Manila Archbishop Jose F. Cardinal Advincula led the celebration of the Holy Eucharist to open the “Celebrate of Asia in Manila” at the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception (Manila Cathedral) in Intramuros last September 26, 2022.
The half-day online conference due to typhoon Karding commemorated the conclusion of the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines and the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conference on October 12-30, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Dubbed with the theme “Celebrate Asia in Manila”, the conference was aimed to highlight and deepen the reflections and realizations of the recently concluded local and national synodal consultations held in different dioceses of the Philippines.
“We are here to continue our “Audiam”, our mutual listening and synodal journey as a local church. Although the formal consultations have ended and our synodal report has already been submitted to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), our journey as a family, our synodality as people of God continues,” Cardinal Advincula said in his homily.
The Cardinal shared that he was often what would be the next step after the celebration of 500 years of Christianity conclude. He replied saying, “let us continue to be the gift that keeps on giving.”
He further added that “The 500YOC theme should not be treated as a slogan or a statement only. It must become a reality in our Christian life. A synodal church is a church that is in a permanent state of communion, participation and mission… Brothers and sisters, let us not allow the gift of 500YOC to be wasted and reduced to celebrations and festivities, important though they are. Let us not also allow the synodal consultations to end with the submission of reports.”
In an interview with Fr. Jason Laguerta, Head of the Office for the Promotion of New Evangelization, he said that the event is also a promotion of the anniversary of FABC and focuses on extending talks on synodality not in Manila but to the Philippines and even to Asia.
“Sinabi kasi ng mga bishops natin na let us promote this golden anniversary of FABC kasi not too many people are aware of FABC. They do not even know what it is. Yung sabi ni Cardinal Tagle na aside from Asia in Mania. Manila is in Asia,” Fr. Laguerta told the Archdiocese of Manila Office of Communications.
“The main objective really is to make people aware and conscious of the context of the Philippines as an Asian country which is so unique compared to other Asian countries na tayo predominantly Catholic tayo,” he added.
After the Mass, Kalookan Bishop and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines President Pablo Virgilio David discussed the results of the National Synodal Consultations held last June 2022. After Bishop David, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization shared his reflections on the challenges that the Church is facing in the context of Asia.
“Celebrate Asia in Manila” is organized by OPNE in coordination with the Philippine Mission Society of the Philippines and the Manila Cathedral.
The event was broadcasted live via the Facebook pages of the official RCAM SOCOM platforms namely TV Maria, Radio Veritas and The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila Office of Communications. (Jheng Prado | Maricar Santos/ RCAM-AOC | Photogallery)
