VATICAN (UCAN): Oswald Cardinal Gracias of Bombay, India, said that the Church in Asia emphasises its role as a “bridge builder” by developing respect for other faiths.
“We no longer refer to them as non-Christian religions or other religions,” Cardinal Gracias said during an October 7 press briefing, during the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican, CBCP News reported.
“We begin to refer to them after the conference as ‘neighbour religions,’” the cardinal said.
Referring to the outcome of the 2022 gathering of the Federation of the Asian Bishops’ Conferences [FABC] in Bangkok, Cardinal Gracias said that a “certain closeness” had been created among the conference attendees. “All of us working together, searching for God and feeling a bond among ourselves that has come out,” the cardinal said.
He is among the hundreds of other cardinals, bishops, priests, and laity attending the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which runs from October 2 to 27 at the Vatican.
Cardinal Gracias, who is among the top Asian voices representing the region’s Christian minority, stressed Vatican II’s call for a greater understanding of other religions and the need to inculturate the faith.
If we try to, not because we’re trying to convert, if we’re trying to build the kingdom of God also in Asia, we’ve got to take the values of Asia
Cardinal Gracias
“I feel there is a great richness in Asia, in India, in Korea, in Japan, all these countries. The local culture will help us,” the cardinal said.
“If we try to, not because we’re trying to convert, if we’re trying to build the kingdom of God also in Asia, we’ve got to take the values of Asia,” he emphasised.
Cardinal Gracias also pointed out the impact of digital media, recalling a message by a youth representative during the 2022 Asian assembly that called upon bishops to come into the digital world.
“A very, very powerful message and a challenging message to all of us who are resisting a bit but cannot resist anymore because that’s the world we are in,” the cardinal said.
He pointed out that the Asian delegates to the Synod of Bishops were comfortable with the synodal process given the experience of the 2022 Asian assembly.
“What came out very strongly was we’ve got to work together, respecting lay people, respecting religions, respecting lay movements, respecting the baptismal consecration of each one, which has come out very strongly in the synod,” he said.
What came out very strongly was we’ve got to work together, respecting lay people, respecting religions, respecting lay movements, respecting the baptismal consecration of each one, which has come out very strongly in the synod
Cardinal Gracias also pointed out that the synod gathering displayed the “great fraternity, the great love for the Church, the great passion to do something to revitalise the Church that comes out very strongly.”
He said, “I feel that the synod should have an effect not only in transforming the Catholic Church, [but] the Christian Churches and also the world.”
