LAY ASSOCIATES
As members of the Church—the beloved Bride of Christ, for whom He gave Himself to make her holy—we are all called through Baptism to a life of holiness:
“...to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy...” (1 Corinthians 1:2)
This call is not a one-time event but a lifelong journey. As the Second Vatican Council teaches:
“The laity must, by God’s grace, hold on to and continually perfect the holiness they have received.” (Lumen Gentium, 40)
Every Christian vocation
is, by its very nature, also
a missionary vocation.
As Associated Lay Members, we are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13–14), and the leaven in the dough (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:6), bringing the spirit of the Gospel into every aspect of society.
Together with the other members of our Fraternity, our Associated Lay Members serve wherever our charism is lived out: in prisons, on the streets, in underserved communities, among those trapped in prostitution, and through a wide variety of ministries and apostolic works. Their vocation is to sanctify the world by witnessing to Christ in their families, workplaces, parishes, and daily lives.
Those who express a desire to become an Associated Lay Member begin a process of personal accompaniment with the Director of Discipleship. Through prayer, discernment, and ongoing formation, both the candidate and the Fraternity seek to confirm God’s call to live the lay vocation within our charism.
Once this call has been discerned, the individual enters the Discipleship Formation Program, which lasts three years. Upon completing this period, the candidate makes a Temporary Covenant of Belonging. After faithfully living this commitment for a minimum of five years, the member may profess a Definitive Covenant of Belonging, fully embracing a lifelong commitment to the charism and mission of the Fraternity.
