In November 1970, Pope Paul VI joined the Asian Meeting of Bishops, which brought together about 180 bishops of Asia — an historic "first." It was then that the proposal to found a federation of bishops' conferences in Asia was first voiced formally and approved by the bishops. Now, cardinals, archbishops and bishops, representing 14 bishops' conferences and four associate members in 20 Asian countries, joined together in the Sixth Plenary Assembly, January 10-19, 1995, at the San Carlos Formation Complex in Manila, on the theme "Christian Discipleship in Asia Today: Service to Life." 227 participants were registered for the assembly, which included the voting delegates, along with more than 60 priests, religious and laity, representing many parts of the Asian Church's apostolate. Fraternal delegates from the world regional associations of bishops' conferences also took part in the deliberations. Many Asian bishops who were attending the celebration of World Youth Day also took part, as time permitted.
   Pope John Paul joined the silver jubilee celebration. In a talk to the assembly on January 15, the Holy Father congratulated FABC for all it had achieved since it began 25 years ago, and encouraged the Asian Church to revitalize its commitment to proclaim Jesus as the fullness of life and to offer services that advance the cause of human development. The Holy Father also clarified that, while evangelization continues to be the highest priority of the whole Church, "evangelization must never be imposed."
   The priority of evangelization was also reiterated on January 11 in the assembly's keynote address by Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect of the Vatican's Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
The Cardinal acknowledged that Christians account for less than 3% of Asia's population and that "in the midst of an ocean of other religions," the Asian Church must dialogue with peoples of other faiths "as a first step." However, he repeatedly emphasized that evangelization remains the Church's priority. He also urged Asians to depend less on foreign missioners by assuming a more active role in proclaiming Jesus Christ within their own continent. Two position papers on the assembly theme, "Christian Discipleship in Asia Today: Service to Life," had been sent to all the delegates and special participants before they came to Manila: "Jesus Christ: His Service to Life," by Father Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines; and "Asia: The Struggle for Life in the Midst of Death and Destruction," by Father S. Arokiasamy of India.
   After the authors reviewed the main points of their respective papers in plenary sessions, the participants broke up into 13 workshops, each focused on a specific aspect of the overall assembly theme. The workshops probed various dimensions of the theme over the next two days, using the background papers that experts had prepared in advance on each topic. The workshop reflections were presented in detailed reports in plenary sessions, and clarifications or changes were recommended by the participants. The assembly also heard from several experts making special presentations on major Church concerns, including bioethics, migrant workers, ecology and non-violence for social change. Insights gained from workshop reports and the special presentations contributed to the Assembly's conclusions, which are contained in a final statement. A shorter summary message and practical recommendations for follow-up action. The Assembly approved the document's contents, with the direction that the FABC secretariat would publish them after final editorial polishing.
   Cardinal Jan Schotte, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops of the Holy See, also made a lengthy presentation about the Synod of Bishops. Cardinal Schotte reported on how the Church has recently conducted or plans to conduct such special synods in other continents, and explained Pope John Paul's wish that a special synod for Asia also be held in the near future.
   The delegates also voted on and approved two amendments to the FABC statutes.
   Follow-up on the assembly through specific programs and activities would be formulated when the bishops holding official FABC positions met later in April, in Thailand, with the members of the FABC staffs for joint planning sessions.

