Fabc50, the 'virtual journey' of the churches of Asia

After the opening day at the meeting promoted in Bangkok by the Federation of Bishops' Conferences, the Church of each country presents the joys and challenges of its experience. Card. Gracias: "The experience of Latin America with the Aparecida document a model for renewing and revitalising our pastoral experience".

Bangkok (AsiaNews) - A country-by-country "virtual journey" throughout Asia to listen to the experience of each of the Churches that make up the great mosaic of the Catholic presence on the continent that today is the crossroads of the future.

After the opening day on 12 October, the General Conference promoted by the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (Fabc) on the occasion of its 50th anniversary has recommenced this week, giving space to the reports of all 29 countries present with their own delegations at the meeting that until 30 October at the Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Centre in the Thai capital is called to draw the lines for the Church's journey in this great region of the world.

On Thursday 13, delegates from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Nepal and the communities of the three different rites of India (Syro-Malabars, Syro-Malankareans and Latins) presented their experiences. On Friday 14th it was the turn of Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, East Timor, Core, Malaysia and Singapore.

Finally, yesterday it was the turn of the last group of countries: Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar and Hong Kong.

The representatives of each country - in a closed session - highlighted the concerns and challenges faced by their national Church and community.

In a sign of support, concern and pursuit of mutual understanding, delegates came together at the end of each day in small groups to identify what had affected each one and could be useful for the journey of all.

At the end of these three days, it was Fr Clarence Devadass, a priest from the diocese of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, who proposed a synthesis by grouping the groups' responses to the country reports into four main categories: joys, concerns, Church responses and changes that the FABC can adopt.

And on this - starting tomorrow - a new phase of work will begin: throughout the week the General Conference will reflect on these realities, in light of the most recent documents of magisterium, from the apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium to the encyclical Fratelli tutti, from Laudato sì to the constitution Praedicate Evangelium that reformed the Roman Curia. It will focus on the teachings that the Church in Asia must embrace to respond to the challenges that this 'viral journey' has highlighted.

The General Conference of the Catholic Churches of Asia opened on 12 October with a Eucharistic celebration presided over by Card. Charles Bo, Archbishop of Yangon and President of the CBCF. The liturgy was followed by the Opening Ceremony in the St John Paul II Hall.

Here it was Card. Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai, retraced the path that led to the convocation of this event, which was supposed to take place in 2020 but then the pandemic forced a two-year postponement.

Card. Gracias explained that the reference model was the CELAM General Conferences, organised by the Latin American episcopate, and the Aparecida document, which had the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Mario Bergoglio as its primary inspirer. 

"What helped South America," explained Gracias, "can certainly help Asia. We said to ourselves: would such a conference not help our Churches in Asia to renew and revitalise our pastoral thrust, so that the Church can become what the Lord calls it to be? A vibrant Church working for a better Asia".

The beginning of the working sessions was enriched by the presence of children from 11 schools in Thailand who - through narrations, music, songs and dances - told the story of the Catholic faith in the country. Along with this they showed the beauty and diversity of the peoples of Asia and the contribution they can make to the world by walking together. 

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