Apostolicam
Actuositatem – Decree on the
Apostolate of the
Laity
On 18 November 1965, the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity was
published. In this
document those who participated in the Second Vatican Council
outlined the role of the lay
apostolate in the mission of the Church. One particular area
identified was that of Charitable
Works and Social Aid:
Wherever people
are to be found who are in want of food and drink, of clothing, housing,
medicine, work,
education, the means necessary for leading a truly human life, wherever there
are
people racked by
misfortune or illness, people suffering exile or imprisonment, Christian
charity
should go in
search of them and find them out, comfort them with devoted care and give them
the helps that
will relieve their needs. (Ch 2,
paragraph 8)
From the beginning, and inspired by his mother ‘Mama Margaret’ who
sold her home and all
her earthly possessions to spend the last ten years of her life in
devoted service to the little
inhabitants of the first Salesian home, Don Bosco encouraged lay
people to participate in his
mission and apostolate.
Today lay people can participate in the work of the Salesians by
volunteering to work with:
a) Don Bosco House. A home founded in Dublin
residential care and support for young people who are unable to
live with their
families.
Or
b) Savio Volunteers, which provides opportunities for adults to participate in the
Salesian mission of ‘educating the young’ by sharing their talents
with the young
and the poor in Salesian
communities worldwide.
For You To Do:
stories of the volunteers.
2. Download an application form to join either the lay volunteer
programme at Don Bosco
House or Savio and see for yourself what is needed to participate
in this aspect of the
apostolate of lay people.
3. Discuss why you would
or would not like to be involved in these programmes.
