A Summary on the Laity of Ad Gentes
PAGE 7 (AG 21)
This is one of the most important lines for the lay apostolate.
The Council says the laity have a special responsibility in mission because they live in the middle of the world — in families, workplaces, neighbourhoods, and cultural spaces where priests and religious often cannot be present.
Your apostolate becomes visible in the way you:
speak with honesty,
act with compassion,
make decisions with integrity,
and carry Christ into the ordinary places of life.
The Council teaches that the Church is not yet fully established in a place unless a mature laity has taken root, living the Gospel within the fabric of society. You aren't just an assistant to the mission; your presence makes the Church 'complete' in your workplace and social circles.
