tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876502085465766394.post3708051929575959851..comments2024-01-17T03:08:25.317-06:00Comments on The Progressive Catholic Voice: The Second Challenge: Ministry — Ordained and LayPCV Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12519134580470262558noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-876502085465766394.post-55436495714378026092010-09-11T18:55:37.572-05:002010-09-11T18:55:37.572-05:00Another way to see things is to think of lay peopl...Another way to see things is to think of lay people as an order of ministry by virtue of our common Baptism. <br /><br />My goal here is not to proselytize nor push the Episcopal Church. My goal is to share another point of view of the same equation. Our Catechism or "Outline of the Faith" is found in the Book of Common Prayer, which is our one and only major document that states what we believe, and what we also pray.<br /><br />On page 855 the question is: "Who are the ministers of the Church?" The answer is: "The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests and deacons." After that each question addresses the four orders of ministry. Reminding us that whether we are a lay person, bishop, priest or deacon our first responsibility as each is to "represent Christ and the Church". Each of us carries that responsibility in a different way, but all of us have that responsibility. <br /><br />Keep in mind that there are many within the Episcopal and Anglican traditions that consider ourselves "Anglo-Catholic". While we worship and pray within the Anglican Tradition, we also regard the work of our Roman neighbors as very important. We share in many cases the same calendar of Saints, in others our Saints are different. We even believe in and accept Pope John XXIII as a Saint of the Episcopal Church. But so is Justice Thurgood Marshall, Enmegahbow and Chief Seattle.Br. Anselm Philip King-Lowe, OSBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02153443604460189234noreply@blogger.com