One-Day Leadership Retreat for National Chaplains and National Presidents of Lay Apostolate Groups in Nigeria held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Resource Centre, Plot 459 Cadastral Zone
B2, Southern Parkway, Durumi 1, Garki, Abuja on Thursday July 13, 2023
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray: O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of your faithful; grant that in the same Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation; through Christ our Lord, Amen.
Introduction and Welcome
As I welcome everyone to this one-day retreat, permit me to express my appreciation to the CBCN Episcopal Chairman for the Laity, Most Rev. John Ebebe Ayah, for his untiring efforts to make sure the laity in Nigeria become ever conscious of who they are, their place, dignity, and role within the Church and the wider society. I am particularly thankful to him for his availability to the laity. Bishop Ayah is unassuming and approachable. You can gain a lot from these and other numerous qualities with which he is endowed. I also thank him for providing me with the opportunity to facilitate this retreat.
I also recognize the sacrifices made by the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev. Fr. Zacharia Nyantiso Samjumi, the Director Pastoral Affairs of CSN, Rev. Fr. Michael A. Banjo, and the Director Pastoral Agents Department of CSN, Rev. Fr. Augustine Okochi, in making this day possible. The National Chaplain of Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria (CLCN), Rev. Fr. Augustine Ifediba, and all chaplains who are gathered here, I thank you for your closeness to the laity and your ability to assist them in their journey of faith. I also appreciate the dedication to duty exhibited by the National President of the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria (CLCN), Hon. Sir Henry Yunkwap and other members of the National Executive Council, the national presidents of other statutory bodies and lay apostolate groups in the Church, as well as the provincial and the diocesan officers and representative who are present for this retreat.
I just returned from the United States of America on pastoral visit to my priests and laity resident and working in the Americas. The visit opened my eyes wider to the enormous work done by the laity in the Church and in the wider world. I was marvelled by our peopleโs eagerness to express their faith in the foreign land not minding the level of secularism and its distractions. It made me proud of our laity back here in Nigeria. I was amazed at the way they organized themselves, got priests to celebrate the Eucharist for them periodically in their native tongues, as well as organized catechetical and native language lessons for their children. I can bet you that the seed that are sown in our laity here in Nigeria has been very fruitful even in foreign lands. I therefore encourage you, the leaders of Lay Apostolate Groups to continue in your good works. It is never and can never be in vain.
Leadership Retreat
The Holy Scripture tells us in Matthew 17: 1 โ 9 that โJesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be aloneโ. He then transfigured. The story of the transfiguration of the Lord is also told in Mark 9: 1 โ 10 and Luke 9: 28 โ 36. A mountain is the traditional place where divine revelations happen, just like Moses went up Mount Sinai to encounter the Glory of God (Exodus 24: 12). Jesus and the three disciples withdrew to a lonely, quiet and isolated place (the top of a mountain) so that they could be alone with God and so commune with him in an un-interrupted manner. This is symbolized by Peterโs desire to build three tents, so that they continue to enjoy this special presence of God with them.
Before our Lord Jesus Christ began His public ministry, He spent 40 days in the desert praying and fasting as a way to prepare for the important work ahead (Luke 4: 1 โ 13. See also Matt. 4: 1 โ 11. Mark 1: 12 โ 13). Those were days of retreat. In that wilderness Jesus could be more alone than anywhere else in Palestine. Jesus went into the wilderness to be alone. His task had come to him. God had spoken to him. He must think how he was to attempt the task which God had given him to do. He had to get things straightened out before he started. He had to be alone.
During His three years of public ministry, Jesus would sometimes invite His disciples to โcome away by yourselves to a lonely (deserted) place that you may have some restโ (Mark 6: 31). Again, these were days of retreat.
When we reflect on the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we discover that, it may well be that we often go wrong simply because we never try to be alone. There are certain things which a man has to work out alone. There are times when no one else’s advice is any good to him. There are times when a man has to stop acting and start thinking. It may be that we make many a mistake because we do not give ourselves a chance to be alone with God.
When Jesus entered forcefully into the life of St. Paul, He directed him to rise and go into the city, where he would be told what to do. For three days, St. Paul neither ate nor drank (Acts 9: 9), preparing himself to receive the spiritual direction of Ananias (Acts 9: 1 โ 9). Those, too, were days of retreat.
Down through the centuries the Holy Spirit has raised up great saints and founders for the reform and service of the Church. While the methods of the Franciscans, Jesuits and members of Opus Dei have varied considerably, what their founders shared in common was a profound spiritual experience while on retreat, whether in the forests surrounding Assisi, the caves of Manresa, or in a residence of St. Vincent De Paul. These saints were seeking solitude in order to listen to God. Jesus was calling them apart to spend some time with Him.
