Background notes for Apostolicam Actuositatem

Background

• • Questionnaires before Council indicated role of laity in various apostolates should be addressed
  • Particular interest in Catholic Action – attempt at organized Catholic activity in the secular world
  • Some other movements that sought to influence people in similar spheres of work
  • These movements, supported by the hierarchy, were viewed w/ suspicion in the English-speaking world
  • Some attempts to incorporate role of laity into other docs like LG
  • Some back-and-forth
  • Refused to reduce the doc to a set of propositions as requested of minor docs
  • Patrick Keegan
    • President of International Catholic Workers Movement
    • Becomes first layman to address the Council
  • Eventually receives fewest negative votes of all docs of the Council: 2
  • Had more speeches by Canadian bishops than Americans
    • Victoria recommended mention of 3 munera of Christ and unity of apostolate between lay and clerics be made more explicit
      • Adopted
    • Quebec brought in modification that lack of clergy is only a secondary reason for the lay apostolate