Accra, 23 August, 2024 / 4:02 pm (ACI Africa).
More than ever before, the Laity in Africa is seeking more involvement in the Church, the Vice Superior of the Ghana Province of the Society of African Missions, (SMA) has said, noting that lay people on the continent are no longer satisfied with being “mere consumers of sacraments”.
In an interview with Catholic Trends, Fr. Dennis Etti expressed support for the lay people who have expressed a concern to know what goes on in the affairs of the Church.
“I am not saying the church should hand over the sacraments to the laity. No. The laity are part of the church and everyone is or was once a lay person- the Pope was once a layman before receiving ordination,” Fr. Etti said in a Tuesday, August 20 report, arguing that the Church needs to embrace a more participatory approach in its leadership.
“The lay people do not want to be just mere consumers of sacraments anymore,” he said.
The SMA Vice Superior of the Ghana Province noted a shift within the Catholic Laity in Africa over the past decade. He believes this change reflects a stronger desire among Laypeople to take on active roles in the Church.