We have come here on the top of the mountain. This place of retreat is our own top of the mountain. We are not here on vacation or break. Our coming here is not for the purpose of a seminar โ theological, pastoral, liturgical, or otherwise. We are here for the purpose of a retreat. I presume that the meaning of retreat is well known to all of us. I always refer to the Encyclopedia Britanica whenever I want to remind myself of the meaning of the word retreat. Encyclopedia Britanica defines retreat as movement by soldiers away from an enemy because the enemy is winning or has won a battle; movement away from a place or situation especially because it is dangerous, unpleasant, etc; the act of changing your opinion or position on something because it is unpopular. Retreat is an act or process of withdrawing especially from what is difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable; the process of receding from a position or state attained.
Any amount of time taken to get away and focus on God will bear fruit in the lives of individuals, groups, the Church and society at large! When a group of the faithful take time out for spiritual refreshment at a retreat, the whole Church body benefits. Renewed and refreshed, they are able to share the key truths that gave them a new perspective in their walk with Jesus Christ. Unity developed among those at a retreat spread through the group of the faithful as they return to their respective places of apostolate. Relationships at home are dealt with in a more positive and hopeful manner due to the chance to rest and find renewal in God.
It is interesting that the word โretreatโ is now used in contexts other than the religious. The original meaning is however retained. That is why we are gathered for a leadership retreat. In our days in the seminary, many retreat moderators emphasized that the word retreat was taken from the domain of the military. Either as an offensive or defensive tactics, soldiers retreated, drew back from the battleline to regroup, reorganize, re-strategize to re-engage. Like commanders of the soldiers, we have been called together from the various โbattlelinesโ where we are actively leading our troops. We have regrouped in order to reorganize and re-strategize. This is the stage we are in. After this we will go back to the battle front with renewed knowledge, energy and zeal.
My input centres on reminding you of things you already know. Knowledge remains the generative matrix from which we draw for our action or inaction. That is why Godโs lament through the mouth of Prophet Hosea, โmy people perish because of lack of knowledgeโ (Hos 4:6) should make us more attentive to the role of relevant knowledge, even in oneโs relationship with God. I want to underline this especially now that many young people have bought into the pernicious idea that โschool na scam,โ while in other countries, it is recognized that the greatest resource is not beneath our feet but in between our ears โ our brains. I will leave it at that. But for our meeting, remember that the effectiveness of your leadership depends on your understanding of the identity of the lay faithful. It is from this understanding that the spirituality and mission of the lay faithful will crystallize out. Your effectiveness as a leader will depend on how well you understand this relationship and commit to realizing it through your leadership style which flows partly from who you are, your natural endowment and from what you have learnt and continue to learn at gatherings like this. I will focus mainly on the intellectual aspect while touching briefly on the style.
I will first of all clarify the notion of spirituality which leads us to the call to holiness of life. These serve as background to the exploration of the different aspects of the identity mission of the lay faithful. The presentation will be wrapped up with a brief reflection on some ingredients of an efficient leadership style.
Understanding spirituality:
The term โspiritualityโ is notoriously difficult to define. It has a secular use (to describe a longing for something beyond the merely material), and a general religious use to mean simply โliving as a Christianโ. It describes the whole of the lives of those who have responded to Godโs gracious call to live in fellowship with him.
St. Paul defines true spirituality in 1 Cor. 2: 13 โ 16. His opponents claim a higher spirituality, whose marks are superior wisdom and speech, and divisive self-concern. Paul insists that the essence of true spirituality is a genuine love for others (1 Cor. 13).
Spirituality describes specifically the life of a Christian. It is the life of grace, which begins with God the Father, who calls the sinner to himself, who has made a relationship with himself possible through the death of His Son, and who initiates and sustains that relationship through the Spirit.
Spirituality includes the life of the whole person (and not just of the supposedly โspiritualโ part). It is contrasted, not with the active elements of the Christian life, but with the carnal life of the natural man. Perhaps it is inevitable that popular usage often emphasizes the devotional aspects of spirituality, but these are of little worth, or dangerous, when they do not lead to a life of obedience and service (Is. 1: 11 โ 17).
There are essentials in spirituality which are the same for all Christians, both in the aim (being โconformed to the likeness of [Godโs] Sonโ, Rom. 8: 29), and in the means (Bible study, meditation, prayer, the sacraments, fasting, self-examination, attendance at public worship, and service in the world). This does not mean that there is one uniform spirituality for all Christians. The spiritual life is a matter not only of theology, but also of temperament and background. It is the duty of all Christians to find a personal spirituality which is biblical, but which is also faithful to Godโs particular plan for them as unique individuals.
The aim of true spirituality: The aim of true spirituality is that the Christian will become increasingly like Jesus Christ. It can never be a selfish, introverted egoism, or simply a journey of self-discovery. The spiritual person will be marked by a growing awareness of otherโs needs, and a willingness to work sacrificially to meet them. The Church has always recognized the first duty of Christians to follow the contemplative example of Mary, but not at the expense of the active example of Martha (Luke 10: 38 โ 42). One who has sat at Jesusโ feet will inevitably be driven out into the world to serve him.