   It is my honor to welcome you to the Sixth Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences. This occasion also marks the 25th-foundation anniversary of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences.
   I am doubly proud to speak before you on this very significant occasion because the holding of this event in the Philippines is a symbol — a symbol that the Philippines is the center of Christianity in Asia. Twenty-five years ago in November, Pope Paul VI joined the first bishops' meeting in the Philippines. It is only fitting that the 25th anniversary be celebrated here. This affirms that Christian discipleship is alive and burning, being strengthened — with the Philippines at the forefront, leading the Christians in Asia.
   I find the theme of the assembly — service to life — very relevant to our nation's goals and objectives. The Filipino today, the Ramos administration, values life and upholds the basic tenets of life. We not only cherish life but we also aim for "a better quality of life for the Filipino" — now and beyond, here and hereafter.
   In the context of our socio-economic and financial planners, service to life entails poverty alleviation, promoting ecological balance, sustainable development, human development and employment, social services, education.
   In the context of our religious beliefs, the government also recognizes and upholds the principle of life eternal, the profession and proclamation of our faith and grace. The government, in its moral recovery program, stresses the power of spiritual values, the reality of religion and the internalization of spiritual beliefs and principles, not only in form but more so in essence and actions.
   In the spirit of the papal visit, I welcome and enjoin, on behalf of the President and the Filipino nation, the participants gathered here bishops, priests, religious and lay faithful — to resolve to serve life, to guard and uphold the sanctity of life, to give life to life.
   Thank you and God bless.

   I greet you with the peace of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
   This morning I have a limited but pleasant duty to perform.
   Firstly, in the name of my brother bishops, I welcome you all — delegates, fraternal guests, from other conferences, FABC benefactors and guests — to our country. With exceeding joy and exuberant gladness we open our arms to you in the warm embrace of fraternal communion and solidarity. The Church in the Philippines is honored that on its twenty-fifth year the FABC returns to our shores, where it had its beginnings.
   Secondly, the FABC silver jubilee is a golden opportunity for the Asian bishops to gather once more around the Bishop of Rome, our Holy Father and Supreme Pontiff. In 1970 it was Paul VI; now It is John Paul II, two of this century's great popes.
    Indeed, it is time that we come together. After all 25 years have elapsed! It is time to build new friendships, renew old ones. In fact, of the sixty or so bishops of the Philippines who were present in 1970, only about eight of us are still in active ministry. Many have retired. Certainly, there have been changes in your respective conferences as well. While bishops meet in the many seminars, symposia and consultations organized by various FABC Offices, this is one occasion where we can all be together.
   Again in the name of my brother bishops, I thank you for accepting our invitation to come for the Silver Jubilee celebrations.
    Since the first plenary assembly in Taipei, the Churches in Asia have walked hand in hand in a pilgrimage of faith in service to God's peoples. This plenary assembly is but another station on the way. May your stay be pleasant and the work of the assembly fruitful.
   May Mary our Mother's comforting presence abide with you during all these days.

