Being a witness for Christ in the family, in the workplace in community and in prayer are essential to living a life of faith, Cardinal Francis Arinze told graduates of Thomas Aquinas College at the Santa Paula school's annual commencement ceremonies May 15.

"Religion is not an option in our lives," declared Cardinal Arinze, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of Sacraments, in speaking to more than 1,000 people gathered at the rural liberal arts college. "Religion is essential; it gives us a sense of direction and meaning."

And for that reason, one's faith cannot be separated from one's life as a professional, even if it is as a politician, the cardinal said. "The Christian must not introduce divergence between his professional and his religious duties," he stated, clearly mindful of the American issue of separating church and state. "If the Christian shies away from politics, who will be there in the public arena to see that public funds are spent wisely? Who will build up the foundations of justice and peace? Who will speak for the defenseless and the weak?"

It the Christian's duty, by reason of his or her baptism, to evangelize. "Sharing faith is the way to be a good Christian," he said, questioning how it could be desirable to keep faith to oneself. "Do you want to go to heaven alone?" he asked.

The family, Cardinal Arinze said, is the "primary place of witness to Christ," and for the family to function well requires following "the instructions of the Maker --- following the plan of God. The husband and wife know that the basilica of a successful marriage is built by sacrifice and mutual surrender. The family is the place for the origin of new life."

The students and staff of Thomas Aquinas College, he said, "are convinced of the sacredness of family life. This must be defended, even against the tide of what society writes or projects. I urge you, go and share this good news of marriage and the family with the world."