Consequently, the spirituality of the laity in the Church and in the world is measured in terms of the role of the laity in the Church and world. The sanctification of the temporal order is specific area of competence of the laity. There, they should take full initiative and responsibility. Thus, they fulfil their own part of Christโs mission when they bring the spirit of the Gospel to bear on their places of work in socio-political and economic organizations as teachers, traders, politicians, traditional rulers, doctors, civil servants, et cetera.
Vocation to Holiness: God calls everybody to Holiness
Discussing the spirituality and mission of the laity is necessarily linked to the vocation of the laity to live holy lives and to sanctify the temporal order. We recall that on the 19th of March, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, in the year 2018, the sixth of his pontificate, the Holy Father, Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Exhortation titled โGaudete et Exsultateโ โ On the Call to Holiness in todayโs World. The first chapter of the document dealt with the call to holiness. At no. 10 of the document, the Pope writes: โWith this Exhortation I would like to insist primarily on the call to holiness that the Lord addresses to each of us, the call that he also addresses, personally to you: Be holy, for I am holyโ (Lev 11: 44; cf. 1 Pet 1: 16). Interestingly, the Holy Father devoted numbers 17 โ 31 of the document to what he called โactivity that sanctifiesโ.
He exhorts us not to grow discouraged before examples of holiness that appear unattainable. The Holy Father noted that there are some testimonies that may prove helpful and inspiring, but that we are not meant to be copied, for that could even lead us astray from the one specific path that the Lord has in mind for us. The important thing is that each believer discerns his or her own path, that they bring out the very best of themselves, the most personal gifts that God has placed in their hearts (cf.ย 1 Corย 12:7), rather than hopelessly trying to imitate something not meant for them. We are all called to be witnesses, but there are many actual ways of bearing witness. Indeed, when the great mystic, Saint John of the Cross, wrote hisย Spiritual Canticle, he preferred to avoid hard and fast rules for all. He explained that his verses were composed so that everyone could benefit from them โin his or her own wayโ.ย For Godโs life is communicated โto some in one way and to others in another. This should excite and encourage us to give our all and to embrace that unique plan that God willed for each of us from eternity: โBefore I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated youโ (Jerย 1:5).
Holiness is for every Christian. Pope Francis emphasized that to be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves. Are you called to the consecrated life? Be holy by living out your commitment with joy. Are you married? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for the Church. Do you work for a living? Be holy by labouring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters. Are you a parent or grandparent? Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus. Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain.
Although there are classes and duties to be fulfilled by every category of the faithful, Vatican II stresses the fact that each category attains holiness precisely by fulfilling the requirements of their proper path of life. At Lumen Gentium no. 41, we read: โThe classes and duties of life are many, but holiness is one โ that sanctity which is cultivated by all who are moved by the Spirit of God, and who obey the voice of the Father and worship God the Father in spirit and in truth. These people follow the poor Christ, the humble and cross-bearing Christ in order to be worthy of being sharers in His glory. Every person must walk unhesitatingly according to his own personal gifts and duties in the path of living faith, which arouses hope and works through charityโ. Holiness does not merely impinge on the God-man dimension. It should transform all inter-human relationshipsโฆGenerosity and a care for others are essential elements of holiness, summed up in the command, โLove your neighbour as yourselfโ (Lev. 19: 18; cf. Matt. 22: 39)โ. Holiness radiates when the lay faithful unite themselves actively working for the good and progress of their families, kindreds, villages, towns, communities, groups, associations, states, respective Archdioceses/dioceses, the Church and society at large.
The Identity of the Laity
I presume you already know those the Church categorizes as lay people in the Church. For the avoidance of doubt, canon 207 ยง1 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law states that โby divine institution, among Christโs faithful, there are in the Church sacred ministers, who in law are also called clerics; the others are called lay peopleโ. This group forms a greater percentage of Christโs faithful.
The terms, lay, layperson, and laity are derived from the Greek terms, โlaosโ and โlaikosโ. The former simply means the people, while the latter the popular, common people, secular, or not sacred. In ordinary parlance, it refers to a member of the common people who does not belong to the specific category of those who govern. In the early Church, the word โlaosโ, the people, was more inclusive of all the people of God without much distinction, even though there were cases where it was used to distinguish common people from leaders of ecclesial communities. It was in the third century that the clear distinction between the laity as a body of the people of God and the clergy or the consecrated persons became obvious.
In pre-Vatican II era, the laity were primarily understood in relation to the clergy and the consecrated persons, that is, as those Christians who belonged neither to the class of clergy nor that of consecrated persons. In other words, they were largely understood negatively. The Second Vatican Council made some improvements on the understanding of the laity and presented the lay state more positively, thereby emphasizing who they are in their own right as a definite section of the people of God made so by their baptism through which they become active sharers in the divine mission of the Church.
