The obligations and rights of the Equestrian EOHSJ of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem lay members to promote the message of salvation

Abstract

The Second Vatican Council marked an unexpected quality leap for the laity for two main reasons. Firstly, it proclaimed their equality of dignity with all other members of the faithful, and, secondly, it mandated them to evangelize the secular world as their proper domain, while contributing to their local and universal Church. The post-conciliar Magisterium of the Catholic Church enriched the laity’s growing importance, a stance embedded in the canonical legislation of the Latin (1983) and Eastern (1990) Churches. This study presents a commentary on the obligations and rights listed in Book II of the Code of Canon Law: this provides further legislative support for the above-mentioned mission of the laity articulated in Canon 225, 1, even though ecclesiastical structures supporting such teaching are still the subject of frequent criticism. In this scenario, there follows a focused survey of the identity, mission, and vocation of the lay members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (EOHSJ). This lay Catholic Order enjoys the protection of the Catholic Church and is entrusted by the Pope with the mission of enhancing the spirituality of all its members and supporting financially the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem to protect and promote Christianity in a very turbulent political region. A comparative study follows regarding the convergences, strengths, and challenges between the vocation of all the laity in general and the mission of the lay members of the EOHSJ, with recommendations based on the concept of ‘a new evangelization’ suitable for the secular world.