By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky, Catholic Culture - The Parable of the Good Samaritan reinforces the truth that charity is personal, not bureaucratic. The Church includes all the baptized. “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (1 Cor. 12:27) The Catholic Church is universal. Many tribes and nationalities make up the Church. Like the relationship between Jesus and His disciples, the relationship between the clergy and the laity is personal. The clergy are priests, prophets, and kings. They celebrate the sacraments, proclaim the Gospel, and rule the Church—especially parishes, dioceses, and religious orders.