Vatican II was the first to treat the laity from a deeply theological perspective unlike the previous ones that handled them almost exclusively from the canonical perspective. The Council notes:
The term laity is here understood to mean all faithful except those in holy orders and those in religious state sanctioned by the Church. These faithful are the faithful who by Baptism are incorporated into Christ, are placed in the people of God, and in their own way share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ, and to the best of their ability carry out the mission of the whole Christian people in the Church and in the world (Lumen gentium, no. 31).
The Sacrament of Baptism is therefore fundamentally significant for making one a lay person in the Church, a state that serves as the basis for all other states in the Church. It is by their baptism that the laity become entitled to be part of the life and mission of the Church, a mission executed in the Church and in the world. It is this baptism that confers fundamental equality on all believers, laity, clergy, or consecrated. Vatican II frequently uses the phrase โChristian faithfulโ to refer to all Christians to emphasise their equal dignity without prejudice to the different states they occupy in a communally hierarchical Church. It is also through baptism that all the faithful answer the call to share in the mission of Christ, as priest, prophet, and king. It is the basis for the common priesthood of the faithful by which we are all called to holiness of life, each in his or her own way, with none seen as better or as holier than the other. The laity form a greater percentage of the Christian faithful.
The Mission of the lay Faithful
Part of the fruits of Pope Francisโ call for a synodal Church is the renewed awareness of the need for more active involvement of the laity in the affairs of the Church and elimination of all alienating structures militating against their participation in the mission of the Church. It cannot be better said that the laity, together with the clergy and the consecrated persons, no one more than the other, should see the work of the Church as theirs. We must join forces to make significant impact in todayโs secular society and culture.
Vatican II specifies a two-fold mission of the laity: mission within the Church and mission in the world. The two-fold mission arises from the fact that the laity are members of both the Church and the secular society, and are immersed in the day-to-day activities of the society (cf. Ad gentes, no. 21).
The two-fold the mission of the laity are summarized under eight headings below:
(i). Sharing in the priestly office of Jesus Christ:
By baptism and the Holy Spiritโs anointing, the laity share in the priestly office of Christ. They are mediators between humankind and God. With Christ, they offer spiritual worship for the glory of God and the salvation of men through their work in the world. They exercise their priestly function in the celebration of the Sacraments, in prayer, thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, self-denial and active charity.
When in the sacrifice of the Mass, they offer to the Father their family life, their daily work, their apostolic activities, their recreations, their pains and sufferings, they consecrate the world to God. Their apostolate is the continuation in daily life of the offering made at Mass in union with Christ the High Priest.
(ii). Sharing in Christโs teaching office:
The first thing parents should do to undertake such enormous responsibility, as specified in the Catechism, is โby creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the ruleโ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2223; hereafter CCC). This is because the family constitutes the first expression as well as realization of ecclesial communion which should first be made concrete in the love between husband and wife, and then between them and their children โ communion of persons, which is also a sign of the communion within the Blessed Trinity. It is on this basis that the family is called the domestic church (cf. John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, no. 9). Here, the parents should serve as examples to their children through love, virtuous life, and cultivation of family prayers. It is in the family that children learn how to say the simple prayers, prayers before and after meal, the rosary and other Catholic devotional prayers. Discipline is also of very significant help in avoiding vices and growing in virtue.
The parish community and school complement this primary task of parents. Both should devise catechetical programmes to be sure there is continuity in the formation of children that commenced in the family. As they enter the adolescent age, the level of their creativity and the tendency to explore new possibilities heighten, and unless properly channelled, they could easily be lured into cultism, gangsterism, armed robbery, fraud, kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes, as well as neo-paganism. Seminars, workshops, moral instructions and catechism classes can be of immense help. The lay faithful must be involved in the organization and execution of all these, and not just leave them for priests. It has been observed that, whenever the laity collaborate with priests and consecrated persons in this respect, the result is often tremendous.
Catechetical formation and education of children, youths and adults should be central in the mission of the lay faithful. This will start from the family where the parents are the primary educators of their children. This role can hardly be delegated. The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasized this thus: โThe role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to produce an adequate substituteโ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2221). The Canon Law also places parents โunder grave obligation to see to the religious and moral education of their children, as well as to their physical and civic training as far as they canโ (can. 113). One wonders how parents can effectively fulfil this role in the present society where parents hardly have time for their children, where business and work concerns take them away early in the morning only to return at night amidst weariness to catch few hours of sleep. This is often described as absentee parenting. If we continue with this trend, we are definitely going to lose our children to the secular world, and we are already seeing signs of it.
(iii). Sharing in Christโs ruling office:
The laity share also in Christโs ruling office. He who has overcame the powers of evil and to whom all authority has been given now uses his authority in the service of men. He works through Christians to make all human relations and institutions bear the impress of Godโs rule or kingdom, a kingdom of truth, life, holiness, justice, love and peace.
