Indian Archbishop tells Synod - “Church not weakening in Asia”

(Oct. 07, 2008): In many countries in Asia, Christians are under heavy pressure. Freedom is restricted, new converts are harassed and Christians are persecuted, as happened in India’s eastern State of Orissa, said Salesian Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, Assam .“However, the patience and restraint manifested by the community and their spirit of forgiveness – all these have an evangelising power “, he added. The prelate made the remarks in his address on Monday to the Oct. 5-26 Synod of Bishops in Rome, the theme of which is “The Word of God in the life and mission of the Church”.
The Christian community’s commitment to the common good and keen interest in the central concerns of Humanity – like justice, peace, the family, the environment concern for the poor and the marginalised, are worthy causes that have an universal appeal and can become powerful carriers of the Gospel message, said Archbishop Menamparampil. “The Christian community in Asia “ he added, “ is grateful to God that they have active lay catechists, who keep trying to bring the Gospel into the field of education, the legislature, judiciary, family, youth services, art and music. Thus they become bridge builders across cultures, ethnic identities, political and economic interests. However, these remain always challenging tasks,” he said.
The prelate told the Synod that it was in Asia, that the Word of God was received, meditated upon by individuals and communities and shaped into spiritual traditions, which became the common heritage of the early Church . He said that later missionaries like St. Francis Xavier, Robert De Nobili, Matteo Ricci and other innumerable heroic souls, penetrated the most inaccessible regions of Asia, transcending immense cultural barriers to announce the Gospel. Today’s Church in Asia is what it is, because of their extremely generous services, he said, adding that it is the continuation of this work that is in our hands today.
From Christianity’s earliest beginnings, Christian evangelizers had a persuasive power because their word was translated into action, Archbishop Menamparampil told the Synodal Fathers , giving Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta as a recent example. Noting that despite the fact that Asia is going through rapid changes in society with traditional cultures and values being challenged, he said religion does not seem to be weakening in Asia. The little church in Asia, he said, does not hold out illusions of a new Utopia before people, it does not promise to produce Superman, but it searches for ways of producing ethically and spiritually motivated people earnestly committed to work for the good of Humanity. Thus ,the Gospel continues to reveal its inner strength even amidst all these social tensions, Archbishop Menamparampil told the Synod of Bishops in Rome.