Asian bishops encourage biblically-based apostolates
Pattaya, Thailand, 7 December 2013: The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences is
hosting a seminar on biblical apostolates and the new evangelization this weekend,
drawing clerics, religious, and laity from across the continent.
“The main
crux is to reawaken the missionary challenge of the Word,” Fr. Jacob Theckanath, executive
director of the bishops' conference, told CNA, explaining “Crossing the Borders: Renewed
Biblical Apostolate,” being held Dec. 5-7 in the Thai city of Pattaya, 90 miles southeast
of Bangkok.
The seminar marks the release of Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation
“Evangelii gaudium,” on the new evangelization; Fr. Alberto Rossa, an Argentine missionary,
has supplied copies of the document to the participants.
The group aims to
draw on both Pope Francis' text and “Verbum Domini,” Benedict XVI's apostolic exhortation
on the Word of God in the Church's life and mission, to amplify the role of the biblical
apostolate.
The seminar was also inspired by the message of the Federation
of Asian Bishops' Conferences' tenth plenary assembly, published in December 2012,
on “renewed evangelizers” for the new evangelization in Asia.
Drawing people
from 19 countries across Asia and Oceania, the seminar aims to help participants produce
more effective biblical apostolates, using lectio divina and integrating missionary
zeal for the new evangelization into all forms of biblical and pastoral ministry,
Fr. Theckanath explained.
The Christian community should not be “introverted”
with their use of the Bible, but rather carry and integrate the Gospel into all walks
of life, he stressed.
Fr. Theckanath was encouraged by the “tremendous representation
of the laity,” making up half of the participants in the seminar, calling it a “positive
sign of the interest and hunger for the Word of God.” Source: CNA/EWTN