Co-responsibility and formation, an inseparable pair for a synodal Church

Lay co-responsibility in the life of the Church and formation. An inseparable pair for an increasingly synodal Church. These issues were addressed by the Undersecretary of the Dicastery, Linda Ghisoni, in a message sent to the Biennial Convention of the Catholic Laity of the Philippines, held in late October in Tacloban City, in the Archdiocese of Palo, and sponsored by the Commission for the Laity of the local Bishops' Conference.

The theme of the Convention of this year “United in Mission as a Synodal Church” drew inspiration from the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life Convention of last February, which was also attended by a delegation from the Asian country.

"In everyday life," Undersecretary Ghisoni wrote, "each person must discover how to fulfill his or her baptismal vocation, through work, in the family, in accompanying those most in need, in active collaboration in the parish and diocese. Ultimately, they seek to be true witnesses of Christ today".

According to Pope Francis, as Linda Ghisoni recalls, it is precisely bearing witness that represents the place for the formation of the lay faithful, a vocational, rather than educational, formation that is born from listening to the kerygma. It is nourished by the Word of God and the sacraments and helps people to grow in discernment, both as individuals and as a community, and engages - straight away - in the apostolate and in every form of witness, however simple, that leads to closeness to one's neighbor.