Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The Eucharistic celebration presided over by Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop Emeritus of Bombay, chosen by Pope Leo XIV as his envoy for this event, officially opened the working sessions of the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC).
Cardinal Gracias was joined at the altar by Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan of Hong Kong and Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva of Timor-Leste as the main concelebrants, along with more than a hundred cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and delegates from across Asia who will take part in the assembly this week.
In his homily, Cardinal Gracias said that the Church's mission is to unite people, promote reconciliation, and become an instrument of peace. "The Church is called to build bridges," he explained.
The opening liturgy reflected the diversity of Asia, incorporating cultural traditions from across Indonesia and prayers representative of the broader Asian Church.
The prayers by the faithful also reflected the unity in diversity of Asia's peoples and cultures, with intentions proclaimed in several languages, including Javanese, Mentawai, Mandarin Chinese, Benawas Dayak (Borneo), and Sumbanese (East Nusa Tenggara).
Another feature of the celebration was the invocation of the litany of Asian saints. The assembly prayed for the intercession of figures from China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Thailand, Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Laos, and Afghanistan, highlighting the continent's rich Christian heritage.
Five decades of the FABC
Cardinal Gracias reminded participants that the FABC meeting is much more than an institutional gathering. Rather, it is an opportunity for the local Churches in Asia to discern the signs of the times and renew their commitment to proclaiming the Gospel.
Citing more than five decades of FABC history, the Indian cardinal said that the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the decisive challenges faced by the Church in recent years. While the crisis caused immense suffering across the continent, it also revealed the resilience, solidarity, and spirit of collegiality of the Churches of Asia.
The prelate also identified war and violence among the greatest challenges facing humanity today, echoing Pope Francis's description of the current global situation as "a Third World War fought piecemeal”.
He called synodality a gift for both the Church and society, noting that the spirit of walking together has long been rooted in Asian cultures in family life, community values, and mutual respect.
He added that the synodal values of listening, participation, openness, and shared responsibility can also contribute to good governance and help address corruption in many parts of Asia.
In concluding the Mass, Cardinal Gracias encouraged delegates to seek new and creative ways to build peace and brotherhood throughout the continent.
Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Archbishop of Goa and Daman and FABC President, also emphasised in his introductory remarks that cultural diversity is not an obstacle, but a gift that strengthens the Church's witness on the continent.
The Assembly in Jakarta reflects the beauty of the Church in Asia, where different peoples, cultures, languages, and traditions come together in communion.
“I am more convinced than ever that the Asian continent is distinguished by its colourful diversity and beauty. In Asia, we celebrate unity in diversity," the cardinal said.
Outlining the history of the FABC, Ferrão noted that the federation was born after Paul VI's visit to the Philippines in 1970, an event that fostered closer collaboration among Asian bishops.
He also mentioned the apostolic journeys of Saint John Paul II and Pope Francis, stressing how they confirmed the universal Church's closeness to the peoples of Asia.
The prelate also cited an anecdote related to Pope Francis's 2015 trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines: A Filipino Jesuit joked that he couldn't offer the pontiff 25 elephants to welcome him, but only 25 Jesuit students. Francis replied smilingly that “the elephants in Sri Lanka were better dressed,” causing laughter from those present.
Best wishes from Indonesia and Churches on other continents
Before the celebration, Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar extended his greetings, inviting Asian religious leaders to make religion a powerful force for peace, reconciliation, and social harmony, highlighting how conflicts cannot be resolved solely with economic or political means. Religion must be a force capable of building peace, “not merely become an identity,” the minister said.
Citing the experience of Indonesia, a country founded on diversity, he mentioned the Istiqlal Joint Declaration signed with Pope Francis in 2024 and the Friendship Tunnel between the Istiqlal mosque and the Catholic cathedral as a symbol of interreligious dialogue.
He added that the Catholic Church's emphasis on synodality shares common ground with the Indonesian values of musyawarah (consensus building) and gotong royong (mutual cooperation), both of which encourage communities to work together for the common good.
On behalf of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Indonesia, its president, Most Rev Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, Archbishop of Bandung, welcomed fellow bishops from across the continent.
The prelate encouraged participants to deepen their synodal conversion through listening, collaboration, and a shared vision of the future, citing Pope Francis's invitation to be a Church that listens before speaking, that accompanies before judging, as well as Leo XIV's call to build bridges through dialogue, openness, and charity.
The inaugural session also included speeches by delegates representing the federations of bishops’ conferences from other continents, demonstrating the importance that Churches around the world attach to this meeting in Jakarta.
Greetings were delivered by Cardinal Jaime Spengler, Archbishop of Porto Alegre in Brazil, representing CELAM; Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, representing SECAM; Archbishop Gintaras Linas Grušas of Vilnius in Lithuania, representing CCEE; Armenian Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, representing the Council of Patriarchs of the Oriental Churches; and Father Christopher De Souza, Secretary General of FCBCO.