Lay Christians are his partners in this great undertaking. They have their special competence precisely because they are engaged in secular activities. They consecrate the world by doing their best to see that the goods of the world are distributed equitably according to Godโs plan, and that the technical and economic developments contribute to true human progress, which is the integral harmonious development of the human person. Catholic lay persons must give themselves whole-heartedly to this world of culture, economics, art, industry, politics, international relations, etc. All these things are essentially good, they have their own intrinsic value and their own proper laws. The laity are called to help build the world according to the natural laws of progress and into the pattern planned by God.
(iv). Socio-political dimension of the lay apostolate:
Pope Paul VI remarked that the laity โshould take up as their own proper task the renewal of the temporal order. If the role of the hierarchy is to teach and to interpret authentically the norms of morality to be followed in this matter, it belongs to the laity, without waiting passively for orders and directives, to take the initiatives freely and to infuse a Christian spirit into the mentality, customs, laws and structures of the community in which they liveโ (Populorum progressio, no. 33).
Pope Benedict VI asserts that the laity, โby virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, and strengthened by the Eucharist, are called to live out the radical newness brought by Christ wherever they find themselves. They should cultivate a desire that the Eucharist have an ever deeper effect on their daily lives, making them convincing witnesses in the workplace and in society at largeโ (Sacramentum caritatis, no. 79). In fact, at the conclusion of every mass, the priest enjoins the faithful to go in peace to love and serve the Lord. It is a challenge that they go forth and live out in their communities what they have celebrated in liturgy. That is how they can infuse a Christian spirit into their surroundings. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council observed:
One of the gravest errors of our time is the dichotomy between the faith which many profess and their day-to-day conduct. As far back as the Old Testament, the prophets vehemently denounced this scandal, and in the New Testament, Christ himself even more forcibly threatened it with severe punishment. Let there, then, be no such pernicious opposition between professional and social activity on the one hand and religious life on the other. Christians who shirk their temporal duties shirk their duties towards their neighbours, neglect God himself and endanger their eternal salvation (Gaudium et Spes 43).
The fields of the lay apostolate are so numerous that we can here only keep to generalities and mention only some of them in passing. I am sure that you must have had or will still have opportunities to deal with specifics.
We must however draw attention to the apostolate of married couples and families. This area of the lay apostolate has a unique importance since the family which is the basic living unit of society is what Vatican II called โthe domestic Churchโ where we learn and cultivate goodness and holiness.
Youth apostolate or work should be mainly the responsibility of apostolic youths themselves, โthe apostolate of like towards likeโ. The grown-ups should help with advice and good example.
Another field of the apostolic work is the social environment. This covers all those places where men live, work and take their leisure. At every level, Catholics should make it their business to co-operate with all men of goodwill. According to the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council,
In their patriotism and in their fidelity to their civic duties, Catholics will feel themselves bound to promote the true common good; they will make the weight of their convictions so influential that as a result civil authority will be justly exercised and laws will accord with the moral precepts and, as should be the case, firm in the faith and Christian teaching, should not decline to enter public life; for by a worthy discharge of their functions, they can work for the common good and at the same time prepare the way for the Gospel. Catholics are to be keen on collaborating with all men of good will in the promotion of all that is true, holy, all that is worthy of love (cf. Phil. 4:8). They are to enter into dialogue with them, approaching them with understanding and courtesy; and are to search for means of improving social and public institutions along the lines of the Gospel (Apostolicam Actuositatem, no. 14).
The lay person does not have to wait for the approval or permission of the Parish Priest or the Bishop to engage in the apostolate. The initiative and responsibility lie with him or her as he or she makes use of the possibilities at hand. He/she knows his/her special tasks by the place he/she holds in the society. The truth, however, remains that all must be done according to the mind of the Church and in communion with the Church. The lay person has the duty to seriously study and know what that mind of the Church is. Your present retreat is a typical tool for this study.
All Catholics have a duty to get actively involved in politics, because they are citizens of the state, and the policies of the secular government affect the Church and her members. They should voice out their concerns in the society and join in deciding the course of political life of the society, the administration of its public life and policies (Vatican II, Gaudium et spes, no. 75). It is only when we get involved that we can animate the political and public life of the society from within and defend the Christian principles as consistent with good governance and advancement of the human society (Apostolicam actuositatem, no. 6). It is therefore not a call to establish a theocracy or a Catholic government, but a government that will be committed to the promotion of the common good through enthronement of love, justice, peace for all citizens (Ad gentes, 19; Lumen gentium 36).
The Church forbids her clergy from involvement in partisan politics; in other words, they cannot belong to political parties or present themselves to be voted into political positions in the society. It is not so for the laity who can properly belong to any political party of their choice and help to bring the light of the gospel to bear on its policies and norms. One cannot belong to a political party, observe things going wrong, and keep quiet. Such silence is many a time a demonstration of complicity and agreement with what is clearly evil. There are many of those whom people regard as ardent and practicing Catholics in their daily lives, but once it comes to politics, you see them not minding the morality of some of the policies from the government in power which they are part of, even those that are clearly and unmistakeably anti-Christian, like vote-buying, voter suppression, election rigging, anti-life laws, same-sex marriage laws or laws that limit religious freedom.
