The Parish Laity Council - (PLC)

Laity Council

The laity council is the coming together of the leaders of societies and organizations of the lay faithful with the aim of moving the parish to an enviable position

The second Vatican Council reserves the term ‘lay faithful’ for members of Christ’s faithful called to ‘’seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and ordering them according to the plan of God. “Like the clergy and religious, they too are by baptism made sharers in Christ’s priestly, prophetic and kingly office, but sent to be ‘salt and light’ and to act as leaven for earthly progress. Lay Christians are charged to be on the front lines of the Church’s life in the world. Renewal in the Church’s mission to the world demands that attention be increasingly devoted to the dignity, character, role and contribution of the laity.

Lay faithful are thus by definition non- ordained members of Christ’s faithful and non-professed members of religious institutes sanctioned by the Church. .By baptism and confirmation, a lay person is united with Christ the head, incorporated into his Mystical Body, and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit. From Baptism, therefore, members of the laity received the very life and love of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. As exalted members of Christ’s chosen race and royal priesthood, they share in the common priesthood of all the believers.

The laity constitutes about 99% of the members of Christ’s faithful. Only 1% constitutes members of the clergy and religious. This enormous portion of Christ’s flock is to be awakened, prepared and fully mobilized. The indispensible role of the laity in the Church’s evangelization led the Consular Fathers (of the Second Vatican Council) to admit that "without the laity apostolate, the priest is generally unable to achieve its full effectiveness.’’

The Duties of the Laity Council

1. To evangelize. With regards to this grave obligation, St Paul said ‘’woe is me if I do not proclaim the Good news. Evangelization is the entire process by which an individual is led to personally encounter and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, and as member of his Mystical Body, the Church, to surrender his life to him in the Holy Spirit.
2. To know the Catholic faith, defends, protect, witness to it in season and out of season, share and vigorously spread it. Faith dies when it is possessed alone, but ‘’ is strengthened when it is given to others.’’ The touchstone of evangelization, i.e. the test of truth received and lived lies in the fact that ‘’the person who has been evangelized goes on to evangelize others. New evangelization calls for new zeal, fresh enthusiasm, new methods of initiatives, and new expression in spreading the faith. The Spirit gives boldness, confidence and apostolic courage to those who respond to the invitation and surrender to his promise.
3. Effective evangelization usually begins with witness of an authentically Christian life characterized by exemplary presence, sharing and solidarity, referred to as silent proclamation. As Pope Paul IV said ‘’the present century thirst for authenticity’’ and ‘’modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.’’ The heart and mind of people are awakened more by witness of life than by the internal logic and consistency of what is shared. This witness of life may consist in virtues like humility, simplicity, spirit of prayer, compassion, detachment and self-sacrifice. The same Holy Spirit who gives efficacy to witness of life direct and gives power to the word of life that is shared
4. To promote the Apostolate of the Laity in accordance with the Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People of the Second Vatican Council and the Dogmatic constitution bon the Church LUMEN GENTIUM

Membership

The membership of the Laity Council in the Parish comprises of representatives of the following societies/organizations:

1. Sacred Heart of Jesus & Mary
2. The Presentation Choir
3. Catholic Charismatic Renewal
4. Board of Lectors
5. Board of Church Wardens
6. St Jude’s Society
7. Catholic Women Organization (CWO)
8. Catholic Men Organization (CMO)
9. Legion of Mary
10. Divine Mercy
11. St Rita Society
12. Blue Army
13. Young Catholic Professionals (YCP)
14. Infant Jesus Society
15. Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON)
16. St Anthony of Padua
17. St Vincent De Paul
18. Catholic Lawyers Association
19. Padre Pio Society

In St. Gerald Catholic Church, hands of the lay faithful have always been on deck to actualize the parish mission statement – “Deep spiritual Commitment as a driving force and instrument for grassroot evangelism”

The Parish laity council Is charged by the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity (Apostolicam Actusitatem) with the goal of intensifying the apostolic activity of the laity by promoting and coordinating parish lay activities. So whereas individual groups are responsible for organizing and directing their own activities, the Parish

Parish Laity council. Aims and Objectives: To propagate and defend the Catholic faith; To serve as animator of lay Apostolate activities within the parish; To maintain peace and orderliness among different lay associations and parishioners; To assist the Parish Priest/Pastoral team with practical help, advice or suggestions

The laity council is the coming together of the leaders of societies and organizations of the parish with the aim of moving the parish to an enviable position.

Members Of The Parish Laity Council (Plc)