The Church in India has a Steady Growth of the Laity: Cardinal Filoni
Chennai (CBCI News): Inaugurating the National Seminar for the Laity organized by the CBCI Office for Laity, the Prefect for the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples and the Special envoy of Pope Benedict XVI lauded the progressive and steady growth of the Laity in India. “The Year of Faith could be the push forward needed to enhance further the Laity plays in the Indian Church”.
“The Seminars and training programmes must enable the lay faithful to deepen their faith, in order to make them in a better position to spread the Gospel. I am aware that it is not an easy task in the Indian Context. You can be the light of the world and salt of the earth in your neighbourhoods and your places of work and beyond”, he said.
Cardinal Fernando Filoni inaugurated the Seminar during a Eucharist Celebrated at the Santhome Cathedral Basilica, Chennai, on February 11, 2013.
The Apostolic Nuncio in India, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Chairman of the CBCI Office for Laity Bishop Stanley Roman, Archbishop of Madras–Mylapore George Antonysamy, Archbishop Emeritus Chinnappa, Bishops Neethinathan, Soundararaju and Dabre Concelebrated the Eucharist.
The Secretary of the CBCI Office for laity Fr. Vincent Chinnadurai introduced the theme of the Seminar. Cardinal Fernando Filoni opened the special logo to mark the inauguration of the Seminar. The joint Secretary Dr. Edward Edezath honoured Cardinal Filoni with a memento.
Around 75 lay people participated in the Seminar which was animated by Rev. Dr. Joe Mics and others. This Seminar is the beginning of a series of Seminars to be conducted in different regions of India.
Th event is aimed at helping Laity to rediscover and deepen their faith and to inspire and strengthen them in their commitment to be the Salt of the earth and light of the world, especially in our multi religious Country where Christians are only a minority and the challenge before us is mighty enormous.
Fr. Vincent Chinnadurai, Secretary, CBCI Office for Laity