O'Connell L J
Health Prog. 1986 Sep;67(7):32-5.
The Second Vatican Council's emphasis on coministry--wherein clergy, religious, and laity share responsibility and assume accountability--has opened the way for new forms of ministry that respond to contemporary needs. One such need is in large institutional ministries traditionally sponsored by religious institutes or dioceses. As fewer religious are available to enter the health care ministry, some religious institutes are being forced to consider the transfer, sale, or closure of their institutions. In addition to these pressures on traditional forms of sponsorship, the health care needs of the poor also may demand lay sponsorship of some facilities. Since the laity are called to consider the "needs of the times" in determining the focus of their ministry, they should seriously consider the possibility of direct sponsorship of institutions dedicated to the health care of the poor. Although conditions prevailing in the Church and in society present a compelling challenge to the laity, this situation eventually may lead to a more positive understanding of the laity's place in the sponsorship of institutional ministries.
梵蒂冈第二届大公会议对共同事工的强调——即神职人员、修会会士和平信徒共同分担责任并承担问责——为回应当代需求的新事工形式开辟了道路。其中一种需求存在于传统上由宗教机构或教区赞助的大型机构事工中。由于可供进入医疗事工的修会会士越来越少，一些宗教机构被迫考虑转让、出售或关闭其机构。除了这些对传统赞助形式的压力之外，穷人的医疗需求也可能要求平信徒对一些设施进行赞助。既然平信徒被召唤在确定其事工重点时考虑“时代的需求”，他们就应该认真考虑直接赞助致力于穷人医疗保健的机构的可能性。尽管教会和社会中普遍存在的状况对平信徒构成了严峻挑战，但这种情况最终可能会使人们对平信徒在机构事工赞助中的地位有更积极的认识。
