Laity Sunday to encourage faith formation

Cardinal Oswald Gracias extolled and acknowledged the apostolic mission of the laity in his circular letter dated June 10.

Mumbai:  Bombay archdiocese organized a seminar marking the laity Sunday to help Catholics commit to living a spirit of faith and renewal as part of their role in evangelization.

The event was to help lay people “intensify their apostolic activity” so that they may more fully exercise their mission in the Church and in the world, Fr. Hilary Fernandes, who organized the seminar last Sunday said.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias extolled and acknowledged the apostolic mission of the laity in his circular letter dated June 10.

He referenced Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Letter for the Year of Faith, Porta Fidei, reiterating its call for believers not to grow “lazy in faith.”

Cardinal Gracias also called for Laity Sunday to be celebrated according to the guidelines issued by the Office for Lay Collaboration in Ministry, with prayer and participation in a diocesan rally.

Fr. Fernandes emphasized the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, which recognized lay people’s “indispensable role in the mission of the Church,” as well as the “apostolic duty” to prepare them.

In order to fill their role within the Church, members of the laity must not only be passively devoted, but active in shouldering their responsibility to evangelize, he said.

This requires an effort on behalf of all to “dialogue with culture, time and space,” he said, describing the calling of the laity an opportunity for “transformation and renewal” for all people, especially for young people to “discern” how their lifestyle and mindset can contribute to spreading the message of Christ.

Source: Catholic news agency