St. Mary of Peñafort shared a reflection from Jon Jones on the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time on the topic of pastoral ministry. 

"Last month I explored a few examples from the Bible showing how the laity participated in the ministry of the early Church. We saw that they were a large reason for the success of the gospel spreading throughout the world behind and beyond the work of St. Paul," Jones wrote. 

The Magisterium provides a great deal of information for us, as the Second Vatican Council showed us.

Jones wrote that the Degree on the Apostolate of Lay People is a motivational statement from the Church. 

"In this document the council fathers lay out a vision for our participation in the Church that is so comprehensive and all encompassing that there is nowhere to hide," Jones wrote. 

In Chapter 1, we read of the spirituality and fruitfulness of the individual with that of the Church. In Chapter 2, we read of the work that we are called to in the areas of charitable and social work. In Chapter 3, we read of the ways in which this work happens. Other chapters further outline our duty as laypeople. 

"Every moment has the potential for God’s love to break through. Would you like to be the love of God for someone this week? I would. Our lives are pregnant with God’s love. And, just like our Blessed Mother, we are only able to carry this love with us when we answer ‘Yes’ to his call," Jones wrote.

While the number of Catholics has increased in the last century, we have seen a struggle for the Church to have an ample number of priests. This is due to a number of factors, but while the shortage of priests is a struggle in and of itself, the duties that we are called to as laypeople, is a call that we must be faithful to and answer.