ECCLESIA IN ASIA FABC General Conference meets in Bangkok 50 years after its founding

In the sanctuary of Blessed Nichola Kitbamrung, the inaugural session of the meeting of the Episcopal Conferences of Asia will take place on August 22. The central moment of the event will take place from October 12 to 30 and will be attended by 250 bishops, priests, religious and laity. Undersecretary Bishop Allwyn D’Silva explained: “We will reflect on how to announce the Gospel in Asia today and what contribution our communities can offer to the universal Church.”

Bangkok () – At the sanctuary of Blessed Nicholas Bunkerd Kitbamrung, in Bangkok, the General Conference of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) will officially open on August 22 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its foundation in 1970. , on the occasion of Paul VI’s visit to Manila. On that occasion -after the Second Vatican Council- the bishops of the Continent met for the first time. “And by another way” (Mt 2,12) is the motto chosen for this meeting, which takes place with a delay of two years due to the restrictions imposed by Covid-19.

On August 22, the inaugural session will take place, which will include interventions by Card. Charles Bo, Archbishop of Rangoon and President of the FABC, from 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 on the fabc2020.org website and on the Thai Church’s YouTube and Facebook channels. After this first moment, the Conference commemorating the 50th anniversary of the FABC will continue in Bangkok from October 12 to 30, 2022, with the actual working session in which 250 delegates will participate, including bishops, priests, religious and laity.

“The fundamental objective of this General Conference – says Msgr. Allwyn D’Silva, auxiliary bishop of Mumbai and undersecretary of the Organizing Committee – will be to reflect on some central questions: how can the Church in Asia continue to be the good news in light of emerging realities? How can the FABC more effectively serve and support the Bishops and their Episcopal Conferences in Asia? What contribution can a renewed appreciation of the blessings and riches of Asia make 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 offer to the universal Church?

Bishop D’Silva also recalls the words of Pope Francis during his visit to Thailand in November 2019 on the occasion of this meeting. “It is a propitious occasion -said the pontiff- to revisit those ‘sanctuaries’ where the missionary roots that have put their mark on these lands are guarded, to allow oneself to be guided by the Holy Spirit in the footsteps of that first love and to welcome with courageously, with parrhesia, a future that you yourselves must contribute to developing and creating. In this way both the Church and Asian society will benefit from a renewed and shared evangelical action…”.

“In this spirit – comments the Undersecretary of the Organizing Committee – faithful to the missionary call of the Church, we embark on this path as the Church in Asia together with all the peoples of Asia, trying to revitalize the evangelical spirit through new paths to glory. of God. All the People of God are invited to pray for this event that will offer directions to the Church in Asia for the next ten years”. To this end, the Organizing Committee has prepared a special prayer and one song (titled “Blessed be our God who walks with us”) that will accompany the meeting until the end of October in parishes throughout the continent.