After the opening day of the conference promoted by the Association of Bishops’ Conferences in Bangkok, the churches of different countries showed the joy and challenges of their experiences. Card. Gracias: “The experience of Latin America with Aparecida documents a model for renewing and revitalizing our pastoral experience”.
Bangkok (AsiaNews) – Take a “virtual tour” country by country in Asia, listening to the experiences of each Church that makes up the vast mosaic of Catholicism in Asia, where today is the crossroads of the future.
The General Assembly, promoted by the Asian Association of Bishops’ Conferences (Fabc) on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, resumed this week after its opening day on 12 October, leaving space for presentations from all 29 countries and their delegations. A meeting for the journey of the Church in this large part of the world will be held at the Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Center in the capital of Thailand until 30 October.
On Thursday 13th, representatives of three different liturgical groups (Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malakarese and Latin) from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Nepal and India presented their experiences. Friday 14 is Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Kore, Malaysia and Singapore.
Finally, yesterday was the turn of the last group of countries: Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar and Hong Kong.
Representatives from each country – in closed sessions – highlighted the concerns and challenges faced by their country’s church and community.
To show support, care, and seek mutual understanding, delegates gather in small groups at the end of each day to identify what each is about and what can be useful to everyone on the journey.
At the end of the three days, Father Clarence Devadass, from the diocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, presented a summary that divides the responses of the groups to the national report into four categories: joy, concern, church. Episcopal conferences can adopt.
From tomorrow a new phase of work will begin: during the week the Assembly will reflect on these realities in the light of the latest doctrinal documents, from the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium to the encyclical Fratelli tutti), from Laudato Sì (Laudato Sì), a tribute to Constitution of the Reformed Holy See, Praedicate Evangelium (Praedicate Evangelium). It will focus on the teachings that Asian churches must embrace to address the challenges highlighted by this “viral journey”.
The Catholic Conference of Asia opened on 12 October with the Eucharist presided over by Card. Charles Bo, archbishop of Yangon, president of the Association of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. After the Mass, the inauguration ceremony in the hall of San Giovanni Paolo II.
Here is Card Oswald Gracias, archdiocese of Mumbai, who traces the path that led to the event, which should have taken place in 2020, but then the pandemic forced it to be postponed for two years.
Card Gracias explained that the reference model is the CELAM Congress organized by the Latin American Bishops and the Aparecida document, named after the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Roger Mario Bell Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the main inspiration.
Gracias explained: “What helps South America can certainly help Asia. We tell ourselves: a meeting like this will not help our Churches in Asia to renew and revitalize our pastoral drive to make the Church what the Lord says it does. be it.? Be a vibrant church working for a better Asia. “
Children from 11 schools in Thailand enriched the start of the work session by telling stories of the country’s Catholic faith through stories, music, songs and dances. At the same time, they show the beauty and diversity of the Asian people and what they can do to the world by walking together.
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