Authority to preach?

[Ace86]

Who in the Catholic Church has the Authority to preach? Of course, there is the hierarchy, which was essentially mandated by Christ to preach the Gospel message in its totality to the whole world.

Then there are lay people. Can a layman or laywoman preach the Gospel? Do they have the authority to do so? Can they become missionaries? Or must they have permission from their bishop or local ordinary?

[jmcrae]

Originally Posted by Ace86

Who in the Catholic Church has the Authority to preach? Of course, there is the hierarchy, which was essentially mandated by Christ to preach the Gospel message in its totality to the whole world.

Then there are lay people. Can a layman or laywoman preach the Gospel? Do they have the authority to do so? Can they become missionaries? Or must they have permission from their bishop or local ordinary?

Lay people are called to preach the Gospel in the world. As lay people, we have close contact with the world through our work and families. We preach the Gospel through our actions and also through meeting with people one on one and sharing our faith with them.

Bishops, priests and deacons preach the Gospel at Mass by giving homilies and sermons, and they can also preach the Gospel in the world just as lay people do.

Lay people can also set up lay apostolates such as the Legion of Mary, for going door to door inviting people to come to Mass and praying with them, and also we can get involved with the secular media such as television, radio, Internet, and newspapers, to promote the Gospel through these media.

[Rykell]

Originally Posted by Catechism of the Catholic Church

905 Lay people also fulfill their prophetic mission by evangelization, "that is, the proclamation of Christ by word and the testimony of life." For lay people, "this evangelization . . . acquires a specific property and peculiar efficacy because it is accomplished in the ordinary circumstances of the world."

I hope this is what you were looking for, brother.