“Laity too belong to church” Catholic Bishop Calls for Shared Mission in South Africa

Johannesburg, 22 October, 2025 / 12:32 AM

The leadership of the Department for Formation, Life, and Apostolate of the Laity of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has emphasized the key role of lay people in the life and mission of the Church, urging them to live in communion and participate fully as “missionary disciples” in the spirit of Synodality.

During the department’s biannual meeting, held from October 17 to 19 at Lumko Institute Retreat and Conference Centre in Benoni, Bishop Vincent Mduduzi Zungu who serves as the head of the department said that the gathering's aim is to “inform and form” Church leaders and members so that they can continue to guide and plan effectively within the framework of the Synod on Synodality.

“The Laity and especially in the spirit of Synodality, they too belong to the Church and they are called to live in communion with the Church and with full participation as missionary disciples,” Bishop Zungu said in a reflection that was published on Monday, October 20.

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Port Elizabeth in South Africa noted that responsibility and active participation in the Church’s mission are central to its ongoing Synodal journey.

“The Laity have been fully initiated into the life of the church and their mandate comes from their baptism,” Bishop Zungu said in a three-day event which was realised under the theme, “The Role of the Laity in the Church in the Spirit of the Synod and Synodality.”

Citing St. Paul’s image of the Church as the Body of Christ, the member of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) emphasized that “The church belongs to all of us, and we are all members of the church.”

Bishop Zungu called on all Catholics, both those who belong to sodalities and those who do not, to take an active part in evangelization and in nurturing the faith within their communities.

He said that all Catholics “are equally called to evangelize, to share the good news with others and to actually give life to this body called the Church.”

The Bishop reminded the people of God in South Africa of their main calling, saying,“One of the basic vocations of all of us is to make God loved and known and served.”

“If we can do that, really, we will be able to strengthen the church, and as a result, we will be able also to find our joy. Joy in this life and joy in the life to come,’’ he added.

SACBC’s Formation, Life and Apostolate of the Laity Departmental meeting in Benoni supports the local church by implementing programs for the ongoing formation of the Laity. 

Its main functions include coordinating sodalities and movements, promoting lay participation in the life of the church, and serving as a liaison with the Pontifical Council for the Laity. 

The department emphasizes a collaborative ministry between the Laity and Clergy, in line with the Second Vatican Council, to integrate faith, culture, and life.