CACERES HOLDS 2ND ARCHDIOCESAN CONGRESS FOR LAY LEADERS: The Church as Communion and the role of Lay Leaders as educators and formators discussed

By Dr. Ma. Asuncion Quimlat

PILI, Camarines Sur - Over 1,000 Catholic lay leaders attended the recently held Archdiocesan Congress on community leadership at the Fuerte CamSur Sports Complex, August 16, Saturday. In his keynote address, Rev. Fr. Wilmer Joseph Tria, Head of the Archdiocesan Cluster for Education, spoke about the Church as Communion and the role of lay leaders in promoting Communion. These topics are integral to the current pastoral focus of the Archdiocese: “Education towards Communion”.

All are called to a life of holiness

According to Fr. Tria, the theological concept of the Church as Communion is rooted in Vatican II, specifically from “Lumen Gentium” (The Light of the World). As stated in this encyclical promulgated by Pope Paul VI, “the Church is a community of believers united with God (our vertical relationship) and with others (our horizontal relationship)”. The Church then, mirrors the relational life of the Trinity -their communion of love and mission. As such, “we have a shared mission”.

Fr. Tria exhorted that “we are all called to holiness and service”. He said, “All baptized form one community with equal dignity but [with] diverse roles, working together for the Church’s mission.”

“Communion drives the Church to spread the Gospel, embracing cultural and liturgical diversity, with the Gospel embedded in any culture.”

Communion in Action

Equally emphasized in the keynote address was the essence of the Church as Communion, highlighted by examples such as parishioners gathering for a Sunday mass and sharing the body and blood of Christ, community service organized by the parish and participated in by both the lay and clergy, and global gatherings that celebrate the faith such as the World Youth Day.

The Church as Communion also brings to light the Synod on Synodality, which took place in 2021-2023 under the leadership of Pope Francis. Its fruits continue to shape the future of the Church, which aims for a Church that is more participative, collaborative and inclusive.

Hence, it is with these shifts in pastoral leadership style that Fr. Tria calls on the lay leaders of the Archdiocese to be co-responsible in the mission of the Church -to take a more active role in evangelization and catechesis, community building and pastoral care. The lay are called to collaborate with the clergy in facilitating and promoting the Church as Communion, he said.

It was in March of this year that the first Archdiocesan Lay Leaders Congress was held, with Fr. Tria as the keynote speaker as well. In his talk, he emphasized the social action dimension of a community, highlighting the importance of “cultivating [one’s] heart”, discernment and working towards the common good. He also lobbied for ecological stewardship, good governance and accountability in his talk.

Preparations for the annual Peñafrancia fiesta are currently ongoing. Last Monday, August 18, the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the Peñafrancia 2025 Joint Operations Center was held at the Archbishop Legaspi Hall of the Basilica Minore de Peñafrancia. This was attended by the 7 Joint Task Groups involved in the yearly celebration. (Photo credit: Archdiocese of Caceres and Mayor Leni Robredo)