Before praying the Angelus with the pilgrims gathered today in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope explained that the «evangelical animation of the temporal order is a duty of every baptized person, in particular of the lay faithful.»
He delivered that message on the day marking the 40th anniversary of the promulgation of the Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution «Lumen Gentium.»
This text «constituted a milestone in the journey of the Church on the paths of the contemporary world and stimulated the people of God to assume, with greater determination, their responsibilities in the building of that Kingdom of Christ which will only have its fulfillment beyond history,» the Pope said.
John Paul II also pointed to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, published in October by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, as a new aid for the faithful. The Pope made a special point to thank the council for its contribution.
«To achieve its objective, however, every human effort must be supported by prayer,» the Holy Father added.
