By Matters India Reporter
TRICHY, October 29, 2026: The Indian bishops’ Commission for Laity hosted a three-day National Laity Conference from October 25 to 27, 2026, at the Tamil Nadu Laity Formation Centre in Trichy.
The conference focused on the theme “St. Devasahayam: A Role Model for the Laity Today”.
Father Eugene Joseph of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India’ Commission for Laity, and Adrian Rosario, Secretary of the Commission, led the gathering.
A total of 82 participants, including Father Eugene Joseph, 10 priests, and lay faithful from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds across India, attended the conference.
Eminent resource persons led enriching sessions throughout the event. Father Joseph spoke on the kingly role of the laity within the Church.
Father Salem, Regional Secretary of the Commission for Laity from Chhattisgarh, and Father Edwin John, a pastor, activist, and social worker from Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, discussed St. Devasahayam.
They noted that despite being a newly baptized layman, his unwavering loyalty to Jesus and endurance of brutal persecution and martyrdom by fundamentalists serve as a profound inspiration.
Maria Devasahayam of Tamil Nadu shared a testimony of miraculous healing after suffering from a debilitating condition that left him unable to sit or walk. Samir Lahiri discussed the persecution of Christians by fundamentalist groups in West Bengal.
Father Anthony Sebastian, Director of JD Academy of Excellence, spoke on the role of Catholic youth and encouraged them to enter the bureaucracy via the Civil Services Examination.
Additionally, Mumbai veteran social worker Clipsy Banji addressed India’s socio-economic scenario and the Catholic community’s response.
Participants also shared reports and experiences from various regions of the CCBI Commission for Laity. Bishop Sagayaraj Thamburaj of Thanjavur and Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Commission for Laity, encouraged attendees and proposed initiatives for laity empowerment.
Daily morning prayers and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist fostered fellowship and supported spiritual growth among participants.