Oct 8, 2009 / 18:05 pm
Catholic lay leadership is essential in public life and can accomplish much that Catholic bishops cannot do, Archbishop of Denver Charles J. Chaput has said. His Thursday speech at an awards banquet praised Belmont Abbey College for standing up for its “right to be Catholic,” while also warning that evil will certainly triumph if it is left unopposed.
“There may be many times when a bishop or group of bishops needs to speak out publicly about the moral consequences of a public issue. But the main form of Catholic leadership in wider society – in the nation’s political, economic and social life – needs to be done by you, the Catholic lay faithful,” he said.
The archbishop’s remarks came in his acceptance speech for the Envoy of the Year Award bestowed by Belmont Abbey College’s Envoy Institute.
Archbishop Chaput emphasized the need to form Catholic lay leaders who know and love the teachings of the Church and faithfully live them out.