   It is with a full heart that I welcome you, in the name of the Archdiocese of Manila, and in my own name, to this Sixth Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC). My heart is full, because so many bishops and other pastoral leaders from Asia and from all over the world have gathered here in our home city, to proclaim our common faith and hope in Christ Jesus, in that catholica unitas which is the one Church of the Lord.
   This assembly is something of a home-coming. We know that the FABC was "conceived" here in Manila, in December of 1970, during the visit of the greatly beloved and greatly revered Pope Paul VI.
   Most of the small nucleus of "Founding Fathers" of FABC have gone ahead of us into the peace of the Lord, among then, Cardinal Gracias of Bombay, Cardinal Darmojuwono of Semarang in Indonesia and Bishop Francis Hsu of Hong Kong. (We welcome their successors instead). Yet we rejoice that a few remain with us here below, notably Cardinal Stephen Kim of Seoul, who has been a strong pillar of FABC from the start, and our own Archbishop Mariano Gaviola, who served as FABC secretary general during is first ten years, and is truly a benemeritus of the Federation.
   It was my privilege to take part in the first of the plenary assemblies, held at Taipei in 1974, and its second, at Calcutta, four years later. Since then the assemblies have traveled: to Bangkok, to Tokyo, to Bandung in Indonesia, and now we have come full circle, back to Manila, to meet – for the first time – with the Holy Father, True, the First Asian Journey of the Roman Pontiff, in 1970, marked the hour of FABC’s conception, but never before the present gathering of FABC had the plenary assembly the joy and honor of having the Roman Pontiff address it. Thus, Manila 1995 marks a "first". What a gift it is, my dear brothers, that there should be so many of us here assembled, humble successors of the Apostles of Jesus, with Peter in our midst, to confirm our faith, as the Lord commanded Peter to do, and to summon us to greater hope and deeper love, with the Lord’s own words: "Be not afraid!"
   The FABC documents attest that from the very beginning our hope was that FABC would create human bonds, bonds of mutual knowledge and friendship among the bishops of Asia. In and through them, too, bonds of mutual knowledge and communion would thus come into being world. We know, my dear brother bishops, that this expectation has been wonderfully fulfilled. We come to FABC assemblies looking forward to meeting old and dear friends, and sharing our experiences and hopes with them. The lord be praised for this gracious gift! In this and many other ways, FABC has helped mightily to make the Church in Asia truly a communion of communities, a communion of local Churches, one people of God in the midst of such rich diversity! In this way too, another great hope, cherished from the Bishops’ Meeting in 1970, has been realized. This catholica unitas has helped to bring Asian peoples together. I think I make no extravagant claim when I say this. FABC has been like the "first fruits" of this growing reality of Asian "family-ness," this coming together of people which is – we believe – a gradual "reversal of Babel." Lumen gentium had already so splendidly said it: The Church is meant to be a kind of sacrament of the oneness of all peoples among themselves and with God who is the Father of us all."
   FABC’s final statement at Taipei renewed the prayer of Blessed Angela of Foligno: "Let thy love embrace all thy peoples." As we begin this Sixth Plenary Assembly, let us with joy and gratitude make that prayer once more our own.
   Perhaps I may be allowed for a moment to wonder what the significance of this 1995 plenary assembly might be; why, providentially, the theme, "The Church in Asia: A Community of Discipleship in Service to Life," has been chosen for our reflection. "Service to life" is such a vast theme! And yet, are we not told that this part of the world is emerging as "the center of world history," just as the third millennium begins? That this continent of ancient cultures will emerge as the dominant area at this crucial point in the "Story of Man"? If this is in some sense true, then the Church in Asia faces its greatest and most crucial challenge ever: How can the Church bring the Gospel of Jesus, the life of the Spirit of Jesus, into the mainstream of this new era in human history? This portentous future us emerging – can anyone doubt it? All around us; we see with our own eyes vast, almost incredible changes taking place everywhere. Whether this "Asian Age" will be built with the Gospel, or without the Gospel, with Christ, or without Christ, depend in no small measure on how we, as those "chosen by the Spirit. It will depend in no small measure on how we, as those "chosen by the Spirit to lead the Church of God," shall be faithful disciples and courageous apostles, true servants of the God Shepherd who is also the Lord of History. God grant us the grace to respond to this kairos with the wisdom, the largeness of heart, and the readiness for labor, that the challenge of the time demands of us all!
   Once more, we bid you welcome. Mabuhay and God Bless! May these days be filled with joy and blessing, so that when the time comes, you will leave with happy memories, and some back to visit us many times again.

