Indian appointed to head FABC Office of Laity and Family, Women’s Desk

By Matters India Reporter

Mumbai: Father Cajetan Menezes, who is director of the Bombay archdiocese’s Snehalaya Family Service Center, has been appointed as the interim executive secretary, Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Office of Laity and Family, and Women’s Desk.

He succeeds Wendy M Louis who held the office for last eight years.

Fr Menezes is taking over the office and desks as an interim measure until the FABC joint meeting between the Central Committee and all the offices in February or March.

The FABC Office of Laity and Family was first set up in 1982 as a Committee on the Laity. After the 1986 FABC Plenary Assembly on the role and mission of the Laity the office was set up and given the mandate to work on raising awareness of the role of the laity and formation of the laity.

FABC is a voluntary association of episcopal conferences in South, Southeast, East and Central Asia, established with approval of the Holy See. Its purpose is to foster among its members solidarity and co-responsibility for the welfare of the Church and society in Asia, and to promote and defend whatever is for the greater good.