Volunteering in the context of the Open Door Church

Volunteering is a social phenomenon with a long-standing tradition – helping those in need can be found
at the foundation of every culture and all religions. At the same time, it is an evolving phenomenon that undergoes various changes over the years. The shift in the perception of volunteering, as we can see today, also affects churches and religious societies.

Lay people who are interested in volunteering in the church no longer want to be considered mere substitutes or assistants for fulfilling tasks; they do not want to be mere consumers of the sacramental and pastoral services of priests. They want to participate in the ministry and mission of the church themselves. Their voices were given relevance by the process of synodal renewal of the church, initiated by Pope Francis in 2021, which shows a new way of being Christians and a church in the modern world.

The author of the book reflects on this reality from a practical-theological perspective and shows that the form of the church of the third millennium as a servant church, a church of “open doors”, presents an opportunity for lay people to take co-responsibility for the life and role of the church through voluntary engagement, thus fulfilling their mission founded in baptism, as Pope Francis has repeatedly called them to do.