   The Second Vatican Council, among others, has given impetus to the Church to think and act with others as one in mind and heart, not in isolation. The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences has been for the Churches in Asia a very concrete and effective base and forum for that kind of solidarity, mutual understanding and cooperation.
   FABC, through its various offices and commissions, has helped us understand the very different situations and problems of each local Church, all together and in global vision. This reflection together of our problems and situations, as also of our aspirations, has helped us to understand them with more accuracy and depth, and thus also to take more accurate decisions. In this process of walking as one Church in many nations we have discovered that our difficult moments, our aspirations, our joys and sorrows are basically the same. We no longer feel isolated, but can depend on the help, advice and support of the whole Church in Asia. The problems of each one of us, which seemed too big to handle or bear, no longer have a discouraging effect on us, since through mutual sharing we are strengthened by the wisdom, courage and fortitude of one another. In this process we have become in Asia truly a communion of Churches, one in mind and heart in the Lord.
   Our Federation has been for us a very concrete and effective forum for sharing our Asian way of thinking about the implications of the Gospel of Jesus for all the peoples of Asia. More aware of ourselves as that "Little Flock" of the Lord in this large continent, we have been drawn by the Lord to pray lovingly for and to contemplate the life of the peoples of other religions and cultures in Asia, and so better to understand our mission among them, that they too may come to love Jesus. Thus, interreligious dialogue has been one of the key themes of FABC for our missionary reflections and action. Drawing from our common experiences with so many different peoples, we have been able to understand and be better conscious of the central, unifying issues of the variegated religions and cultures here. We have become ever more aware that "to worship God in spirit and truth" is the common hunger and thirst of all peoples, and that the Church here is called to a service of the Spirit of the Lord for all the peoples of Asia.
   And so we ourselves are called to a more authentic life in the Holy Spirit, to a more authentic Christian living, so that we can have a more meaningful and mutually enriching dialogue with all the peoples of Asia from a more authentic Christian spiritual experience. In the coming years, indeed, as we move into the Third Millennium, a search for and living of this more authentic Christian spirituality in our communities and dialogue and sharing of this spirituality with peoples of other religions in Asia should become very important themes in our Asian Church.
   During these past two and a half decades of FABC, we have studied, reflected upon and taken certain decisions on various social, political, ecumenical and spiritual situations in Asia. Perceiving the situations in a global fashion we realize, as seems to he the realization throughout the world, that the central task before us is to build a society of harmony and of communion of mind and heart among all peoples. This is the spiritual task ahead of us, for which we need to develop the methodology and structures for study, reflection an action.
   We thank our Heavenly Father for bringing our Churches in Asia together, and also our Churches and the peoples of Asia together, through our Federation. We thank the Holy See for its inspiration and guidance for our work in FABC. We thank all our friends and benefactors. We express our love for one another for having journeyed together all these years in FABC.

   It is a joy and privilege for me to greet the Church in Asia represented by you, remembering the Apostolic Churches of Western Asia, the Churches of Central, Southern and Eastern Asia, the Churches established all over Asia by great missionaries like St. John of Montecorvino and St. Francis Xavier, Matteo Ricci in China, Roberto De Nohili and John de Britto, Constant Lievens and Costatino Vendrame in India, Andrew Kim in Korea, Theophane Venard in Vietnam, Joseph Vaz in Sri Lanka, and the many other Churches that have produced thousands of martyrs and saints, in Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines, like Blessed Elias Kuriakose Chavara, Blessed Alphonse and Saint Lorenzo Ruiz.
   It is an added honor for me to express the gratitude and appreciation of the Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples, which has had special concern for Asia since its inception as Propaganda Fide in 1622, for the great work you do for the spread of the Gospel in the midst of the great religious, social, economic and political problems and difficulties of Asia.
   I greet in a special manner the whole Church in the Philippines which is celebrating the 4th centenary of the establishment of the Metropolitan See of Manila in 1595 and of some Dioceses; I greet my brothers Cardinal Jaime Sin and Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, and all the bishops, clergy, religious and laity of the Philippines.
   I also want to express my deep appreciation of the work done by FABC during the last 25 years to enlighten, animate and guide the Church in the work of renewal following upon Vatican II, in many areas like proclamation, dialogue, inculturation, human promotion, social communications, youth, laity and, most of all, evangelization through its various offices. We remember with gratitude all the past secretaries general, as well as the present secretary general, Archbishop Oscar Cruz, the Standing Committee, especially the assistant secretary general, Fr. Edward Malone, the chairmen and executive secretaries of all the offices who have carried and still do carry on the burden of FABC, along with other works.
   And we express our best wishes for the prosperity of FABC as it reaches the age of full maturity. I would like to offer you some thoughts and remarks on the theme of this plenary assembly, remarks prepared from the point of view of evangelization before I received the two position papers. Of course, I have chosen only some specifically Christian aspects of such a complex theme, on which your contributions will more assuredly be based through concrete experience.

