MANILA : A stronger and more effective network that builds, loves, shares and serves Church communities in Asia is what Archbishop Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato hopes will come out of the 9th Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Plenary Assembly.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate archbishop serves as FABC’s secretary general.

FABC, the voluntary association of episcopal conferences in South, Southeast, East and Central Asia, was established in the 1970s to foster among its members solidarity and co-responsibility for the welfare of Church and society in Asia.

Recently, Archbishop Quevedo, 70, explained to UCA News the aims, hopes and significance of this coming assembly that expects to gather some 120 delegates and participants at Pius XII Catholic Center in Manila Aug. 10-16.

He notes the impact of the assembly’s theme, "Living the Eucharist in Asia" on the FABC’s work of building a Church in dialogue with the poor, with cultures and religions in Asia.

Archbishop Quevedo also expressed his hope that Pope Benedict XVI’s representative to the assembly, Cardinal Francis Arinze, will encourage the Church leaders in the work they are doing during times and under conditions of great challenge.

FABC plenary assemblies are held every four years.
Archbishop Quevedo’s interview with UCA News follows:

UCA NEWS: What does FABC do?

ARCHBISHOP ORLAND QUEVEDO: The vision of FABC for the Church in Asia is to be in triple dialogue -- dialogue with the poor, with cultures and with religions. FABC offices do this by organizing seminars, institutes, assemblies, meetings in the areas of inculturation, interreligious dialogue, and human development. Many such meetings are interreligious and ecumenical.

We establish networks with NGOs involved in various aspects of human development, particularly affecting the poor, such as migration, human trafficking, justice and peace issues, ecology and human rights.

Exposure and reflection programs have been organized for bishops with regard to the riches of spiritual and mystical elements found in other religions. Interreligious dialogue has been conducted in various countries in relation to issues of justice, peace, and development.

Other areas of concern are the renewal of seminary formation in Asia, renewal of clergy and Religious, renewal of laity and concern for the situation of women, the evangelization power of the young, the over all pastoral priority in Asia regarding education and Christian formation and harnessing social communication tools for integral evangelization.

What challenges does it face?

The sheer magnitude of the territory covered by FABC from Kazakhstan to Indonesia, the difficulties of travel and communication, the varieties of cultures and languages, the minority and often insecure status of Christianity, creeping secularism that is eroding the spiritual sense of Asians, ethnic and religious divisions and conflicts in Asia, worsening poverty and ecological problems.
Previous plenary assemblies have made some of these major pastoral priorities.

Why have some Churches in Asia been described as "mere extensions of the Vatican" and Catholics criticized for not living out their faith?

The idea of being "mere extensions of the Vatican" is not synonymous with non-internalization and non-practice of Catholic faith and teaching. The term can also mean an abiding faith-loyalty to the Magisterium that is expected of every Catholic.

When the faith is not internalized and integrated it is a failure of evangelization. It creates the following major pastoral concerns or needs: integral faith formation, renewal of clergy and Religious, renewal of the laity to be leaders in social transformation, development of spirituality and mission-consciousness, family as the focal point of evangelization and building participatory faith communities.

However, we are seeing the emergence of "contrast communities" in many places and there the faith is truly lived and practiced. In some places, they may be small and isolated, such as versions of European ecclesial movements. There are also many faith communities that are home-bred, such as the so-called transparochial communities in the Philippines, and various forms of Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs). Through these communities, parishes have become more alive and dynamic, a faith-force that is "salt and light" in the wider society.

What resources can help the FABC overcome challenges?

We have a common vision of the Church in Asia. Each episcopal conference has resources needed for its region. There is a great willingness to collaborate, and collaboration has been done in many instances, as on issues of development, in BEC building, in interreligious dialogue etc. There is a network of social communications, led by Radio Veritas Asia, that can be put to maximum use. And the Church in Asia is relatively young, full of enthusiasm and dynamism.

How significant are BECs in the FABC’s vision of Church?

The movement toward a "new way of being Church" in Asia is mainly concretized in the building of BEC or faith communities with different names but of similar nature. Several bishops' conferences have made building of BECs one of their major pastoral priorities. To name a few: Malaysia-Brunei-Singapore, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Many dioceses in other episcopal conferences have also been working along this line.

There is an Asian team that helps dioceses in different conferences, particularly in the use of AsIPA (Asian Integrated Pastoral Approach) which is a comprehensive approach to building BECs. Building BECs is a process that takes patience and endurance. But where BECs are operating, one can indeed see the difference in parishes in terms of people's participation, belongingness, fellowship, and pastoral action toward social transformation.

What is the connection between the assembly theme and FABC’s vision and mission?

The theme of 9th Plenary Assembly in Manila, “Living the Eucharist in Asia," attempts to integrate the two synods on the Word of God and on the Eucharist. If I were to envision the directions, priorities, and actions that the FABC has to take in light of this plenary assembly, I would summarize them in terms of renewal toward "becoming Eucharistic persons and communities" that celebrate and live the Lord's own Eucharistic action of loving, self-sacrifice, sharing and serving in the context of Asia.

The plenary assembly should provide the Eucharistic dimension of renewal that is taking place to be injected into various Church programs and action. Such general direction is of great relevance to the vision of a Church that is a humble servant of the Gospel as well as servant-companion of the peoples of Asia in the journey to God's reign.

What is the FABC called to do?

It will be the 9th FABC Plenary Assembly in Manila that would obviously envision what should take place in the next few years. From my personal perspective, the years ahead will have to continue and reinforce the efforts of Church renewal that began at the 1st FABC Plenary Assembly in 1974.

In the year 2000, the 7th Plenary Assembly in Thailand, identified several movements of renewal for the Church in Asia. These movements are spiral in nature, going from a status quo to a faith community of deep spirituality through renewed integral evangelization and so on, and returning again to the beginning of another spiral of renewal. Many local Churches might find themselves at the very beginning, others could be a few steps ahead in the spiral, and others might have to retrace their steps.

But Church renewal in Asia toward a "new way of being Church" is ongoing and never ending. It is always in process. And at every moment of renewing "the house," it is the Lord who builds and renews.

What areas of FABC structure, mandate and statutes need updating and why?

The updating of terms of reference of the various FABC offices has just been completed. The structures, roles and relationships of various committees and offices have to be updated and operationalized, such as the Central Committee which is made up of the presidents of episcopal conferences, the Standing Committee, the associate members, etc.

Some of these updates are demanded by pastoral needs and others are for more efficient and effective management. The general purpose of such updating is to achieve the aims of FABC more effectively and in a more participatory way.

What message do you hope Rome will send to the assembly?

As Secretary General of the FABC, I hope His Eminence Francis Cardinal Arinze, the special envoy of the Holy Father, would give us a positive message of encouragement and inspiration with regard to our work in Asia. He would most surely remind us of our unity and of the fraternal bonds that tie us together. Most of all I hope that his coming to the assembly would palpably provide us with the wise and gentle shepherding and presence of Pope Benedict XVI himself.

Courtesy : UCAN