VI: Catholic Action: Nature and Divisions

Now that we have a consideration of the ends of Catholic Action out of the way, we can now consider more precisely the divisions and nature of Catholic Action. As we treated above, there are immediate and intermediate ends to Catholic Action. The immediate end is for the sake of the intermediate end which terminates ultimately in the final end, i.e., the establishment of the kingdom of Christ on earth. The immediate end is the formation of consciences and the intermediate end are those various activities that different organizations engage in. The formation of conscience is for the sake of action. The former is considered the preparatory stage, the latter is called the executive stage. Pius XI writes

Catholic Action must consist of two things—it must fall into two parts not necessarily successive ones: two divisions, ideal and moral. A work of formation, in any case. Catholic Action must have as preliminary the individual sanctification of each one of its members: so that the supernatural life abounds and superabounds within them. But after this first and formative element, comes the second—the distribution of this life, the action of apostolate, which means putting into practice, in all its extension and in all its possibilities, the first apostolate of all, that of the Twelve Apostles (Speech to the Directors of the Catholic Action of Rome, April 19, 1931).

This is a frequent theme among the post conciliar popes as well. Formation is the foundation of the apostolate, which is action. This action is not merely for the end of personal sanctification, but for the end of the recovery of the social order. This is what distinguishes the formation of the apostolate different from other acts of sanctification. Thus far, we have frequently called Catholic Action ‘the Apostolate.’ What is the Apostolate? The Apostolate refers to a certain mission for the sanctification of others. It is something evangelistic. This is why the mission field of the Apostolate is so broad. It touches all those areas liable to sin and in need of redemption, which consists in all things, whether it is the media or education or politics or business. Each of these things are liable to transformation by the Apostolate. Yet, there are many different types of Apostolates. There is a unique Apostolate of Christ, the chief Apostle of our confession, there is an Apostolate of the Angels, of the twelve, of the Popes, of the Bishops, etc. Each of these Apostolates have a unique character. Our Apostolate is the Lay Apostolate which itself takes on a unique character. The Popes have specifically spoken of a number of different characteristics. The Apostolate of Catholic Action is Lay, Auxiliary, Obligatory, and Universal. First, the Apostolate of Catholic Action is a Lay Apostolate. To be a layman is to be a member of the Church who is neither a cleric nor a religious. Historically, the Apostolate was ordinarily carried out in most cases by clerics. Yet, in the past century, the Church has called upon the laity more and more to participate in greater areas in order to defend the Church against secularism. Bishop Civardi, writing in the early 20th century, said

The Church has, and always has had, the two categories of persons—clerics and religious—at her service. Now at a certain point of her history—and precisely, after the assault of secularism—the Hierarchy saw that these two brave and faithful services were no more sufficient for the new needs of the new times. And then she thought of mobilising also the other members of the Church, who occupy by far the largest sector—the laity. Forthwith Catholic Action ! As a matter of fact, the laity (as we shall see) have always come to the assistance of the clergy. But latterly the Church has desired to enlarge and organise this assistance, so as to create a true lay militia to operate on the flank of the two others. (pg. 50)

Above we stated that there is a two-fold way of considering Catholic Action, either as an activity or as an institution. As an activity, the laity is the efficient cause and as an institution the laity is the material cause. Yet, this does not mean that the clergy, religious, and hierarchy itself has nothing to do with Catholic Action, as we will see below when we treat the relationships between these groups and laymen in Catholic Action. Beyond this, it is important to point out that when we refer to laymen as participating in the lay apostolate, we refer to ALL laymen without any distinction. Baptism has given the duty and the Church calls all the faithful to Catholic Action. As Pius XI stated, “Catholic Action is a universal and harmonious action of all Catholics, without exception of age, sex, social condition, culture, or social or political tendencies.” Second, Catholic Action is also an auxiliary Apostolate. In scripture, we see that Our Lord bestowed upon the Apostles and their successors the Apostolate. This Apostolate gave them the power and authority to rule, teach, and govern with authority and efficacy. From this is formed the hierarchy of the Church. Their apostolate is called the Hierarchic Apostolate. In the strictest and primary sense, this is the Apostolate. Yet, it is clear that those in the hierarchy cannot carry out this mission themselves. They require other clerics and laymen to be collaborators in the mission given to them to discipline the nations. As Leo XIII wrote,

The office, indeed, of preaching, that is, of teaching, lies by divine right in the province of the pastors, namely, of the bishops whom “the Holy Spirit has placed to rule the Church of God.”…No one, however, must entertain the notion that private individuals are prevented from taking some active part in this duty of teaching, especially those on whom God has bestowed gifts of mind with the strong wish of rendering themselves useful. These, so often as circumstances demand, may take upon themselves, not, indeed, the office of the pastor, but the task of communicating to others what they have themselves received, becoming, as it were, living echoes of their masters in the faith. Such co-operation on the part of the laity has seemed to the Fathers of the Vatican Council so opportune and fruitful of good that they thought well to invite it. “All faithful Christians, but those chiefly who are in a prominent position, or engaged in teaching, we entreat, by the compassion of Jesus Christ, and enjoin by the authority of the same God and Saviour, that they bring aid to ward off and eliminate these errors from holy Church, and contribute their zealous help in spreading abroad the light of undefiled faith.”(16) Let each one, therefore, bear in mind that he both can and should, so far as may be, preach the Catholic faith by the authority of his example, and by open and constant profession of the obligations it imposes. In respect, consequently, to the duties that bind us to God and the Church, it should be borne earnestly in mind that in propagating Christian truth and warding off errors the zeal of the laity should, as far as possible, be brought actively into play. (Sapientiae Christiana)

Here we see that the laity are cooperators, collaborators. They are meant to echo the hierarchy in what they do. Hence, in another place, Leo calls us the “auxiliary militia” of the hierarchy in their Apostolate. The help we offer to the hierarchy was not began at our own initiative, but flows from the express will and mandate of the Church who constantly exhorts us to this work. The Hierarchy begs for our help in the immense task given to them and we as loyal sons are the Church are bound to respond by giving our aid according to our various charisms. In this, we act as the instruments of the hierarchy in carrying out the mission given to them in Christ. In this we are able to see the great dignity of  Catholic Action insofar as we are true participants in the mission of Christ given to the Apostles, which is the salvation of souls, a work greater than the creation of the entire universe. Hence, some authors will even refer to the Lay Apostolate as a quasi-priesthood. Third, beyond being lay and auxiliary, Catholic Action is also obligatory. Not only can we engage in the lay apostolate, we are ordered to. This can be considered from two perspectives, first, from the explicit teaching of the Church, and, second, from the very nature of the Lay Apostolate. There are countless texts from the Church on this matter, but one of the clearest and most succinct comes from Vatican I.

In the Heart of Jesus Christ do we conjure all the Faithful…and we command them in the Name of God and of our Divine Saviour, that they shall utilize all their energies to cause errors within the Church to cease, and for the diffusion of the light of the most pure faith. (Dei Filius)

From the very nature of things, the duty of the Apostolate is most intimately based on Charity. We engage in the Apostolate as an act of the love of God and neighbor.