Laity reflect on role in Church

DAVAO CITY—The Council of Lay Apotolates and Integrated movements (ACLAIM) in the Archdiocese of Davao gathered its members to reflect on their role in the local Church.

Through a general assembly last August 25, ACLAIM reflected on their roles and what they can do for the Church being a body with different organizations under their care.

Fr. Marbendear L. Morallas, ACLAIM Spiritual Director said this assembly also aims to look back on the dynamics of ACLAIM, revisit their constitution and by-laws and set their future direction.

He added that there are more than 50 organizations under ACLAIM and they can do a lot in the evangelizing mission of the Church through their respective charisms.

Fr. Morallas, who just assumed as spiritual director last June, said that the general assembly would also draw out the consensus from the different organizations on what they would like to happen in ACLAIM in the future.

The general assembly also looked back on how each community participated in the evangelizing mission of the Church, the laity’s participation in the parish, and the personal and spiritual growth of the members of the communities.

Fr. Ronald Lunas, parish priest of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur and professor of St. Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary of Mindanao gave a talk about the vocation of the laity.

He explained that the word laity was derived from the word ‘laikos’.

He added that the laity are called to be holy and they are part of the People of God and all that the term laikos entailed.

He quoted Lumen Gentium when he further explained that the laity are those faithful who by virtue of their baptism are “made one body with Christ and are established among the People of God.”

“The laity are to build Christian families,” Fr. Lunas said, adding that the laity should make their own families schools of holiness.

ACLAIM will make assemblies among leaders and members as a regular activity.