Some of the politicians often claim they have no other option than to support such policies since they are made not by them as individuals, but by their respective political parties. For me, such claims are unfounded, because political parties are made up of human beings not spirits, and its policies are made by members. Once you are a member, it is your duty to ensure that policies are made in such a way that it is in line with principles of good conscience and directed to the achievement of the common good. To keep quiet when laws or policies that contradict your faith is being developed amounts to complicity, worse still, to be part of its implementation. We must learn to speak out against unjust laws and policies of the state, especially those ones that contravene the freedom of religion.
Indeed, part of our participation in politics is the obligation to obey the laws of the state, so long as they do not contradict natural and divine law, which must take precedence over any other. Where the state becomes abusive and oppressive, and enacts laws that are contrary to natural and divine law, Catholics must seek all legal and political steps necessary to defend their faith; and this may involve civil disobedience, non-co-operation, and other morally apt non-violent resistance approaches (Gaudium et spes, 74).
You may have read the position of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) on the Bill for an Act to Establish the National Council for Christian Education for the Purpose of Regulating and Setting Standards and For Related Matters, 2023. Even though the need for the bill was proposed by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), its contents are subversive of freedom of worship and brings unnecessary government interference into Christian educational system. The CBCN, as a responsible body, did not keep quiet, but objected to the bill based on the following points: (a) If passed into law, it โwill infringe on the rights ofโฆvarious Christian denominations to provide instructions and formation according to their respective doctrines; (b) it โis incompatible with the secular character of the Nigerian State as enshrined in Section 10 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeriaโ; (c) since it is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who will appoint members of the board, there is a possibility that he would appoint people that would not serve the interest of Christians; (d) the proposal to have the board provide a single curriculum for all Christian schools is unrealistic because it lacks appreciation of the diversity of doctrines among Christian denominations. The bishops made a wonderful intervention, and we expect the laity to be more pro-active in resisting such evil bills, especially those of us who are elected to make our laws. You cannot keep quiet and allow party affiliation or any other interest to rob you of your faith commitment.
True freedom, George Weigel asserts, โmeans doing things the right way, rather than doing things my way [or the way of my political party]โ. To be a true Christian politician is to promote policies and laws because they are objectively right and would bring about reign of Godโs kingdom of love, justice and peace. It also means to oppose anti-Christian and evil policies through available legitimate means.
(v). Support of the Church:
The spirituality of the lay person is further demonstrated by the support the person gives to the Church. No amount is spelt out as the just contribution of each individual or family to the parish or worshipping community and the Church in general. The Church does not usually ask for a regular assessment except for some special need. Yet every parish has regular financial needs for its general upkeep and efficient functioning, which must be met. The same is the case with the diocesan centre.
The Church has a right to own property, for without this, it cannot fulfil her duty of service to the people. A church, a school, a convent, a fraternity, a rectory, et cetera are all necessary. These must be built, painted, repaired and maintained. These services are just as costly as comparable ones for your homes. The priests and religious must be maintained. They too must eat, buy clothes and take care of their health.
Each Catholic, and in fact, each family in the parish uses this property and the services of people chosen as Aaron was, and so is in justice bound to bear a share of the costs. Any family, in figuring its budget, should estimate that it owes the Church same percentage of its total annual income for services received. When God divided the promised land, Aaron and his priestly line were not given any. Their portion was the Lord. Others were to take care of their temporal needs (Deut. 18).
Sometimes a collection for a charitable cause is taken up in the Church. What is contributed to such a cause must not be used as an excuse to evade the obligation of supporting the Church.
Godโs kingdom is spiritual, but it exists in a material, physical world and uses in her work human beings with physical needs. It is perfectly natural for the Church to need physical, material support from those whose spiritual needs she serves.
Anyone who is able and still refuses to pay his or her quota to the Church is guilty of injustice to his or her fellow Catholics. Godโs work must go on no matter what nations rise and fall, no matter what individuals live or die, no matter how far the economy dwindles.
(vi). Service in the Church:
In the Church, some are called to be leaders in the battle against evil, in campaigns to make Christ known to all, in the numerous activities of the Church, and in defending and governing the widespread kingdom of Christ on earth.
Some men and women must be willing to devote their lives and talents in direct service to the members of the Church as Catechists, teachers, social workers, nurses, doctors, altar knights, etc. Since the work of the Church is so varied and so far-flung, reaching to every corner of the world and into every type or aspect of human life, there is a wide variety of work to be done by those who dedicate their lives in the service of the Church. Whoever feels he or she is called to this service should try to find the type of life and work for which his or her talents fit him or her in.
