…Laity Chairman says 2024 year of Holy Rosary
Catholics have been asked to join pious societies of their choice in the Church, as this will be a requisite for the administering of sacraments, especially Baptism on persons requiring the Sacrament for themselves or children. The charge was given by Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the metropolitan See of Lagos, at an interactive session with the Laity, during the 25th AGM of the Lagos Archdiocesan Laity Council (LALC), held recently at St. Augustine Catholic Church, Ikorodu, Lagos.
Archbishop Martins who said that through active membership, the leaders of the societies will recommend their members or children for the Sacrament of baptism, enjoined parents to encourage their children to acquire training on social media skills, so as to utilise them as tools for evangelisation of the Word of God. He added that they can use cartoons and social media blog’s for contents on Catholic faith. On Leading for Mission (LFM) training, the Archbishop said there is a call for a memo to incorporate financial management skills into the training.
The Archbishop spoke on the need for Outstations and Mass Centres to conduct meetings in such a way that the attendees will never go back the same. He emphasised that discussing issues that do not add value to the meeting should be discouraged. Archbishop Martins informed the laity that the Archdiocese of Lagos is working on getting lands at various locations across the Archdiocese that will be called “The Catholic Cemetery for burial of Priests and Religious.”
diluting of the Catholic faith, he said priests that are distorting the content of the Catholic faith have been stopped from coming to Lagos Archdiocese, adding that any, and all priests from outside the Archdiocese must be thoroughly checked before they are granted permission to preach on the altar. On the Laity 5th Sunday collections, the Archbishop said that all laity chairpersons must keep engaging their priests, and report erring parishes to the Deans. Mr. Ugonna Ifedi, Chairman, Lagos Archdiocesan Laity Council, urged the laity to ensure that they pray the Rosary at every of their meetings, as he disclosed the enthronement of the Holy Rosary and declaration of 2024 as the Year of the Holy Rosary in the Archdiocese.
Ezeifedi disclosed that retreat will be held by Parishes and the Deaneries annually, on the occasion of the feast of St. Thomas More, Patron Saint of the Laity Council. He said 2024 Deanery Football Matches will hold across the Archdiocese, and the wining Deanery will get a cash prize of N500,000 to N700,000. Deanery Chairmen were given Rosaries blessed by the Archbishop, as they were directed to present these to the Deans and Chaplains. The Deanery Laity Chairmen and Excos are to work with the Deans and Chaplains in declaring 2024 the Year of the Holy Rosary in their various Deaneries. They are to purchase Rosaries, bless them, and give to all Parish Laity Chairmen, and Deanery Co-ordinators within their Deaneries, who will in turn do same in their parishes and outstations.
