In the decree of II Vatican Council, on the apostolate of the laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem (Apostolic Activity) by St. Pope Paul VI, on November 18, 1965, the vocation of the laity as missionary has been dealt.
In the Church there is a diversity of ministry but a oneness of mission. Jesus Christ conferred on the Apostles and their successors the duty of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling in His name and power. But the laity likewise shares in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ and therefore has their own share in the mission of the whole people of God in the Church and in the world. They exercise the apostolate in fact by their activity directed to the evangelization and sanctification of men. In this way, their temporal activity openly bears witness to Christ and promotes the salvation of men. Since the laity, in accordance with their state of life, lives in the midst of the world and its concerns, they are called by God to exercise their apostolate in the world like leaven, with the ardour of the spirit of Christ (AA 2).
The laity has received the right and duty to the apostolate through Baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through Confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord Himself. They are consecrated for the royal priesthood and the holy people (cf. 1 Peter 2:4-10) not only that they may offer spiritual sacrifices in everything they do but also that they may witness to Christ throughout the world.
One engages in the apostolate through the faith, hope, and charity. All the faithful are impelled to promote the glory of God through the coming of His kingdom and to obtain eternal life for all men-that they may know the only true God and Him whom He sent, Jesus Christ (cf. John 17:3). On all Christians therefore is laid the preeminent responsibility of working to make the divine message of salvation known and accepted by all men throughout the world.
Imbibing the above said spirit, the Syro-Malabar Church moves forward with the historic step of forming a Missionary Organization for the laity. Migration being an accelerated phenomena happening in the Church drives us to form the migrants as Missionaries for Global Evangelization.
At the same time, the laity has already organized themselves involving in several missionary endeavors. A few of them listed below: Bible printing and distribution; Mission fest; formation and training programme for Catechists, Kerygmatics and Didachists; Jericho Prayer, Night Vigil and Intercession for the world, India even with the bedridden patients; Ministries among the new Christian communities, Guest workers, the old, youth, children; Collection of Pius Articles and other materials for mission; Sponsors for missionary personnel, Churches and other homes; Home mission and Online tuition; Apologists, Media Ministry, Mobile Applications like Blizz, BibleON; street evangelization; pro-lifers, Christeen, Jesus Youth; and so on. May God bless all various efforts of evangelization done by our lay missionaries.
Rev. Dr. Francis Eluvathingal