The laity should also undertake their mission within the Church by active involvement in the visible administrative organs of their local parishes, deaneries, regions, and dioceses, like the diocesan synod committee (can. 463ยง2) and pastoral council, diocesan and parish finance councils (can. 537), parish pastoral councils, and the different committees established on these levels for proper governance of the Church. Through these, they can make contributions for the growth of the Church and human society.
All of us gathered here for this retreat are involved in this leadership service in one way or another. To be a true leader means becoming a servant to others, sacrificing for them, and fighting for their welfare. A good leader does not count on what he gains but on how well group goals are achieved.
Leadership as Service: Challenge to the Laity
Leadership is the ability to influence, motivate, and guide the other either as an individual, a team, a group, or an entire organization towards achievement of set goals and objectives. A leader has to be a visionary, a strategist, who is also charismatic, proactive, and people-oriented in order to galvanize well the resources within a given group. A leader is more than just a manager, whose work is often centred on implementation of policies and procedures with less attention to the human dimension of the task before him or her.
A successful leader is known by his or her ability to carry everyone along in the accomplishment of the group or organizational tasks and goals. He/she does not neglect the task that needs to be done by the group or organization. He/she ensures that team-work, group solidarity and cooperation of members are enhanced and good relationship maintained. He or she also tries his or her best to make sure the needs of members are met. The leader tends to see his or her work as directed towards making the people better through service. He or she takes seriously Jesusโ instruction that whoever wants to be a leader must be a servant (cf. Mtt 20:26-27), and imitates Jesus who washed His discipleโs feet as a mark of humility and true leadership (Jn 13:1-17) and sacrificed himself so that humanity might be saved.
As leaders of the laity, you must strive to model your style after this to be more effective and productive.
Whoever Wishes to Be Great among You Must be Your Servant (Mtt 20:26; Mk 10:43)
Any leadership position we occupy must be used for the advancement of the Kingdom of God and mission of the Church. Anything other than this makes leaders tend towards self-advancement, self-glorification, and enrichment. This would make them often want to have their way no matter what others think, and value members so long as they support their views. Because they hate opposition, they can resort to any means to crush dissenting voices, including causing conflicts among members to keep them divided along ethnic, regional, and provincial lines, et cetera as the case may be. If any progress is recorded in the process, they easily claim it just as they are quick to blame poor results on others. This way of thinking about leadership leads to dangerous politicking for offices and its attendant dangerous consequences.
Two of Jesusโ Apostles, James and John, (cf.. Mark chapter 10 and Matthew chapter 20), seem to understand leadership along this line, and Jesus did not waste time to counter and correct it.
What the two disciples did by bringing in their mother into the scene is characteristic of what we do today in Nigeria, and sadly enough, even in the house of God: use of connections to secure juicy appointments, leadership positions, and promotions. They must have known the efficiency of utilising such connections to achieve political power, hence their involvement of their mother. Unfortunately for them, Jesus was different. They had worked with Him for about three years without knowing who He was.
Jesus used the occasion to give them some lessons on what it means to be a true leader. He found it difficult to comprehend the request brought to Him by James and John (and their mother) because the way He understood power was totally different from that of the world. Jesusโ question to them, โDo you know what you are asking. Are you ready to drink the cup that I am about to drink?โ (Mtt 20:22) was to remind them that leadership meant dying for others, just as He did for us; total self-emptying and sacrifice. Their answer was โWe are ableโ (Mtt 20:22). They neither understood the question nor the implications of their answer. By their response, they appear to say, โWhatever it is, we are ready for it, so long as we eventually become your closest power brokers once the kingdom is establishedโ. This is the type of blind agreement many of our politicians enter in their reckless quest for power!
Jesusโ advice to them is very vital for all of us gathered here. He instructed them not to model their leadership after that of the pagans, who always wanted their authority felt by people around them (Mk 10:43). Jesusโ messiahship is that of suffering for the good of others, of service, of caring for others, and of total self-giving. It is never an opportunity to exploit and subdue people.
Paul understands leadership as service. Hence, he instructed the Philippians not to do things โfrom selfish ambition or conceit, but in humilityโ and to consider others as better than themselves. Continuing, he says, โLet each of you look not for your own interest, but for the interest of othersโ (Phil 2:3-4). Paul places Christ before them as a model of leadership to be followed, โwho, though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slaveโ (Phil 2:5-7).
Service is not a sign of weakness on the part of a leader. It is rather a sign of greatness. As leaders, we should not centre our energy on making everyone know we are in-charge. Sycophants would give you that, if that is what you want. They will massage your ego, but you end up destroying yourself and the organization that you lead. A good leader should think about the group first before himself or herself and be open to ideas even when they contradict theirs or come from their perceived opponents.
