Are all Parishes having the Laity Councils? Those who have, how effective and efficient are they working? Are they being giving the free will to work as Laity Councils? How supportive are the Parish Priests/Chaplains to ensure the Laity Councils become effective? Are Laity Councils financially independent to organise formation programmes? Are the Laity Councils treated as Committees or Councils in Parishes? How effective do the Laity themselves participate in activities organised for them in their Parishes? Do the lay Societies/Groups in Parishes only patronise their own societal activities and ignore those planned by the Laity Councils?
The above are some of the questions lingering on my mind as a lay person in the Catholic Church working in the media. Over the years, I have participated in many National, Archdiocesan, Deanery and Parish Laity Council activities across the country and I see the enthusiasm of the Laity to help the Church in diverse ways.
However, my observation is that some Laity themselves at the National, Diocesan, Deanery and Parish levels do not really understand how valuable they are to the Church and how Church documents make room for their full participation in the life of the Church. But, my worry may also be, how is the Church also making good use of the expertise, skills and talents of the Laity at the various levels?
The role of Parish Laity Councils in Ghana cannot be underestimated since they play vital roles in the growth of every Parish. The Parish Laity Council is indeed charged by the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity [Apostolicam Actuositatem] with the goal of intensifying the apostolic activity of the laity by promoting and coordinating Parish lay initiatives.
For effective implementation of the Lay Apostolate programmes throughout the country, the National Catholic Laity Council is bid to help to promote the formation of Laity Councils at all levels of Church organization – National, Provincial, Diocesan, Deanery and Parish as enshrined in the revised Constitution of the National catholic Laity Council.
The aims of the Laity Council include promoting the Spiritual Formation and Education of the entire lay people in the Church in order to help them embrace whole-heartedly and unconditionally, the “call to holiness” addressed to all the people of GOD. (Lumen Gentium 3942); serve the Church through the activities of its constituent bodies, and help to infuse Catholic thought and concern into public discourse nationally and internationally.
While individual groups in the Parish are responsible for organising and directing their own activities, the Parish Laity Council is in charge of coordination and promotion of lay apostolic zeal amongst parishioners.
The Parish Laity Council is set up to be responsible for the regular [annual or bi–annual] promotion of all Parish lay initiatives with the goal of educating parishioners and getting them more involved in Parish life. Such occasions are also useful for the introduction of new initiatives that are planned by the Parish Pastoral Council [PPC] as needed for the achievement of Parish goals.
The Parish Laity Council from time to time researches the needs of the Parish and proposes the introduction of new lay initiatives to the Parish Pastoral Council or to parishioners as approved by the Parish Priest.
The Parish Laity Council embarks on campaigns to recruit members of the laity into programmes that help them discover their spiritual gifts and talents thereby empowering them for apostolic work.
As part of its coordinating role, the Parish Laity Council researches new proposals on Parish apostolic initiatives and making recommendations to the Parish Pastoral Council on their proper classification and fit into the Parish, promotion of apostolate formation such as instruction in Theology, Ethics and Philosophy, Culture, Good Human Relations, Human Values, Living Fraternally with Others, Cooperating with Others, Striking Up Friendly Conversation with Others and Leadership Skills.
The Parish Laity Councils also have the role of promoting research and study in the apostolate field and on specific lay and human problems such as departures from the ethical and religious order in all spheres of life which pose a danger to Christian life; and discerning the particular and common needs of lay groups with similar areas of apostolate for the purposes of advising and providing resources for the formation of individuals and leaders for intensified apostolic activities.
The above roles of Laity Councils enumerated above are clear indication that the Laity have a crucial role play in the life of the Church but can only do so through the cooperation with the clergy and the lay people themselves.
Article 14 of the Constitution of the National Catholic Laity Council (NCLC) outlines the structure and organisation of the Parish Laity Council as follows: Two (2) representatives of Catechists, one representative each of recognised lay organizations- 12 of them, one representative of the Basic/ Small Christian Communities, one representative of Laity Committee of an Outstation – this nullifies the Parish Laity Committees in some parishes, Two (2) representatives of PPC, One (1) representative of the Youth Council and Women Council respectively.
The executives are elected to positions of chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Recording Secretary, and Financial Secretary while the Chairperson of Parish Youth Council (PYC) and President of Council of Catholic Women add to the number of Executive Committee members.
While the advocating for the strengthening of Laity Councils in Parishes, note need to be taken that Laity Council is not formed to take the shine out of any Chairperson or President of groups and Societies or any recognised Lay Organisations but to coordinate, monitor and facilitate the respective charisms and apostolates of individuals and groups for our own good and the good of the Church.
At the maiden launch of the Accra Archdiocesan Catholic Laity Council Programmes for 2022 at the St. Kizito Parish at Nima, Mr. Timothy Sowah, Chairman of the Archdiocesan Council, is quoted to have said that “The Laity Council is not and will not be in competition for power with the Parish Pastoral Council especially at the Parish level but to collaborate with the PPC and the Church to ensure that in future, persons who are elected or appointed to PPC are people who have received some appreciable training and formation through the programmes of the Laity Council.”
According to the Laity Constitution, the Accra Archdiocesan Catholic Laity Council is also a governing body apart from it being the highest coordinating body, Mr. Sowah said, indicating, “One of its mandate is to coordinates and articulates at all levels the desires of individuals and groups’ efforts in support of the apostolate of the church.”
At Archdiocesan Catholic Laity Council level, he said, it was the highest coordinating body of all apostolates including recognised Lay Organisations and Leaders of Deanery Executives.
According to the Laity Constitution, the Accra Archdiocesan Catholic Laity Council is also a governing body apart from it being the highest coordinating body, Mr. Sowah said, indicating, “One of its mandate is to coordinates and articulates at all levels the desires of individuals and groups’ efforts in support of the apostolate of the church.”
The Parish Laity Councils are also formed and in their desire to function as required by the National Laity constitution are to require all the representatives to submit the ensuing year’s programmes latest by 31st of October each year.
These programmes, he stated “shall be analyzed and appropriate spiritual programmes that would benefit the entire parishioners will be selected and harmonised as a draft or proposed programme for further scrutiny and adoption by the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC).The programme so adopted would be published on a canvass and splashed admiringly on the walls of the parish as the parish’s owned annual programme of activities.
This effort, i think, would not only save the Parish Pastoral Councils the headache of attempting to draw up annual programmes but will invariably exact ownership of the lay apostolate of the Parish.
As a reminder, in his keynote address to the 2014 Laity Congress held in Achimota School / Ss. Thomas More & John Fisher, the then Nuncio to Ghana, Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich called on the laity “to be at the forefront of the Church’s activities”.
Having a formidable Laity Council is indeed very eminent and Parishes should ensure they have the Council to enhance and intensify the activities of the lay apostolate.
The Laity form 99.9% of the Church’s population and their involvement would indeed help the Church to grow. In my candid opinion, Parishes should endeavour allocate or make adequate funds/budget for the activities of Laity Councils for effective lay apostolate and organisation of formation programmes.
The resourcefulness of the Laity should make every Parish richer and also serve as a channel and a tool of knowledge for both the Clergy and the lay people.
By Damian Avevor
