Asian Laity Congress stresses on evangelization, says Vatican official.

(Aug.31,2010) “Proclaiming Jesus Christ in Asia today,” is the theme of the Asian Congress of the Laity that began in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday. Some 400 delegates are attending the Congress that will conclude on 5^th September. The initiative was convoked by Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Laity, in collaboration with the Korean Church Commission for the laity.
Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity interviewed on Tuesday by Vatican Radio, regarding the choice of the theme of the Asian Congress said “With this theme, we want to highlight what constitutes the very heart of the Church’s evangelizing mission - proclaiming Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of humankind. The issue is particularly strong in Asia, the cradle of ancient cultural and religious traditions, and the Continent, where Jesus Christ was born. Yet, in this huge Asian Continent inhabited by nearly 4 billion people, nearly two-thirds of Humanity, Christ continues to be unknown by the vast majority of the population. Only 120 million people are Christians. There is enormous space for the mission of the laity, and it is the duty of Christians to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Regarding the main aim of the Congress, Cardinal Rylko said it is to encourage lay Catholics in Asia, to rediscover the importance and beauty of their calling and mission in the Church and the world. Through this event, the prelate added “ we seek a creative and courageous confrontation with the many challenges that the Church is facing in this Continent. The Cardinal mentioned the imposing of drastic restrictions on religious freedom in many Asia countries, and cases of discrimination or outright religious persecution. Therefore, Christians of this Continent need our solidarity and special spiritual support, he said.