Dominicus Humus: Seminar on the Family

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Seminar on the Family

Here are more pictures taken from the Seminar on the Family being facilitated by the Family and Life Apostolate of the Archdiocese for the Lay Ministers. Our group today is comprised of the lectors and lay eucharistic ministers from Holy Cross Parish (Laoac), Holy Family Parish (Tandoc, San Carlos City) and St. Dominic Parish (San Carlos City).

Group Sharing

Prayer for the Family

Fr. Winston, the FLA Director, giving the blessing to the couples present after the renewal of marital vows.

Lectors and Lay Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Family Parish, Tandoc

Lectors and Lay Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Cross Parish, Laoac

Lectors of St. Dominic Parish, San Carlos City

Lay Eucharistic Ministers of St. Dominic Parish

Vocation and Mission of LFC

Christifidelis Laici, the 1985 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope John Paul II on the Vocation and Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World, speaks very eloquently about the formation of the lay faithful. According to this document, the laity should receive a complete and integrated formation, one which bears its fruit in every sphere of their existence and activity.

1) The spiritual formation of the laity – their continual growth in communion with Christ is nourished by the help to holiness offered by the Church.

2) Doctrinal formation – which will enable them to explain to the world the reason for their hope. Systematic catechesis is also necessary.

3) A proper formation of a social conscience, especially in the Church’s social teaching.

4) An integrated program of formation that cultivates the human values and skills necessary for the lay faithful’s apostolic activities.

God is the first formator of the laity. The Church for her part also takes part in forming the lay faithful through the ministry of teaching and celebration of the sacraments. The Lay Formation Center exists for this purpose.

The Lay Formation Center (LFC) was established by Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz and the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Philippines, for the formation "especially of the laity." It opened on the feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, the first Filipino Saint, who is a Filipino and lay person on September 28, 2005. Fr. Mario Dominic C. Sanchez was appointed its first Director. Since then, LFC has housed more than 500 groups from the entire country for retreats, recollections, conferences and seminars. Its location is about 7 kilometers from Dagupan City center (east) and 20 kilometers from the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag (west). It is only a kilometer away from Bonuan Tondaligan Beach (north).