But a ‘community of faith’ or a ‘community of the faithful’ implies that there’s Someone and something we have the duty to be faithful to. We don’t invent the Catholic faith. Nor do we own it. We receive it; we live it in community; we witness it to others; and we pass it on fully -- as good stewards -- to our children. That’s what life in the Church means.”
Citing the Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, Archbishop Chaput laid out a vision of what the Church truly is, and truly ought to be in the world--all the way from the roles of laity up to that of priests and the bishops.
Fathers of souls
The Archbishop closed his talk by touching on the vocation of bishops within the Church, a role which Vatican II says is “a call to serve rather than a call to power.”
“Bishops”, he said, “have the same need for redemption as the people to whom they belong. The only difference is that God will hold bishops even more accountable because of the leadership to which He ordained them, and because of the graces of office that they’ve received.”
Archbishop Chaput described this vision, borrowing from the wisdom of St. Ignatius of Antioch, as he said: “Every bishop is a successor to the apostles and a pastor of souls. Every bishop has the duty to safeguard the liturgical life of the local Church.”
“Every bishop”, he continued, “must proclaim the Gospel and teach the true Catholic faith in his diocese. Every bishop should give an example of personal sanctity in charity, humility and simplicity of life. Every bishop should help the poor and suffering. Every bishop has the obligation to sanctify, encourage, correct and govern the local People of God.”
“Above all,” he said, “every bishop needs to do these things with fatherly love and fraternal charity, because the Church is a family of faith. It’s not a political party or an impersonal institution. It’s a family – a family of faith…A good father will do almost anything, and bear almost anything, to keep his daughter or son in the family.”
In a time in which many criticize and many more misunderstand the Second Vatican Council, Archbishop Chaput said that, ultimately, “whether history judges Vatican II as a success or a failure finally depends on us -- bishops, clergy, religious and laypeople alike – and how zealously we live our faith; how deeply we believe; and how much apostolic courage we show to an unbelieving world that urgently needs Jesus Christ.”