Minneapolis, Minn., Mar 13, 2018 / 15:24 pm
Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said it is the duty of the laity to represent the Catholic faith in the public arena, especially pointing to the current debate surrounding immigration.
"Within the Church, it is the laity who are called upon to 'especially assist with their Christian wisdom' the shaping of the temporal order in order to both further the common good and prepare the way for the Gospel," said Archbishop Hebda, citing the "Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity" from the Second Vatican Council.
The archbishop's call to action in a March 8 column for The Catholic Spirit comes in preparation for the second of three "Capitol 101" workshops, focusing on educating and encouraging the Minnesota faithful to better participate in the legislative process.
The first session was held by the Minnesota Catholic Conference on Feb. 26, and follow up sessions will be held March 16 and April 17. At the workshops, attendees are able to meet Minnesota Senators and Representatives and learn about relevant policies and the legislative process.