'FABC 50 Final Document' to be launched online on March 15

The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) General Conference document on ‘Journeying Together as People of Asia’ will be launched online on March 15 at 16:00, Indian Time, (17:30 Bangkok Time or 18:30 Manila Time).

The Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC) held its first general conference from October 12-30, 2022, at the Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Training Center, Bangkok, marking the 50th anniversary of its creation.

The final document of the General conference will be released on March 15. The 40-page document comprises 5 parts; Journeying together, Looking at Asia’s emerging realities, Discerning what the Spirit is saying to the Church in Asia, Offering Our Gifts which are Asian Culture and Spirituality, and Opening New Pathways.

Part One: Journeying together is about responding to the call of synodality. It talks about the three essential elements of a synodal church: COMMUNION, PARTICIPATION, and MISSION.

Part Two: Looking at Asia’s emerging realities elaborates on the challenges confronting the Church in Asia. Nine major realities are prioritized in this section:

1. Migrants, Refugees, and Indigenous People, often displaced from their homelands
2. Families, the bedrock of society
3. Gender Issues confronting the Church and Society
4. The role of women in fast-changing Asian societies
5. Youth confronting a new world
6. The impact of digital technology
7. Promoting an equitable Economy in the face of Urbanization and Globalization
8. The Climate Crisis which endangers our common home
9. Interreligious Dialogue so as to bring about harmony and peace in the Asian Continent

Part Three: Discerning what the Spirit is saying to the Church in Asia:

• To accompany migrants, refugees, indigenous people,
• To give special attention to the family,
• To address gender issues,
• To open new roles of leadership to women in the Asian Church,
• To minister to the youth,
• To encourage the effective use of digital technology,
• To promote an economy based on inclusive growth in the context of urbanization and globalization,
• To offer care for our common home,
• To be bridge-builders and bridges, instruments of dialogue and reconciliation in Asia,
• To adapt the formation of our clergy to the Asian context and culture,

Part Four: Offering Our Gifts, tells about Asian Culture and Spirituality

Part Five: Opening New Pathways lays out the path for transformation:

• From Dominative to Inculturated Evangelization
• From Basic Christian Communities (BCCs) to Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs)
• From Dialogue to Synodality
• From Proclamation to Storytelling
• From the beaten track to New Pastoral Priorities.

The 'FABC 50 Document' book launching program will be at 18:30 (Manila Time), 17:30 (Bangkok Time), and 16:00 (Indian Standard Time) on March 15.

It will be live-streamed on the FABC50 YouTube Channel FABC 2020 - YouTube, embedded on the FABC2020 50 Years of the FABC | FABC2020 and FABC websites: https://fabc.org/, FABC – FEDERATION OF ASIAN BISHOPS CONFERENCE - By Hubert Saw