In 2005, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published a pastoral guide titled Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, recognizing anew the vocation of the laity within the Church’s mission and concretizing collaboration with clergy. This document can be considered a crucial pastoral foundation that foresaw the spirit of “synodality” emphasized by Pope Francis.
The preface of the guide begins: Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord is a resource for diocesan bishops and for all others who are responsible for guiding the development of lay ecclesial ministry in the United States. For several decades and in growing numbers, lay men and women have been undertaking a wide variety of roles in Church ministries. Many of these roles presume a significant degree of preparation, formation, and professional competence. They require authorization of the hierarchy in order for the person to serve publicly in the local church. They entrust to laity responsibilities for leadership in particular areas of ministry and thereby draw certain lay persons into a close mutual collaboration with the pastoral ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons.
This short preface encapsulates the direction the Church must pursue: clergy and laity working together as partners in cultivating the Lord’s vineyard—this is the Church’s true identity as it journeys toward the The term synodality, now frequently heard in the Church, refers to a spirituality of accompaniment— listening to one another, attending to each other’s joys and sufferings, discerning together, and walking together. Pope Francis envisioned a “listening Church,” a “Church in the world,” where every member of the faithful actively participates in community life.
At Holy Family Parish in Fiji, where I serve, we also prepared various programs to encourage active participation by the laity in celebration of the Jubilee Year of Pilgrims of Hope. Pastoral council members divided into zones and visited the homes of inactive parishioners, sharing prayer, comfort, and warm companionship.
One evening, after returning from a Mass at a remote area, I noticed it was nearly 2 a.m. We had spent the evening laughing, crying, and sharing stories of faith and life with parishioners, losing track of time. On the drive back, the pastoral council president said, “Father, my body is exhausted, but strangely, my heart feels full.” That moment struck me: This is the life of a missionary. Even when physically tired, the spiritual joy of sharing and serving in the Lord’s name is the true fruit of ministry and the peace that God gives.
“It’s not only priests, nuns, or lay missionaries sent abroad who are ‘missionaries.’ Everyone who is baptized is a missionary.” This was the message I shared in a homily during Mission Month. Our homes are small worlds. Within them are people we must understand, forgive, and embrace with love. Even if we cannot go abroad, we are called to be “domestic missionaries” who share the Good News in our homes, workplaces, and communities. Every smile we offer, every word of encouragement, every warm gesture of holding someone’s hand—these are moments when Christ’s love is made present. That is the beginning of the Gospel, and that is the vineyard God has entrusted to us.
Therefore, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord is not just a pastoral manual—it is a story of vocation given to all faithful. As “pilgrims of hope” journeying toward the Kingdom of God, we are invited to lead one another, learn from one another, and live united in love. The Church does not belong to a few; it is a community built and borne together by all, with Christ’s love always at its center. We are all missionaries, laborers in the Lord’s vineyard. When the Lord calls us and we call each another, His vineyard will grow wider, and its fruits will be ever more abundant.
Columban Fr. Carlo Jung Euikyun is from South Korea. He lives and works in Fiji.