The Difference Between "Ministry" and "Apostolate"

A very well written clarification (with sources) from Insight Scoop.

We need to appreciate the difference between "ministry" and "apostolate" in the Church. In this regard, Vatican II is most helpful:

"They [the lay faithful] exercise the apostolate in fact by their activity directed to the evangelization and sanctification of men and to the penetrating and perfecting of the temporal order through the spirit of the Gospel. In this way, their temporal activity openly bears witness to Christ and promotes the salvation of men. Since the laity, in accordance with their state of life, live in the midst of the world and its concerns, they are called by God to exercise their apostolate in the world like leaven, with the ardor of the spirit of Christ." (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 2).

Furthermore,

"The laity derive the right and duty to the apostolate from their union with Christ the head; incorporated into Christ's Mystical Body through Baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord Himself. They are consecrated for the royal priesthood and the holy people (cf. 1 Peter 2:4-10) not only that they may offer spiritual sacrifices in everything they do but also that they may witness to Christ throughout the world." (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 3).

This blurring of "ministry" and "apostolate" was already addressed in the document "On Certain Questions Regarding The Collaboration Of The Non-Ordained Faithful In The Sacred Ministry Of Priest" released in 1997. Some brief, relevant excerpts from Section 4 of the document:

"In some cases, the extension of the term "ministry" to the munera [functions or tasks] belonging to the lay faithful has been permitted by the fact that the latter, to their own degree, are a participation in the one priesthood of Christ. The officia [office] temporarily entrusted to them, however, are exclusively the result of a deputation by the Church. Only with constant reference to the one source, the 'ministry of Christ' (. . .) may the term ministry be applied to a certain extent and without ambiguity to the lay faithful: that is, without it being perceived and lived as an undue aspiration to the ordained ministry or as a progressive erosion of its specific nature.

"The non-ordained faithful may be generically designated "extraordinary ministers" when deputed by competent authority to discharge, solely by way of supply, those offices mentioned in Canon 230, § 3(56) and in Canons 943 and 1112 . . . Temporary deputation for liturgical purposes — mentioned in Canon 230, § 2 — does not confer any special or permanent title on the non-ordained faithful."

"It is unlawful for the non-ordained faithful to assume titles such as "pastor", "chaplain", "coordinator", "moderator" or other such similar titles which can confuse their role and that of the Pastor, who is always a Bishop or Priest."

Herein lies the heart of the problem: the "extraordinary" has become "ordinary" in many parishes. “Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion” become “Eucharistic Ministers.” I’ve heard more than once, in open and public settings, lay people refer to themselves as pastors and chaplains. Priests, who either lack a proper understanding of the distinction between "apostolate" and "ministry" or simply choose to ignore it, exacerbate the problem by empowering laity to exercise ecclesial ministry in lieu of the apostolate. In some places, deacons have a hard time exercising ordained ministry in the parish because the priest believes lay ministry would be threatened.

Don’t get me wrong: I believe lay collaboration in ecclesial ministry is often necessary. The problem stems from the fact that this collaboration is now seen as a “right” and, in many cases, lay Catholic identity has become associated with the level and complexity of participation in parish ministry and not in apostolic activity. This was clearly not the intention of the Council.

What is the result of all this? We spend so much time battling over who gets to exercise ministry at Mass or in the parish that we are losing the war against the culture of death. We must return to an understanding that “the lay person engages himself wholly and actively in the reality of the temporal order and effectively assumes his role in conducting the affairs of this order. At the same time, as a living member and witness of the Church, he renders the Church present and active in the midst of temporal affairs” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 29).

• The Role of the Laity: An Examination of Vatican II and Christifideles Laici | Carl E. Olson

Thank you and a big H/T to Insight Scoop.

In the Battle for Souls

Disorder is always dangerous. It leads to destruction on some level. Anytime a man or woman lives contrary to God's design there will be problems.

There is an ongoing battle raging all around us. It is a battle for souls. God has given us his marching orders. We are called to be faithful to those orders.

These quotes come from a Zenit article, Becoming the Man God Made You to Be.
It is an interview with Doug Barry, director of the apostolate, Radix, aimed to strengthen the family. H/T: I found the article via Disciple of the Dumb Ox and it was his post title that caught my attention. A Phrase I Heard Often in My Youth
Here is one more quote I liked -- it boils down to BEING A MAN!

We focus on the three areas of a man: body, mind and soul. A man needs to be seeking to honor God in all three areas of his life if he is going to call himself a real man, a complete man.

