The Archdiocese of Bangkok marked World Mission Sunday with the observance of Laity Sunday to honor the vital role of laypeople in the Church’s mission.
George Varakorn Techamontrikul, president of the Catholic Business Executives and Professionals (CBEP)—one of Thailand’s leading Catholic lay organizations in the business sector—said the laity is “called to participate in spreading the Gospel through our daily lives, our talents, and our actions in the secular world, a mission rooted in our baptism and confirmation.”
He urged the lay movements gathered at St. Louis Church on October 19 “to respond to Pope Leo XIV’s invitation for us to become Missionaries of Hope among all peoples” and “to reflect on our vocation as laypeople,” which he said is “central to the Church’s mission.”
Varakorn emphasized that evangelization is not limited to priests or missionaries but extends to all baptized Catholics. “We are called to act as everyday ministers of the faith—living out Christian principles in our workplaces, marketplaces, and families,” he said.
He noted that the Christ-like witness of laypeople in their everyday lives remains the most effective means of evangelization, while emphasizing the importance of supporting and praying for missionaries.
Since the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church has reaffirmed the laity’s essential contribution to the Church’s mission.
As the majority of the faithful, laypeople bring the Gospel into the world’s daily realities—families, schools, offices, and communities—through their witness and service.
One such example is Chutima Sevikul, a longtime CBEP member who has dedicated her communication skills to evangelization. She hosts World and Life, a program that has aired for over a decade and now reaches audiences on YouTube.
“I believe that even ordinary laypeople can help spread the goodness of the Gospel to the public,” Chutima told LiCAS News. “Gospel values, when shared, inspire people to live with goodness, kindness, and joy.”
Her program, featuring well-known guests who share their life experiences, may appear simple, but it conveys profound Gospel values and practical wisdom. “It’s another way of evangelization,” she said, noting the show’s growing number of viewers over the years.
Another CBEP member, Dr. Virachai Techavijit, chairman of Regent’s International Schools and Colleges, voiced concern about the Church’s declining number of priests and aging clergy. “The shortage of priests highlights the need to form more committed laypeople who can share in the mission of evangelization,” he said.
Dr. Virachai stressed the importance of catechists, who play a vital role in transmitting faith. “I’ve heard from a senior priest that while the Church in Thailand can recruit catechists, it struggles to retain them. We need to support them better,” he said.
He proposed that the Serra Council of Thailand, a lay organization promoting vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, address this concern regularly.
“Being a catechist is a true vocation, especially in a society where family structures are changing and fewer young people are choosing to have children. If we can inspire more trained and capable people to serve as catechists, we can strengthen the Church’s mission,” he added.
One CBEP member reflected that the laity’s journey must always be rooted in authentic Christian hope.
“We must be led by hope and faith—not a shallow optimism that fades in the face of trials, but the living hope we have in Jesus Christ,” the member said. “It’s the kind of hope and faith that moves the paralyzed to rise and walk. It’s time for us, the laity, to pick up our mats and walk forward in faith.”
Laity Sunday in Thailand highlighted the shared responsibility of all baptized Catholics to participate in the Church’s mission of bringing hope through faith and service.
