The Lay Centre

03/06/2026

29/05/2026

What a memorable musical evening at the Lay Centre! 🎶✨

We were delighted to welcome members of The Hillbilly Thomists for a truly unique community evening filled with music, joy, and fraternity.

Among those with us from this band of 8 members were Fr. Austin Litke, OP and Fr. Peter Gautsch, OP.

Rooted in the rich traditions of bluegrass, folk, and country music, their performance brought warmth, laughter, and a beautiful spirit of community to the evening. More than a concert, it was an encounter of faith, friendship, and shared joy — one that reminded us how music has the power to bring people together across cultures and vocations. 🪕🎻

We are grateful for this unforgettable evening and look forward to the release of their upcoming sixth album!

26/05/2026

WALKING TOGETHER: BUILDING LEADERSHIP,
DIALOGUE, AND ENCOUNTER!

https://laycentre.org/summer-lay-leadership-program/

The Summer Lay Leadership Program is a week-long residential leadership formation experience in Rome designed for emerging Catholic lay professionals from around the world. This immersive program helps participants deepen their understanding of leadership as a vocation rooted in baptismal co-respons...

25/05/2026

Shedding light on the theme of , discernment, and our personal call to mission, Fr. Michele Gianola, Undersecretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference and Director of the National Office for the Pastoral Care of Vocations joined us for our community evening stirred with reflection, dialogue, and shared listening.

In his homily, rooted in the Gospel of John (the Gospel of the day), he explored the deep contrasts that shape our lives — light and darkness, and falsehood, salvation and judgment, inviting us to recognize life as a journey of discernment among these contrasts, where every choice quietly shapes who we are called to become.

We then had a time of with him, where he shared reflections on the meaning of our vocation, reminding us that each calling is unique and requires courage, discernment, and deep roots in our baptismal identity, leading us always toward a life of service — to God and to others.

He was also generous in offering us unique gifts - notebooks with meaningful quotes on mission, along with prayer cards.

24/05/2026

"the Spirit of the risen One is the Spirit of peace ...the Spirit of the risen One is the Spirit of mission:...the Spirit of the risen One is the “Spirit of truth..whom the Lord himself promised us, asking for the unity of his Church — a unity founded on the love of God, the source of our love." - Pope Leo XIV

Adsumus Sancte Spiritus. Kindle in our hearts the fire of your love.

Happy Pentecost.

21/05/2026

Sr. Oonah O’Shea, NDS, President of the UISG, together with Sr. Roxanne Schares, SSND, Executive Secretary of the UISG, joined the community for an evening of prayer, reflection, and fraternal sharing.

✨The evening continued with a rich conversation centered on , co-responsibility, and the witness of consecrated life in today’s Church. Drawing from their experiences as religious women and their work within the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), the sisters reflected on the importance of laity and religious women walking together in the life and mission of the Church.

Know more: https://laycentre.org/

✨Sr. Oonah shared about her years of ministry in the Philippines and her collaboration with Vatican Dicasteries in safeguarding, migration, education, and communications. Sr. Roxanne reflected on her decades of missionary service in Kenya, particularly in the formation of religious sisters, the education of young girls, and accompaniment of refugees.

Through their witness, the sisters revealed the many ways the Gospel is lived through service, collaboration, and faithful accompaniment — reminding all present that every vocation contributes to the life and mission of the Church.

17/05/2026

Babu John, a Lay Centre alumnus from South Sudan, shares his experience of community life while pursuing his studies in the Rule of Law for Development Program (PROLAW) in Rome.

🤝 Reflecting on his time at the Lay Centre, he speaks about the richness of living in an intercultural community alongside young people from different countries, cultures, and experiences.

🎥 Check out the video to hear Babu share more about his experience at the Lay Centre community.

14/05/2026

On this International Day for Catholic Education, we reflect on the words of from his Apostolic Letter "Drawing New Maps of Hope," being reminded that Christian education is always a shared journey.

“Christian education is a collective endeavour: no one educates alone. The educational community is a ‘we’ where teachers, students, families, administrative and service staff, pastors and civil society converge to generate life.” - Pope Leo XIV

As an academic community, we are grateful for the gift of learning, dialogue, and formation that continue to shape our community life.

08/05/2026

Celebrating the gift of Pope Leo XIV. continues to "disarm" expectations through a discreet style and attentive listening.

His first year has been characterized by a call to promote a that is “humble and persevering,” a vision grounded in four central themes: peace in the heart, unity in harmony, as a way of being Church, and an interior life cultivated in silence.

🤍 Read an analysis of the first year of his Papacy, the 4 axes of his pontificate and more:
https://laycentre.org/pope-leo-xiv-marks-one-year-since-his-unarmed-and-disarming-election/

Filipe Domingues
Director, The Lay Centre

07/05/2026

https://share.google/v9JnjocCjRPD1mUfO

A reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s first year as Bishop of Rome, highlighting his “disarmed and disarming” vision of peace, unity, synodality, and interior life shaping a new direction for the Catholic Church.