   The story of creation in Genesis begins with the Spirit of life hovering over everything. With the creation of man, God breathed his Spirit, the Spirit of life into man and he became a living being (Gen 1: 1). The story of redemption ends in the Book of Revelation on a similar note with the imagery of living water, the river of life and the tree of life (Rev 22:1-2).
   God creates to bestow existence and life in due measure upon every creature, but most of all on human beings, as Lumen Gentium states: "The eternal Father, in accordance with the utterly gratuitous and mysterious design of his wisdom and goodness, created the whole universe, and chose to raise up men to share in his own divine life" (LG, 2).
   God has created beings of different kinds and he has also created life in various degrees and quality. At the summit of his earthly creatures he created man: "in his own image, male and female he created them" (Gen 1:27). The life of man and woman, therefore, has a distinct, a special quality. For in man alone the Creator has delighted in a special way: "et erat valde bonum" ("and it was very good") (Gen 1:31), while acknowledging the other creatures as "good." And it is only to man that the Creator gave the command to "subdue" the earth (Gen 1:28).
   Created in the image of God, man is capable of an even deeper and new quality of life, which is a participation of the life of God himself.

   When we ask what God offers us as his life, it is to be understood as his own life that is communicated to us. And that life is a Trinitarian life. God can offer his own life only in the way he is, that is, trinitarian. We call it "eternal life." What is really meant is that it is sharing in God's own life. "It is eternal life, participation in the life of God himself, which comes about in the eternal communion of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The dogma of the Holy Trinity expresses the truth about the intimate life of God and invites us to receive that life" (John Paul II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, p. 72).
   God did not abandon man when sin and death threatened to extinguish the flame of life in man. He ceaselessly offered life to man, in anticipation of Christ the Redeemer, through the covenants. In the fullness of time God sent his Son to give man the fullness of life by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of life, the fountain of water springing up to eternal life (cf. Jn 4:14; 7:38-39). To men, dead in sin, the Father gives life through him, until the day when, in Christ, he raises to life their mortal bodies (cf. LG 4).
   God's self-communication reaches its summit in the bestowal of the Holy Spirit who "in the absolute mystery of the Triune God, is the Person-love, the uncreated gift, who is the eternal source of every gift that comes from God in the order of creation" (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 44). This is how John Paul 11 calls the gift of life in the Spirit: "The mystery of the Incarnation constitutes the climax of this giving, the divine self-communication" (Dominum et Vivificantem, 50).
   The Father, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, has made him the source of life for all: "For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself" (Jn 5:26).
   God is a God of life and he is the author and donor of life. His love for man impels him to share his very life: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3:16).
   The community of the disciples of Jesus Christ, the Church, is made manifest by the outpouring of the Spirit of life. It is a community that is called to participate ever more deeply in the very life of God, as Vatican II has so well said: "Hence the universal Church is seen to be a people brought into unity from the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" (LG 4). The Church is a community of life in the Triune God and its only mission is to share that life in all its forms with every one.
   Jesus made giving life to all the central goal of his own life and mission: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (Jn 10:10). Fullness of life is the scope of all his works of healing ministry. All the gospels, especially that of John, make giving life the main theme of Jesus' mission. John concludes his gospel as follows: "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name" (Jn 20:31).
   Jesus declared himself to be the source of life: "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die" (Jn 11:25-26).
   Jesus became the source of life for all, through his death and resurrection, and the gift of the Spirit. As John puts it, he understood his death to be a life-giving act: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (Jn 10:11). This is also the reason why the Father loves him all the more, because through him, he can offer life in all its fulness to everyone: "For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life" (Jn 10:17).

   There is something very special about the life that God offers to human beings in Jesus Christ. When Jesus spoke of life, he meant a life with a new dimension altogether. His works of feeding the hungry, liberating those under the power of evil spirits, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, opening the ears of the deaf, curing lepers, the paralytic, the crippled, and raising the dead to life were all acts of service to life. Yet, they were also signs and symbols pointing to a new dimension of life not dreamt of by those who came to him for fullness of life. They pointed to a radically new life. As Redemptoris Missio puts it: "The whole New Testament is a hymn to the new life of those who believe in Christ and live in his Church" (RM, 7).
   The life offered by Jesus was the very life of the Father, the Son and the Spirit. It is the communication of the Trinitarian life, which at the same time is man's salvation to be received in faith as Dives in Misericordia has put it: "It is love which not only creates the good, but also grants participation in the very life of God: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. For he who loves desires to give himself" (no. 7).
   There is something radically new in this life which Jesus offers. All other expressions of life gain their ultimate meaning and validity from this new life Jesus offers. On the other hand, without them, the new life would lose its credibility. The new life in Jesus Christ transcends all its symbols and partial expressions. It cannot be reduced to its socio-economic and ecological dimensions, however praiseworthy, urgent and important to Christian mission.

