Asian Synodal
Continental
Assembly
Feb 23-27, 2023
Bangkok, Thailand
ENLARGE
THE SPACE
OF YOUR TENT
NEWSLETTER —
RECENT NEWS —
Final Document of the Synodal Continental Assembly of Asia
After sending the Final Document of the Synodal Continental Assembly (Bangkok, Thailand, 23 -27 February 2023) to the General Secretariat of the Synod, the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) has published it. The Final Document is the result of the...
Synergy in a Symphony: Everyone has a Voice
Press Note 4 26th February 2023 Download the News Release EnglishItalianFrenchOther languages The third and final day of the Asian Continental Assembly on Synodality, just as the previous two days, began with 'Adsumus Sancte Spiritus' a prayer to the Holy...
DOCUMENT —
In this section you will find the documents of the Assembly (addresses, homilies,…) and the Working Document for the Continental Stage (DCS) which is at the heart of the Continental Stage and, especially of the Continental Assemblies. It is a text of the General Secretariat of the Synod produced from the Syntheses it received following the local consultation of the People of God in the first stage of the Synodal Process (October 2021 – 15 August 2022).
Document
PROGRAM —
| 08.30 – 09.30 | Mass of the Holy Spirit Presided by Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, SVD, Archbishop of Tokyo, Japan, Secretary General FABC |
| 09.30 – 10.30 | Orientation: – Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Secretariat of the Synod – Christina Kheng, Commission on Methodology for the Synod – Fr. Anthony James Corcoran, S.J., Apostolic Administrator Kyrgyzstan, Member of the FABC Synodal Task Force Small group: Sharing |
| 11.00 – 12.30 | Plenary: Present Draft Final Document Prayer |
| 14.30 – 15.30 | Small group: RESONANCES Plenary: Reporting |
| 16.00 – 17.30 | Small group: TENSIONS Plenary: Reporting |
| FACILILATORS: | – Bishop Stephen Chow SJ, Bishop of Hong Kong – Susan Pascoe, Member of the Synod Task Force for the Continental Stage – Joy Candelario, Participant in the Asian Continental Assembly on Synodality from Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines. |
| 08.30 – 09.30 | Small group: Sharing Orientation: Sr. Nathalie Becquart XMCJ, Under-Secretary to the General Secretariat of the Synod Prayer |
| 09.30 – 10.30 | Small group: Gaps (We added possible gaps in the responses) Plenary: Reporting |
| 11.00 – 12.30 | Small group: PRIORITIES Plenary: Reporting |
| 14.30 – 15.30 | Small group: Formulate group amendments |
| 16.00 – 17.30 | Small group: Submit group amendments |
| 17.30 – 18.30 | Mass for Asia Presided by Cardinal Joseph Coutts, Archbishop Emeritus of Karachi, Pakistan, Member of the Council for the Synod. |
| FACILILATORS: | – Archbishop Anil Joseph Thomas Couto, Archbishop of Delhi, India – Christina Kheng, Commission on Methodology for the Synod – Momoko Nishimura, Member of the FABC Synodal Task Force |
| 08.30 – 09.30 | Small group: Sharing Orientation: Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J., Archbishop of Luxembourg and Relator General, Synod of Bishops |
| 09.30 – 10.30 | Plenary: Present and Discuss the Amended Draft |
| 11.00 – 12.30 | Plenary: Discuss Amended Draft |
| 14.30 – 15.30 | Plenary: Present Final Draft Small group: Prayer; Sharing |
| 16.00 – 17.30 | Plenary: Endorsement of Final Draft and Closing Speeches |
| 17.30 – 18.30 | Closing Mass Presided by Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, SDB, Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar, FABC President, Member of the Council for the Synod |
| FACILILATORS: | – Bishop Pablo David, Bishop of Kalookan, President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Teresa Wu, Participant in the Asian Continental Assembly on Synodality from Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference. – Estela Padilla, Executive Secretary of the FABC Office of Theological Concerns, Theological Commission, for the Synod, Member of the FABC Synodal Task Force |
Orientation
The aim of this session is to introduce the work of the day. By ‘orientation’, the speakers will advise the participants on the main topics of the day.
Resonances
After presenting the draft of the final document, participants will share their thoughts about what they have heard and read.
Tensions
In this working group, participants will focus on the topics which might appears as tensions within the Catholic Communities.
1. What are the Continental Assemblies?
The Continental Assemblies do not constitute a new consultation of the People of God but a deepening through the DCS of what emerged from the consultation, continuing to involve, albeit in a different way, the particular Churches themselves with their bishops.
2. What is the aim of the Continental Assemblies?
The basic question that guides the entire process: “How does this ‘journeying together,’ which takes place today on different levels (from the local level to the universal one), allow the Church to proclaim the Gospel in accordance with the mission entrusted to Her; and what steps does the Spirit invite us to take in order to grow as a synodal Church?” (PD, no. 2).
3. What will the participants do in Bangkok?
The entire synodal continental meeting in Bangkok is built around the Working Document for the Continental Stage (DCS). They will work from the 3 questions formulated in the working document at no. 106 (see below) to produce the so-called ‘Final Document’ of the Assembly, which will be used to prepare the working document of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
• “After having read and prayed with the DCS, which intuitions resonate most strongly with the lived experiences and realities of the Church in your continent? Which experiences are new, or illuminating to you?”
• “After having read and prayed with the DCS, what substantial tensions or divergences emerge as particularly important in your continent’s perspective? Consequently, what are the questions or issues that should be addressed and considered in the next steps of the process?”
• “Looking at what emerges from the previous two questions, what are the priorities, recurring themes and calls to action that can be shared with other local Churches around the world and discussed during the First Session of the Synodal Assembly in October 2023?”
PHOTO ALBUMS —
Click to Enlarge
VIDEOS —
and that’s a wrap…
The asian continental assembly
Venue of assembly —
Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Training Centre
2/4 Moo 6, Petkasem Rd., Tha Kham, Nakhonpathom 73110
