FABC General Conference marks 50 years

On Aug. 22 the inaugural session of the Bishops' Conferences of Asia at the shrine of Blessed Nichola Kitbamrung. 250 bishops, priests, religious and laity will participate in the meeting-which will have its focus Oct. 12-30. Adjunct Secretary Msgr. Allwyn D'Silva: "We will reflect on how to proclaim the Gospel to Asia today and what contribution our communities can make to the universal Church." 

Bangkok (AsiaNews) - On Aug. 22, the General Conference of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (Fabc) officially opens at the shrine of Blessed Nicholas Bunkerd Kitbamrung in Bangkok.  This year it celebrates 50 years since its founding in 1970 on the occasion of Paul VI's visit to Manila when for the first time - in the wake of the Second Vatican Council - the bishops of the Continent gathered together. "And they went a different way" (Mt. 2:12) is the theme chosen for this meeting that comes two years after the anniversary due to restrictions imposed by Covid-19.

The inaugural session will feature talks by Card. Charles Bo, archbishop of Yangon and president of the Fabc, Card. Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai and coordinator of this General Conference, and Card. Kriengsak Kovitvanit, archbishop of Bangkok. The event will be broadcast live online at the event website fabc2020.org and on the Thai Church's YouTube and Facebook channels. After this first moment, the Conference celebrating Fabc's 50th anniversary will continue with the working session in Bangkok from Oct. 12-30, 2022, to be attended by 250 delegates including bishops, priests, religious and lay people.

"The basic task of this General Conference," writes Msgr. Allwyn D'Silva, auxiliary bishop of Mumbai and assistant secretary of the organizing committee, in a note, "will be to reflect on some key questions: how can the Church in Asia continue to become the good news in light of emerging realities? How can the FABC more effectively serve and support the bishops and their bishops' conferences in Asia? What contribution can a renewed appreciation of Asia's blessings and riches bring to the Church? How can the Church in this part of the world contribute to a better Asia? What contribution can the Church in Asia make to the universal Church?"

Archbishop D'Silva also recalls the words Pope Francis spoke in November 2019 during his visit to Thailand ahead of this appointment. "It is a propitious occasion," the pontiff said, "to revisit those 'sanctuaries' where the missionary roots that have left their mark in these lands are guarded, to allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit in the footsteps of our first love and to welcome with courage, with parresia, a future that you yourselves must help to develop and create.  In this way, both the Church and Asian society will benefit from renewed and shared evangelical action...." 

"In this spirit," commented the adjunct secretary of the organizing committee, "faithful to the missionary call of the Church, we undertake this journey as the Church in Asia together with all the peoples of Asia, seeking to reinvigorate the evangelical spirit through new paths for the glory of God. The whole Church in Asia is invited to pray for this event that will offer guidelines for the Church for the next ten years." To this end, the organizing committee has prepared a special prayer and song (initialed "Blessed is our God who walks with us") that will accompany this event until the end of October in parishes across the continent.

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