Precedent for lay involvement

by Letters Editor · October 28, 2010

At Mass in late September we received brochures advertising the newly-created SACBC Foundation, asking us to contribute to it either directly or in the form of a bequest.

I would like to thank the bishops� conference for this important initiative. There is no doubt, as the brochure says, that we need to do more to support our local Church; we cannot expect to rely on �overseas� funding forever.

The brochure outlines the great variety of work undertaken by the Church in so many fields. Reading the list of the Conference�s departments, offices and associate bodies gives us all an idea of the huge contribution the Church makes to wider society, especially in the social sphere.

The commitment that the foundation�s financial and narrative reports will be publicly accessible is also welcome; as is the statement that �You ARE the Church�, which is obviously aimed primarily at the laity, who will contribute the great majority of the funds.

When I came to the last of the �questions and answers� in the brochure, though, I found myself disappointed. Having told us that �We ARE the Church�, why was it felt necessary to have only the five archbishops as trustees? Surely this was an ideal opportunity to recognise the responsibility, competence and right of laypeople in the temporal affairs of the Church?

There is a very clear local precedent for such lay involvement. In the archdiocese of Cape Town a Catholic Schools Trust has been established to take over ownership of the schools currently owned by the archdiocese. In due course it will also take ownership of some of the schools belonging to the Cabra Dominican Sisters.
The value of the trust�s property will certainly exceed R50 million which the SACBC Foundation seeks to raise.

It is stipulated in the trust�s founding deed that at least half of the trustees be laypeople. At the moment, of the six trustees, only two are clergy; the others are a religious sister, who is also the chairperson, and three laypeople with expertise in education, finance and law.

If a vote has to be taken, a simple majority suffices. It seems a pity that the opportunity was not taken at the establishment of the SACBC Foundation to concretise the notion that �You ARE the Church� by inviting a few suitably qualified laypeople and religious to join one or two of the archbishops as trustees. That this would have sent out an affirmatory and constructive message of joint lay/clerical responsibility for the future of the local Church is self-evident.

I assume that this possibility must have been discussed, and for some reason rejected. It would be interesting to know why.
Mike Pothier, Cape Town