   Christian disciples who have received the new life through faith and the sacraments, which are truly channels of divine life, are called to share it with others. Proclamation of Jesus Christ is truly proclamation of the New Life offered by God. "Haec est autem vita aeterna: ut cognoscant te, solum Deum verum et quem misisti Iesum Christum" ("And this is eternal life, that they know you who are the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent") (Jn 17:3). In Jesus Christ new life is no more an abstract or verbal label. In him new life becomes a concrete historical person, the incarnate Son of God. This is the reason why we proclaim Jesus Christ to all. "The urgency of missionary activity derives from the radical newness of life brought by Christ" (RM, 7).
   On the very day the first disciples of Jesus received the outpouring of the new life, the Holy Spirit, their first task was to proclaim Jesus as "the author of life" (Acts 3:15). The purpose of the proclamation of Jesus Christ was to offer him as the source of new life to everyone willing to accept him in faith and model one's life accordingly. If anyone is thirsty for God, henceforth he must drink from this source of living water. Jesus continues to invite all to come and drink of him in faith: "If any one is thirsty, let him to me come and drink..." (Jn 7:37).

   Another symbol used for life is bread. Bread in the Old Testament gradually assumed a comprehensive messianic significance. It signified the fullness of life and the Messiah was to give all the bread of life in the end times. Thus we can understand why Jesus offered himself as the "Bread of Life." Before doing this, Jesus multiplied bread for the hungry people who had come out to listen to him. All the evangelists recount the story of this miraculous event.
   The multiplication of bread for hungry people was surely an act of love but it was not the last end in itself. Jesus could not and did not solve the problem of the hungry with one act of multiplying bread. He declined to be a social or political messiah to Israel. He had in mind a higher, a radically-new bread. The multiplied and broken bread pointed to it. But the crowd failed to see its true significance: "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves" (Jn 6:26).
   For Jesus, the breaking of the bread and distributing it were very important. The breaking was to symbolize his death on the Cross. By his death he became the "bread of life" for all. He is the bread that came down from heaven and yet had to be exalted on the cross to be seen as such. Only then did his words, "I am the bread of life" (Jn 6:34), become a reality.

   Jesus did ask his disciples to give the people who came to listen to him bread to satisfy their hunger. The Church in its mission has always been concerned with the poor and their needs. Despite limitations of time, theological backgrounds, compromises with the world and lack of true discernment in particular cases, places and times, all admit that the Church has been making an enormous contribution to the needs of the poor in distributing "bread" to people in the form of education, health care, development works, and in the struggle along with the poor for human rights and dignity. This is true of Asia in a special manner.
   Today the Church must struggle for new forms of "bread," as service to unborn life, liberation of exploited children, women, ecological integrity, etc. It has, at times, to enlarge its horizon of service to life in its manifold forms in the Asian context, as will be seen in the various papers to be presented here in this assembly.
   The ultimate purpose of Jesus' multiplying bread in the wilderness was to lead people to the acceptance of himself as the true "Bread of Life." Neither the people nor the disciples of Jesus saw the real significance of Jesus' deeds and words. Only with the coming of the Spirit did it become clear to them that Jesus himself was man's bread of life.
   In the same way, today the disciples of Jesus in Asia must be engaged in distributing "bread" in all its concrete historical forms, and yet go beyond to the distribution of the "bread of life," Jesus Christ, through proclamation and the formation of communities of believers.
   The Church in Asia can only offer what Jesus offered and in the way he did it. To separate one from the other is to weaken both, the offer of bread and the bread of life. True discipleship of Jesus in Asia calls for such a twofold engagement.

