Pastoral Conference set in Zambo City Oct. 20-23

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Oct. 18 (PNA) -- The Catholic Church’s religious and lay leaders of 21 Archdioceses and Dioceses all over Mindanao and Sulu (MSPC) are set to hold the 15th Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference in this city.Msgr. David Alonzo said Saturday MSPC will be held next week from October 20-23 at the Centro Pastoral. It is anchored on the themeand MSPC XVand Celebrating the Giftedness of the Laity in the Church.”Alonzo said the MSPC is aimed at deepening the Church’s understanding on the role and life of the laity in the Era of New Evangelization.”Alonzo said the MSPC also seeks to strengthen the commitment and mission of the laity in building up the Church” as well as to challenge the laity’s heroism in responding to the issues of peace and in mitigating the effects of climate change and mitigation.”Alonzo said His Eminence Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, Archbishop of Cotabato, will be the keynote speaker on October 21.First district Rep. Celso Lobregat will be the resource speaker on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law on the following day.Alonzo said there will be small group workshop-discussion as well as plenary sessions to consolidate the views, recommendations and plans of various delegations, each of which will be made up of as many as 12 persons.He said they will consist of the Cardinal, Archbishops, Bishops, Pastoral Directors, Social Action Directors, Seminary Rectors, women religious representatives, lay delegates from family and life apostolates, lay delegates from apostolates from migrants, basic ecclesiastical communities/social action/council of laity and inter-religious dialogue.The last MSPC was held in 2010 in Digos City with the theme Word of God in Mindanaoand Creation and Peace.”The first gathering was held in 1971 in Davao City with the theme Building Christian Communitiesand Worshipping, Teaching, Serving.”(PNA)CTB/TPGJR/PJN