As leaders of the lay apostolate groups in the Church, you are expected to show the servant-style leadership qualities enunciated above. Unless you attained your office through foul means, for you to have been chosen to be a leader of any lay group in the Church, members must have seen some good qualities in you. Therefore, you have the obligation to justify the confidence reposed in you. If you use your office to enrich yourself, note that a time of reckoning will surely come. In your engagement with our society, always strive to remain a truthful and committed Christian. Be a light for our darkened society and do not sell the association because of financial inducements or political cleavages and affiliations
(vii). Conversion of others through a life of witness:
The laity should be a shining star in the world through whom men and women of today are to experience Jesus. They are to do this first by preaching the Gospel not just by words of mouth, but more importantly by witness of their lives. Pope Paul VI observes that โThe first means of evangelization is the witness of an authentically Christian lifeโ. According to him, โModern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnessesโ (Address to the Members of the Consilium de Laicis (2 October 1974); cf. Evangelii nuntiandi no. 41). Bearing witness means imitating the footsteps of our Master and Lord, Jesus Christ, striving to live holy lives in the world, in spite of the challenges. It means swimming against the current. In Nigeria, it means living above bribery and corruption that have permeated the fabric of the nation. It means accountability, transparency, truthfulness, trust, sacrifice, industry, and humility that seem to be eluding an average Nigerian. It means commitment to defend the faith whenever it is threatened and respect for life in all its ramifications as an antidote to the incessant killings in the country.
There is a common saying that โYour action is so loud that I cannot hear what you say.โ We must show by our actions that we are the salt of the earth and light of the world (Mtt 5:13-14). This is the motto of the Laity Council of Nigeria as contained in art. 2 of the Constitution of the Laity Council of Nigeria, which the laity also use as a catch-phrase for exchange of greetings. To be salt of the earth implies being a purifying agent to the world, ready to rid the world of wickedness and evil by our witness to the values of the Gospel. It means adding flavour to our insipid world which many have lost hope in, because it appears meaningless to them. Are we ready to give these people reasons to continue hoping in God? To be light of the world implies showing others the way to God and leading the way ourselves. As laity, we must be exemplary in our virtuous life, in the Church, in our places of work, in politics, social and cultural life of the society. It is only by doing this that we, in our own way, share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ.
(viii). Preservation of the unity of the mystical Body of Christ:
The Church is the mystical Body of Christ. Christ is the head and all Christians are the members (1 Cor. 12). The mystical Body of Christ suffers, is sick, or is handicapped if any of its members is disloyal, sinful, or separated from it. God wishes this body to grow, increase, multiply and fill the earth. It is a duty on all to ensure that all are one under Christ. The natural desire for power must be controlled. Otherwise, it causes strife and warfare among the members of the Mystical Body (cf. Jam 4: 1-2, 7-8).
We should become our brothersโ and sistersโ keepers in the Church. Church community should be one where members love and care for one another. The lay faithful of a given parish community know one another better than the parish priest. Therefore, it is their primary responsibility to ensure that the poor, the sick, the elderly, the physically, mentally, emotionally economically, and spiritually challenged are catered for, especially where the parish is large for personalised care of priests. It is disheartening to such portion of the faithful to seem to be forgotten by their fellow Christians who relinquish this task to the periodic visit by the priest. Even though visit by priests is very important, especially for the reception of sacraments, more frequent visits from neighbours, zones, prayer groups, pious societies, and friends help to give them the hope to continue in their struggle with their challenge.
Concluding Reflections
All Christians are incorporated into Christ and become full members of His Body, the Church, by virtue of their baptism. This makes us sharers in the priestly, prophetic and royal office of Christ. This places heavy responsibility on the shoulders of all Christians, the clergy, the consecrated persons, and the laity alike. All must unite to be sure Godโs Kingdom is established.
Those appointed leaders among the laity should make sure they use their offices to facilitate the achievement of the mission of the laity. This is possible by their understanding of their leadership as a call for service and not for self-glorification; a call to die, so to speak, that others may live. They should follow the paradigm leader, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His life for the flock. Besides, as much as a leader strives to achieve a lot during his tenure, he or she should also make sure he or she carries other members of the group along. The feelings of members, and their opinions must be taken into consideration. Besides, to use oneโs office to amass wealth, prestige, and honour amounts to gross abuse of opportunities offered us by God for holiness.
Chaplains are appointed to Lay Apostolate Groups in order to guide them towards attainment of the Kingdom of God. There should be cordial relationship between the chaplains and the groups they serve. Just as the leaders of the laity work for effective administration of the group, the chaplainโs task, as enunciated by the canon law, the statutes of the lay groups and directives of the competent authority that appointed them, should be mainly pastoral and spiritual. He should be a man of prayer, who is ready to sacrifice in order that the group grows to maturity.
May I implore everyone not to always place his or her interest over and above that of the group and the Church. With this in mind, we can have a vibrant laity ready to defend their faith at all cost and at all times.
May we continue to invoke the Holy Spirit to renew us in our apostolate.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ and the Church continue to intercede for us.
Peace be with you all!!!
โ Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke
Bishop of Ekwulobia
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