On the front page of this week’s Paper, we carried a news item pertaining to the 39th Plenary Assembly of the National Catholic Laity Council at Bibiani in the Western Region. The Bishop of Ho, Most Rev. Emmanuel Fianu in an address, spelt out the role of the Laity and challenged them to live up to expectation.
Bishop Fianu clearly stated that all the faithful of Christ, irrespective of their rank or status in the Church, are called to the fullness of the Christian life.
The Catholic Standard would like to share the Bishop’s view that the Lay Faithful are called to actively participate in a ministry which is fully theirs and not to be called by the Clergy to do what is their responsibility.
Indeed, the Catholic Laity in Ghana have a crucial role to play for the growth and development of the Church and should therefore avail themselves to assume their proper roles in the Church for its development.
The mission and mandate of Jesus to the world is not limited only to a few, neither is it meant only for those who embrace the Missionary Vocation. The Second Vatican Council, particularly Lumen Gentium (Light of the Nations) and Gaudium Es Spes (Joy and Hope) teach us a lot about the place and the role of the Laity in the evangelising mission of the Church.
Furthermore, the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of St. John Paul II, Christifideles Laici (Christ’s Faithful People) remains a landmark Ecclesial Document on the participation of the Laity in the mission of the Church.
It is unfortunate that in some Parishes, as Bishop Fianu puts it, many of the lay faithful feel lost and function like ‘robots’ who come to Church on Sunday and all they see is the same cliques of people running Parish activities and constantly appealing for funds for one or the other purpose.
More often than not, you find the same people on Parish and Diocesan Committees for ages, even when they have nothing new to offer, as if there are no other people to undertake these responsibilities.
The Catholic Standard sees this situation as a kind of ‘mafia’ that has to be nipped in the bud lest these attitudes soon get out of control to the detriment of the entire Church in the country.
Every Lay person should feel free to avail him or herself to take up a function in the Church without being scared or intimidated by Priests or some of their fellow lay faithful.
You have the duty to ensure that your Parish is managed as stated in Canon Law and according to the teaching of the Church instead of relying on the dictates of a few self-seeking people. Be bold and respectful in expressing your views for the good of the Church.
Canon Law stresses this point very succinctly: “According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which [the laity] possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.” (Canon 212 §3).
We appeal to the Laity to be in the forefront in defending the values of Christianity and constantly make their presence felt in the realm of the Church and Ghanaian society at large. Let the Gospel values and your faith reflect in your everyday life situation. Be the salt of the earth and light of the world.
The Catholic Standard advises Catholics to allow themselves to be formed and make efforts to read and learn about the teachings and positions of the Church on doctrinal and social issues. Indeed, it is high time the lay faithful redoubled their evangelisation effort for the growth of the Church.
At least, for now, we are urging the lay faithful in Ghana to participate fully in this year’s- 2017- Laity Week programmes in their Parishes to understand their functions and responsibilities in the Church.
Arise Catholic faithful and be renewed!