Catholic Movements

The Knights of Columbus
The Knights was formed to render financial aid to members and their families. Mutual aid and assistance are offered to sick, disabled and needy members and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is promoted among members and their families through educational, charitable, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works.

The history of the Order shows how the foresight of Father Michael J. McGivney, whose cause for sainthood is being investigated by the Vatican, brought about what has become the world's foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society. The Order has helped families obtain economic security and stability through its life insurance, annuity and long-term care programs, and has contributed time and energy worldwide to service in communities.

The Knights of Columbus has grown from several members in one council to more than 13,000 councils and 1.7 million members throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Guatemala, Guam and Saipan.

Legion of Mary
WHAT IS IT?
The Legion of Mary is the largest apostolic organization of lay people in the Catholic Church, with well over 3 million active members in almost every country of the world. It has been active in the United States since 1931, has been approved by the last 6 Popes, and was endorsed by the Second Vatican Council. The main purpose of the Legion of Mary is to give glory to God through the sanctification of its members.

WHAT DOES IT DO?
Members become instruments of the Holy Spirit through a balanced program of prayer and service. Works include door-to-door evangelization, parishioner visitation, prison ministry, visitation of the sick or aged, crowd contact, religious education, visiting the newly baptized, Pilgrim Virgin Statue rotations, and meeting the other spiritual needs of the parish community. Legionaries are under the guidance of a spiritual director named by the pastor. The Legion is, in essence, an extension of the heart and hands of the pastor.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Members meet once a week for prayer, planning and discussion in a family setting. Then they do two hours of definite work each week in pairs and under the guidance of their spiritual director.

Life Teen
What started out as a youth group at St. Timothy's in Mesa, Arizona, has grown into the most prolific youth ministry in the Catholic Church. Every Sunday, 120,000 teenagers attend a Life Teen Mass. Our 1080 programs stretch around the globe into twenty countries.
Life Teen is an international Catholic movement that serves the Church by providing resources and faith experiences that help lead teens closer to Christ. This is accomplished through a vibrant Eucharistic spirituality and by creating widespread opportunities for teens to grow in their faith.

Marian Catechist
We are centered on the love of the Holy Eucharist, and marked by both a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and an unswerving loyalty to the Holy Father as Successor of Saint Peter in the office of Roman Pontiff.We work in the apostolate of catechesis, handing on to others the gift of Christ’s truth and love found in the Catholic Faith. We are absolutely faithful to the Magisterium.

Opus Dei

Opus Dei is a Catholic institution founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá.
Its mission is (Finding God in daily life) to spread the message that work and the circumstances of everyday life are occasions for growing closer to God, for serving others, and for improving society.

Communion and Liberation is an ecclesial movemnt whose purpose is the education to Christian maturity of its adherents and collaboration in the mission of the Church in all aspheres of contemporary life. It began in Italy in 1954 by Fr. Luigi Giussani and a founding principle is that the conviction that the Christian event, lived in communion, is the foundation of the authentic liberation of man. Communion and Liberation is today present in about 70 countries. The basic instrument for the formation of adherents is weekly catechesis called School of Community.

Regnum Christi
"This is what Regnum Christi precisely is: a movement of apostolate, a movement of evangelization, a movement in which each member wants to take seriously and responsibly the great missionary mandate Jesus Christ gave to all those who profess to be his followers. The Legionaries of Christ and the members of Regnum Christi wish to go into the entire world and preach the Gospel fearlessly, sustained by the almighty power of God, in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who told us: I will be with you until the end of time." (Fr. Marcial Maciel, L.C., May 24, 1997)

Regnum Christi is an apostolic movement at the service of mankind and the Church. Founded by Fr. Marcial Maciel in 1959, the Regnum Christi Movement includes lay men and women, as well as deacons and priests. It contributes to spreading Christ´s message to humanity by undertaking personal, organized apostolic activity.
Regnum Christi promotes among its members a deep sense of mission and ecclesial solidarity. As a dynamic organization, it encourages them to show initiative and reminds them of their responsibility, rooted in baptism, to make faith the driving force of their daily lives in their personal, family, parochial, profession and social environments. One of the particular characteristics of the Regnum Christi Movement is its bond with the Legionaries of Christ. The founder had the inspiration to found a religious congregation as part of a broader movement encompassing laity and diocesan clergy. The Legion´s governmental structure is that prescribed by Canon Law for religious congregations.

Courage Apostolate
Courage, an apostolate of the Roman Catholic Church, ministers to those with same-sex attractions and their loved ones.
We also have an outreach called Encourage which ministers to relatives and friends of persons with same-sex attractions.