What is the spirit saying to the Churches in Asia?

Pope Francis has encouraged Asian bishops celebrating 50 years since the founding of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences to maintain fraternity, embrace the poor, young people, and interreligious dialogue but above all discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to them.

Oct 21, 2022

Opening Ceremony of the FABC 50 General Conference. (photo/ Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences - FABC facebook)


BANGKOK: Pope Francis has encouraged Asian bishops celebrating 50 years since the founding of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences to maintain fraternity, embrace the poor, young people, and interreligious dialogue but above all discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to them.

“It is important for the regional conferences to meet with some consistency, as in doing so the Church is formed, is strengthened along the way, and the fundamental question is: What is the Spirit saying to the Churches in Asia? And that is what you must answer,” Pope Francis said in his special video message to the more than 150 bishops from across Asia of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), meeting in Bangkok from October 12–30.

“You will come together now,” the Pope said in his video message, “and I wish in some way to accompany you in the work of fraternity and exchange of ideas that you will carry out.”

Pope Francis also stressed the role of the laity in the Church in Asia and the importance of local Churches. “Go forward, let the laity assume their baptism, their function as laypersons, and let the singularity of each one be respected because the universal Church is not the uniform Church, no: she is universal, with respect for the particularity of every Church,” he said.

The theme of the golden jubilee celebrations is FABC 50: Journeying together as peoples of Asia…and they went a different way. (Mt 2:12).

The Federation was established in 1970 in Manila, the Philippines, in the presence of Paul VI who was visiting. The FABC’s golden jubilee celebration was in 2020 but had to be postponed because of the pandemic.

Pope Francis noted that when the FABC was founded people were “awakening from fatalism to a life worthy of man; the young people were also awakening, they were idealistic, aware, concerned, impatient and restless; culturally diverse societies were awakening to become a true community of peoples.

“For the Church in Asia, this meant “to be more authentically the Church of the poor, the Church of the young, and a Church in dialogue with Asian brothers and sisters of other confessions,” the Pope said.

In an earlier message to FABC President Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Pope Francis said this theme was “most fitting” within the broader context of the upcoming Synod on Synodality.

“I pray that the deliberations of the general conference will enable your local Churches to develop, within the polyhedric unity of the People of God creatively ‘different ways’ to proclaim the joy of the Gospel, to form new generations of missionary disciples, and to labour for the extension of Christ’s kingdom of universal holiness, justice, and peace,” the Pope said.




According to a FABC press note, the meeting will in the first few days deliberate on the emerging realities in different Asian countries. Each of the 29 member countries has been invited to present an exposition on the present situation in their countries: political, social, economic, religious and any other challenges for the Catholic Church.

Some of the social realities planned for discussion include the pandemic, globalisation, socio-economic and political challenges and the issues of gender; indigenous people, yearnings of the youth, and the transformation of the Church.

The Asian Church leaders will also seek ways for a renewed appreciation of the richness of Asia. Ways for the Church in Asia to contribute to a better Asia and augment its contribution to the universal Church also will form part of the discussion, the press note said. — Agencies

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