What can I do for the Church?

[Sorbetto]

As a woman beginning her conversion to Catholicism in just 3 months, I’m anxious to find out what I can be to the Church. I certainly feel a “pull,” especially after all this time, to do something…and yet I know I am called in vocation to be a wife and mother in a Catholic family, so my duty to the Church will be some sort of layperson.

But what can a woman do? Women can do readings… be Eucharistic ministers (although some do not agree with this)… I’d be interested to hear what some of you women do in the Church, or what women CAN do.

 

[Saint_Andrew]

Hello

If though I am a male, there is various things which you can do which do not take much time. Such as offertory collecting, typing the church bulletin in a rota system etc.

God Bless
Saint Andrew.

 

[mercygate]

As a newbie, I would counsel: Do *nothing! *

Do nothing but pray; study prayer (by doing it). Give yourself completely to Christ in a kind of solitude rather than in activity. Think of this introductory period, this great transition in your life as your “cloistered novitiate.” Allow the Holy Spirit to mold your heart apart from all the busy-ness of parish life.

Activity will come later, and it will arise out of the foundational relationship with Christ you will be building during this graced time of your life.

 

[Deacon_Tony560]

Sorbetto:

As a woman beginning her conversion to Catholicism in just 3 months, I’m anxious to find out what I can be to the Church. I certainly feel a “pull,” especially after all this time, to do something…and yet I know I am called in vocation to be a wife and mother in a Catholic family, so my duty to the Church will be some sort of layperson.

But what can a woman do? Women can do readings… be Eucharistic ministers (although some do not agree with this)… I’d be interested to hear what some of you women do in the Church, or what women CAN do.

I have found converts to be such a gift to our church. A convert started our rosary group. Do not lose your enthusiasm. Woman have very important roles in the church. Women teach in the seminary. Some parishes have women administrators. Find what you are comfortable doing-Reader, EM, visiting sick, start a food pantry, start a prayer group Etc. Converts have a freshness that I believe is right from the Holy Spirit. We need converts to be an example to cradle Catholics to “Get up off the couch” and live their Baptismal mandate.

 

[baltobetsy]

On the other hand, you may wish to make the most of your vocation as a lay person, and not take a visible role in your parish. Instead, lay people are specifically called (and this is the main message of Vatican II) to sanctify the secular world by living out Christian values in society and being salt and light for others. In your workplace, you can be the one who stands for the dignity of the human person, for honesty and ethical dealings in all business transactions, for care for the poor and disadvantaged. In your family, you can be a strong leader by your example of prayer. Among your friends, you can bring them one by one to the same close relationship you have with Christ, bringing them, according to each one’s needs, to basic truths, to Catholicism or back to the active practice of their faith, particularly to Confession.

It is a great misconception of many people that in order to live out one’s vocation to holiness, it is necessary to do something in the parish or to have a special role in the liturgy. That’s what priests, deacons and religious are for. Our role as lay people is to consecrate the world to Christ.

Betsy