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Lay Ecclesial Ministers

What is a lay ecclesial minister?

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From Lay Ecclesial Ministry: The State of the Questions, the 1999 Report of the Subcommittee on Lay Ministry of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, p.9

  • A fully-initiated lay member of the Christian faithful responding to the empowerment and gifts of the Holy Spirit received in baptism and confirmation
  • One who chooses to respond to the call to participate in ministry after a period of prayerful discernment and after having received the necessary formation, education and training to function competently within a given area of ministry.
  • One who brings personal competencies and gifts to serve the Church?s mission through a specific ministry of ecclesial leadership and who does so with community recognition and support
  • One to whom a formal and public role in ministry has been entrusted or upon whom an office has been conferred by a competent ecclesiastical authority. An individual who has been installed in or called to a ministry through the local bishop or his representative, perhaps in a public ritual or ceremony
  • One who commits to performing the duties of a particular ministry in a stable manner. The person may be either a paid staff person, full or part-time, or a volunteer who has responsibility and the necessary authority for institutional leadership in a particular area of ministry.