VATICAN CITY, NOV 21, 2002 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for the Laity today started its three-day plenary assembly with a welcoming speech by Cardinal James Francis Stafford, council president. The 62 members and consultors, including those recently named by Pope John Paul to a five-year term, will study the theme "We Need to Continue to Walk, Departing from Christ, that is, from the Eucharist."
A communique from the council noted that of the 37 members, 24 are lay people, nine are cardinals and four are bishops. Of the 25 consultors, there are 13 lay people, four bishops and 8 priests. Given the presence of new members at this assembly, the opening day of the program will include an introduction to the history, nature and activity of this pontifical council.
The work will be divided into three sessions aimed at listening, study and reflection. The first day will include "an exchange of experiences and reflections on the vocation and mission of lay faithful in the life of the Church and in the world in order to try and delineate the prospects and priorities to bear in mind in the present context."
Tomorrow will be dedicated "to studying more deeply the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the lay faithful; this will be followed by reflections on the sacraments of Christian initiation set in motion during the plenary assemblies dedicated to Baptism and Confirmation. ... Three aspects of the Eucharistic mystery linked to the vocation of lay Christians, their life and their mission will be studied."
On the third and last day, says the communique, "the council's future programs and projects will be presented and the new members and consultors will be called upon to contribute to these topics. The culmination will be an audience with the Holy Father late Saturday morning."
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