Mangalore:   Dr Bernard Moras, Archbishop of Bangalore and Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, jointly inaugurated a two day Laity Synod, Karnataka Region Consultation organized by the All India Catholic Union (AICU), in association with Karnataka Regional Laity Commission and Catholic Sabha Mangalore Pradesh at Pastoral Institute, Shanthi Kiran, Bajjodi on October 1, Monday. The conference has been organized to celebrate the Year of Faith announced by Pope Benedict XVI, beginning this October through November, 2013, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Speaking on the occasion, Archbishop Bernard exhorted bishops and vicars to preach the teachings of Jesus Christ to the people.

Nigel Pereira, President of Catholic Sabha, Dr Peter Machado, Lancy D’Cunha, national vice-president, AICU shared the dais along with Bishops of other regions in Karnataka.

Discussions and the deliberations  at the Laity Synod will take place in the light of the teaching of the Vatican II.

Lancy D’Cunha welcomed, Flavy D’Souza proposed the vote of thanks and Dennis D’Souza compered the programme.

Priests and scholars will present various papers on the Mission of the lay faithful in the Church and society.