Bishop Enrique Figaredo SJ, Christina Kheng, Fr Nguyen Hai Tinh SJ, and Fr Pedro Walpole SJ at the FABC 50 general conference
“Peace and reconciliation is the only way forward.” This was one of the salient points in the message of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) to the peoples of Asia at the conclusion of their two-week general conference in Bangkok.
The bishops said they had been challenged by the voices of the poor, deprived, and marginalised crying out for help and justice, and have envisaged new pathways based on mutual listening and genuine discernment.
The conference held from 12 to 30 October was part of the 50th anniversary celebration of FABC that drew together about 150 bishops, some priests, religious sisters, and laypeople comprising 17 Episcopal Conferences and two Synods of Oriental Churches.
Considering the theme, Journeying together as peoples of Asia, the participants deliberated in prayer and in a spirit of collaboration new pathways to respond to the emerging social, economic, religious, and political realities of Asia.
These include reaching out to the peripheries, pastoral and ecological conversion, living out the spirit of complementarity and harmony through genuine dialogue, promoting a culture of peace and harmony with our brothers and sisters of neighbouring religions and traditions, and committing to principled engagements with governments, NGOs, and civic organisations on issues of concern.
Christina Kheng
Notably, the areas of mission identified, such as migration, ecology, youth, spirituality, and synodality resonate very much with the priorities in the JCAP Plan.
Among the laywomen invited to participate was JCAP consultant and planning expert Christina Kheng.
“There was a resounding desire to become closer to one another as a continent, to collaborate on common issues such as migration, interreligious dialogue, and ecology, and to speak with one voice, especially on behalf of the voiceless. In this regard, JCAP can have much to share from its experience as a conference,” she shared.
There were several delegates from JCAP, although not representing the conference per se, including Bishop Stephen Chow SJ of Hong Kong, Bishop Enrique Figaredo SJ of the Apostolic Prefecture of Battambang, Archbishop Emeritus of Cagayan de Oro Antonio Ledesma SJ, Global Coordinator of Ecojesuit Fr Pedro Walpole SJ, and Formation Delegate of the Vietnamese Province Fr Nguyen Hai Tinh SJ. Some of them played key roles in the conference, such as giving inputs as speakers, working in committees, and providing perspectives from their specialisation.
“We had a very fruitful time together, coming from so many countries, experiencing the diversity of our continent, from Mongolia to Mumbai, Katipunan to Kyrgyzstan. We reflected on the signs of the times together in church and society, in dialogue with church teachings especially as articulated in recent documents like Laudato sí, Fratelli Tutti, Amoris Laeticia, and Predicate Evangelium,” continued Kheng. “We look forward to an ongoing journey of walking together in our common mission in Asia.”
Kheng also cited a renewed recognition of the need for ongoing formation. The brochure for the Discerning Leadership Program slated for January next year at the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila was included in the conference kit given to every participant. She noted that it generated some increase in sign-ups as well as awareness of EAPI.
