests and religious and they truly are commissioned to be the Church for others in every walk of life.  

The depth and import of this vocation have been diminished today. Vatican II wrote significantly of the universal call to holiness to urge us to appropriately honor the call to be laity. Some of the Church's earliest stories help in this. Remember St Perpetua (the patron saint of my own parish). Perpetua had not yet been baptized but was training for that when she was arrested for not worshipping the emperor. Imprisoned with other Christians, it became clear that she and they were in danger of death. ("Simply" having been baptized put one in danger of death because Christ became one's Lord and King!) Perpetua's father came to visit and asked her to recant any commitment to Christ. As the story goes, she refused, pointed to a water pitcher that could be nothing but a water pitcher, and told her father that neither could she be anything but what she was, a Christian. In that prison, Perpetua was baptized into full communion in the Church. Later, after much courageous suffering including watching her father be beaten with rods to convince her to betray her faith, she died in the arena as a baptized Christian and martyr for Christ. She lived and died as a member of the People of God, a member of the laos or laity just as she had been commissioned to do in the Name of God and God's Church. So, is it incredible, awesome even? Absolutely!!