Home
CBCI
CBCI
CBCI Centre
Regional Bishops Councils
Catholic Council of India
Catholic Religious of India
Pledge
CBCI Offices
Clergy and Religious
Dialogue and Desk for Ecumenism
Doctrine
Education and Culture
Health Care
Justice, Peace and Development
Labour
Women
Laity
Scheduled Castes/Backward Classes and Tribal Affairs
Social Communications
Youth
Media/Information
National Centres
Caritas India
St. John's National Academy of Health Sciences
National Biblical, Catechetical, and Liturgical Centre
National Vocation Service Centre
National Institute for Social Communications, Research and Training
Society for Medical Education, North India
Media
Online Radio
Vatican Radio
RVA
Video Gallery
Photo Gallery
Links
Contact Us
Church In India
Cardinals/Bishops
Cardinals
Diocesan Bishops
Archbishops
Bishops
Co-adjutor Bishops
Auxiliary Bishops
Curia Bishops
Apostolic Visitators
Apostolic Administrator
Honorary Members
Dioceses of India
Circulars/Policies
Circulars
Messages
Pastoral Letters
Policies
Statements
Publications
CBCI Publications
Offices/Centres
Others
Resources
The Bible
CCC
Canon Law (Latin)
CCEO (Oriental Code)
Vatican Documents
Sunday Reflections
Articles/Columns
Information
The Vatican
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope John Paul II
Saints in the Catholic Church
Election of a new Pope
Appointment of a Bishop
Who is a Cardinal?
Greater Role Of Laity Stressed
12 July,2012
New Delhi (ucanindia): Laity should be given priority to take up leadership roles, representatives of Small Christian Communities’ in West Bengal-Sikkim region have said.
More and more laity need to be identified and trained to take active facilitating role in the region and in the dioceses, said Ajit Mondal, SCC animator from Krishnanagar diocese.
He was speaking at the July 11-13 annual meeting of the Regional Service Team (RST) and Diocesan Service Teams at Asansol diocesan Pastoral centre, Burdwan.
“If given a chance, the laity will be as efficient as priests to animate, coordinate and facilitate Small Christian Community programmes in the dioceses,” said Mondal, who is involved in SCC promotion for last 10 years.
The SCCs are small groups in which the faithful meet in houses to pray and reflect on the Scriptures.
Small Christian Communities should collaborate with all the commissions in the diocese to bring about unity and dynamism in the Church, Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta said.
He stressed upon the need for SCCs to become an umbrella to connect with all the commissions in the diocese for better implementation of any programme.
The Regional Service Team, which comprises representatives from all the eight dioceses of West Bengal and Sikkim region, has presently two lay representatives out of 12 members including a bishop and a religious sister.
“We need to have at least 50 percent laity in the RST which plans, monitors and organises trainings for SCC animators,” said Mary Ghosh from Calcutta.
All unanimously suggested to include more lay persons in the Regional Service Team.
More resources need to be allotted for training of the laity, said Fr. Arul Rozario, Diocesan SCC coordinator of Krishnanagar.
The region has 1550 Small Christian Communities’ units.
The participants decided to celebrate the year of Faith as “Faith formation” year for the SCC families.
About 60 animators including priests and religious attended the meeting.
>