   Jesus became the Bread of Life by his self-emptying on the Cross. To be of true service to life in Asia, the disciples of Jesus must also become bread of life for others. This calls for a true kenosis, not in words, but in deeds, individually and collectively. Only by "being broken" did Jesus become the "bread of life." The disciple must also "be broken" in service, to be bread for others. Only then can his message of Jesus as the "bread of life" become credible. Only when the Church, the community of disciples, learns to identify itself with the Master in his "becoming bread" can the disciples give bread in all its forms, including the Bread of Life.
   The disciples have received the Spirit of life, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Spirit that "stands by," as the word "Paraclete"' signifies (parakletos, called to stand by). They learn to stand next to Jesus by becoming like him, and to the people deprived of the fullness of life or threatened with death in so many different forms by their willingness to love, suffer for and serve them.
   The disciples of Jesus in every age must continue to do what Jesus did. This is the ultimate meaning of being disciples of Jesus. Their task in Asia today cannot be different. This is true in a very particular manner for Asia, where so often life in all its forms is threatened, diminished or even destroyed. Their specific contribution to Asia, which no one else can and will make to Asia, as disciples of Jesus, is to offer him as the "Bread of Life." Then, Jesus can be their source of truth, goodness, love, dignity, communion, and fullness of life.
   The disciples of Jesus must place this task at the center of their service to life in Asia. They will do this in the spirit of Jesus, and in the way he did it. God sent his Son into the world because he so loved the world, not to condemn the world but so that it might have life in all its fullness. The disciples of Jesus must have a genuine love and appreciation of its peoples, its cultures and religions. They will follow not the way of rejection or condemnation but of love, dialogue, inculturation, communion, participation.
   The disciples of Jesus will have fresh motivation and urgency for their mission to the world of Asia, and methods of approach. But at the heart of everything is the offer of Jesus Christ as the bread of life. God's offer of life to man in all its varied forms did not suffice for man to attain to fullness of life. Hence, he sent his Son to give him the fullness of life. Likewise, the Church's service to life in its varied forms is insufficient, if there is not at its center the offer of Jesus Christ as the bread of life for "the life of the world."
   Abundance of earthly bread is no guarantee of a true and full life, as the contemporary situation of developed countries in the West and even in Asia shows. The disciples of Jesus cannot forget the source of life offered by the Father in his Son Jesus Christ, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They will guard against the danger of being involved exclusively with the distribution of ordinary bread and against forgetting or being silent about the bread of life. They would then cease to be true disciples of Jesus. It would be to reduce God's offer of Jesus Christ as the bread of man's life to socio-economic and ecological concerns and exercises (cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi, nos. 29, 34-35; Redemptoris Missio, nos. 58-60).

   FABC is an Asian community of the disciples of Jesus Christ gathered here in Manila, supported by many other disciples in Asia and elsewhere. It can use this forum to conscientize and animate the whole Asian Church towards a new era in evangelization by offering Jesus Christ as the source of fullness of life. It is obvious that Asia remains a great challenge to evangelization for various religious, philosophical, historical and cultural reasons. In many parts of Asia the Christian presence is less then one-half of one percent of the population.
   In this situation, if our documents are to have any effect, there must be disciples to carry out the gigantic agenda of service to life in Asia. The offer of Jesus Christ as the source of new life in Asia will be accompanied by the response of faith, for we know the Spirit of God is at work in the hearts of peoples, cultures and religions, and some will respond positively to the offer. Disciples must make disciples. "Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt 28:19).
   This ultimate call-testament of Jesus Christ resounds also today in the world. The Spirit of the Risen Christ, living and present in our epoch, makes it resound in the Church in every continent in a visible manner. Evangelization and the new evangelization is the theme of the recent continental assemblies: the European Synod, the Synod for Africa, the General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America in San Domingo. John Paul II, in his recent Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente, considers it opportune to hold a synod of a continental nature for Asia: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations..." To make disciples means to give life in Jesus Christ to others. This is the mission of the Church; this is the meaning of evangelization.
   Asia is the continent in which Christ was born and lived, where most of his Apostles worked. Christ is not a stranger in Asia, his Church is not a foreign Church in Asia. Go therefore and make disciples and give the life in Jesus Christ to others. This call is the more urgent in Asia, not only for theological reasons, but also for practical reasons. In large parts of Asia, the Christian presence is simply not there. If there are not disciples to carry out the service to life, our documents will have little effect on the actual situation of this continent. Hence, the Christian mission of service to life, especially life in Jesus Christ, needs to be given priority. The appropriate answer to the Asian situation is not doubts or crises about our missionary identity but to follow the guidance of the Spirit and seek all the possible ways of first and new evangelization.
   In the situation of being a minority and of facing various difficulties, do not lose heart: "nolite timere, pusillus grex, quia complacuit Patri vestro dare vobis regnum" ("Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom") (Lk 12:32). Do not be worried about when to gather in the harvest. The Lord has commanded us to sow, not to reap the harvest, — "One sows and another reaps" (Jn 4:37).
   The time of harvest will come also for Asia. We do not know when, but it surely will come because one never sows in vain. Let us only have faith and hope.

