The Conference of Bishops of the Latin Rite in India (CCBI) and the Pontifical Mission Societies of India organized a symposium marking 25 years of the publication of the post-synodal apostolic exhortation “Ecclesia in Asia” (Church in Asia).
Pope John Paul II published "Ecclesia in Asia" in 1999 following the Special Synod on Asia, which took place in Rome from April 18 to May 14, 1998.
The event took place in a hybrid format at St. John's Hospital Campus in Bangalore, South India, from December 13 to 14.
The International Secretariat of the Pontifical Missionary Union collaborated in organizing it.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi, coordinator of the Holy Year programs in the Latin Rite Catholic Church in India, explained that the symposium aimed to deepen, reread, and revisit the document considering the changed social and cultural scenario of today.
Opening the event, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, said that after 25 years, the “Ecclesia in Asia” is still relevant today and in the years to come.
In his talk, Father Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen (OFMConv), Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union of Clergy in Rome, spoke on “Overview of ‘Ecclesia in Asia’ in the Context of the Synod and the Holy Year 2025.”
Father Clarence Devadass of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur spoke on “Renewing the Divine Mission of Love and Service in Asia.”
Sister Patricia Santos addressed the “Voices from the Margins,” Bishop Lawrence Pius Dorairaji spoke about family as a model for the Church in Asia, and Bishop Alex Vadakumthala addressed the mission in the Jubilee Year.
The symposium delivered on young people, women, priests, and non-Christians and found ways to rewrite 'Ecclesia in Asia' today. The outcome of the document is to develop a roadmap for the future of the Catholic Church in the vast and pluralistic Asian continent.
On December 14, Bishop Peter Saldanha reflected on the role of the laity. Father Charles Davis spoke on human dignity and social justice, while Father Charles Vijay Kumar addressed evangelization in the digital continent with the help of new technologies.
The Apostolic Exhortation 'Ecclesia in Asia' is a key document that prioritizes the mission of the Church in Asia. It calls for a revitalization of its pastoral-missionary works.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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