While it was interesting that Christine Schenk chose to write about bishops as being prophetic [some are], she missed one group completely----the laity.  There are times when the bishops should take a leadership role or when the official seal "Catholic church" needs to be applied.

But when we think of the church's life, in the secular world, the situation changes.  The laity, as members of the baptismal priesthood can [and should] exercise their ministry in the world under the authority of their baptism and they don't require commissioning or approval by church authorities.  The laity, does and needs to be encouraged to 'take up the mantle' of prophetic action and DEMONSTRATE the gospel message of caring for: the poor, the hungry, the sick, the displaced, the neglected, the imprisoned, the despairing.  Proclaiming the gospel in the world, the work of the laity, HAS to mean taking any and every opportunity to promote a different set of priorities than politics---church or civil.