Power to the People

A prominent theologian makes the case for a more democratic model of governance within the Catholic Church.

Throughout the history of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, there’s been a level of discord between the laity and clergy. Sometimes subtle, sometimes more pronounced, this ripple of unrest is rooted in the model of church governance that puts priests and bishops in positions of unquestioned authority, leaving the laity with little to no control over matters that can profoundly impact their parish.

R. Scott Appleby, Ph.D., professor of history at the University of Notre Dame and director of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, addressed the issue in Flom Auditorium during a March 25 Sapientia et Doctrina lecture, “Shall the Laity be Liberated?” The yearlong lecture series celebrates the inauguration of Joseph M. McShane, S.J., the 32nd president of Fordham University.

“Because of the ecclesiology and divine teachings of the Catholic Church that put authority in the hands of bishops and the pope, the clergy can argue that top-down rule is not a political decision, but one that is rooted in the will of Christ himself,” said Appleby. “The problem is that this promotes a passive experience in the church and places priests in an elevated position away from the laity.”

There have been spurts of co-governance over the past 200 years—most notably in the late 18th century, when trustee boards of lay people oversaw management of their churches, including the hiring and firing of priests. But because of resistance from the clergy, the model didn’t take hold.

The distance between clergy and the laity has become even more pronounced in recent years due to the church sexual abuse scandal, according to Appleby, which has caused many people inside and outside of the church to question what they see as a lack of accountability. Unfortunately, rather than rally the laity toward a more proactive role in the church, said Appleby, the scandal has deepened apathy.

There is a wide spectrum of potential involvement for the laity in today’s Roman Catholic Church, ranging from an expanded role for parish commissions that consult with clergy on practical matters to giving the laity control over hiring decisions, budgeting, disciplinary matters, structures of accountability and even selection of bishops.

“Theologically, there is no impediment to this,” said Appleby, “but it can be viewed by the clergy as a profound threat.”

It is possible for a more collaborative church to emerge, one that leaves the sacramental and ritual duties in the hands of clergy, while giving lay people some control over management, according to Appleby. But it’s going to take a radical movement to force a change. There would have to be either a mass movement among Catholics demanding reform, or a directive from a future pope. There are American bishops who believe in a more active role for the laity, said Appleby, but they are unlikely to speak out.

“Clergy have a narrow range of flexibility. They are disciplined by their loyalty to the holy father,” said Appleby. “You don’t become a bishop with radical new thinking about the church.”

The notion that lay people are not of the church but of the world is a common defense of self governance. But that philosophy, said Appleby, is stifling the expectations of lay people decreed during the Second Vatican Council, which was held from October 1962 to December 1965. Vatican II called on the laity to communicate Christ’s grace to the world and lead others to a deeper faith. Such witnessing is not inspired, said Appleby, within a population that feels disengaged and apathetic.

“The laity does not need to feel apart from the church, but rather at the heart of the church. This is a time when the church needs to be united to answer fundamental questions about society.”

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