After a year of positive experience, His Exc. Mgr. John Tong, Bishop of Hong Kong, has extended the celebration of the Year of the Laity until 31 December, 2012, "because with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the numbers of conversions in our diocese continue to grow and our faith continues to mature." After the First Year of the Laity devoted to formation, the Second Year of the Laity, which the diocese will celebrate in 2012 will stress above all the implementation of the commitments on behalf of the laity in the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). According to reports from the Kong Ko Bao (the Chinese version of the diocesan bulletin), Mgr. Dominic Chan, President of the Preparatory Commission and General Vicar of the diocese, announced the program for the Year of the Laity 2012 to help the faithful to live in continuity this initiative. According to Mgr. Chan after a year of experience focused on the formation of the laity, the diocese now encourages the faithful to participate in the life of the Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs), thus creating a network of lay and parish faith formation. Among the proposals: recitation of the prayer composed for the Year of the Laity and Liturgy of the Hours; daily meditation on the Gospel of the day and the Word of God; participation in solidarity and charity work; sharing faith with the non-Christians; and the utmost attention to respecting human rights starting from the district where you live to the whole society of Hong Kong  (Provided by Agenzia Fides, 2 September 2011).

Rev. Joseph G. Healey, M.M.
Maryknoll Society
P.O. Box 43058
00100 Nairobi, Kenya
Telkom Orange Wireless: 057-2522977
JGHealey@aol.com
www.maryknollafrica.org