Valencia recently brought together a panel of experts in the auditorium of the Archdiocese of Valencia on the occasion of the centenary of the pontifical approval of the Teresian Association. Under the title ‘Laity in the 21st century: vocation, spirituality, commitment’, the speakers reflected on Christian and lay identity.
The meeting was held on 16 October and was moderated by María Ángeles Lorente Gargantilla, president of the Valencia Diocesan Laity Forum and member of ACIT.
The first speaker, Laura Moreno Marrocos, Episcopal Delegate for Youth, gave a talk entitled ‘Disciples and Citizens’. This was followed by Elisa Estévez López, member of the TA General Council, who gave a presentation entitled ‘An Extraordinary Singularity’. Finally, José Vidal Taléns, professor emeritus of the Faculty of Theology of Valencia, focused on the topic ‘Laity in a Synodal Church’.
Laity in the 21st century
Laura Moreno pointed out that disciples and citizens complement and enrich each other and invite us to be witnesses to the Gospel in daily life and to share the universal vocation to holiness alive in the people in our neighbourhoods and our workplaces, etc. Furthermore, she insisted that it is necessary to delve into what it means for us to be Christ, to be Church and in the Church.
Elisa Estévez's remarks included her approach to Christian spirituality, which allows us to stop and appreciate the small things, to be grateful for the possibilities that life offers without becoming attached to what we have or saddened by what we do not possess.
Finally, José Vidal asked the laity to ‘help ecclesial authority to evolve towards greater listening and shared leadership.
At the end of the meeting, the participants were very satisfied and some described the reflections of the panellists as engaging and in line with these new times in the Church.
For further details, please visit the website of the Teresian Association in Spain.
TA Translation Team.
Published in News