   We are at the threshold of the third millennium of redemption in Jesus Christ. The Jubilee Year 2000 has two dimensions: social and spiritual. Jubilee in the Old Testament was a call for an emancipation of all the dwellers on the land and of land itself: "The jubilee year was meant to restore equality among all the children of Israel" (Tertio Millennio Adveniente 11-13; Ex 23:11; Lev 25:1-28; Dt 15:1-16), offering new possibilities of freedom, dignity and peace.
   Jesus in his proclamation of the Kingdom in the synagogue at Nazareth introduced a new dimension to jubilee, a spiritual, salvific dimension of freedom from sin and dignity as children of God, through divine adoption, sharing his very life now and the life of the resurrection in the hereafter with his disciples. He called it a time of the "favor of the Lord," an acceptable time.
   The two dimensions of the Jubilee Year offer the Church in Asia an opportunity to be at the service of life in its socio-economic and temporal concerns and in its mission of offering life and salvation in Jesus Christ to the people of Asia.
   Let me exhort the whole Church in Asia, especially bishops, theologians, priests, religious and laity, to give the service of life in Christ to the people of Asia the highest priority, seeking ever new ways to speak to the cultural, religious and social heart of Asia, "that they may have life and have it more abundantly" (Jn 10: 10).

Your Holiness,
   As convenor of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, I have the great honor to welcome you to our Sixth Plenary Assembly. The first and foundational meeting of our Federation took place in this very country, twenty-five years ago, and it was graced by the presence of your predecessor of beloved memory, Pope Paul VI, on his first visit to this country.
   These twenty-five years of existence have shown us the importance and pastoral fruitfulness of local churches thinking and acting, not in isolation but with one heart and with one mind.
   Considering the Holy See's mission to foster and protect the unity of the Churches in the communion of charity, we see the existence of our Federation as a service to the universal church. FABC has been for us a very concrete and effective form for sharing our Asian way of thinking about the implications of the Gospel of Jesus for all the peoples of Asia. As such, it can also be considered as a very direct instrument available for the Holy Father, and we humbly place this plenary assembly and all its activities at Your Holiness' disposal.
   The assembly theme is: "Christian Discipleship in Asia Today: Service to Life." We have been considering different aspects of this central theme in the light of the Gospel and the experiences of the varied Asian cultures from which we come. Drawing from our common experiences with so many different peoples, we have been able to understand and be more conscious of the central unifying issues of the many religions and cultures present in our continent. We sincerely hope that our deliberations on the theme of life may contribute to a more marked Catholic presence, through its vision of life in the great Asian continent as we approach the Third Christian Millennium.
   And now, may I present to Your Holiness our assembly's submission on three important topics: proclamation, life, and ecology.

Holy Father:
   Asia has changed radically since the Manila visit twenty-five years ago of your predecessor of holy memory, Paul VI, an event which also occasioned the birth of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences — the FABC. In the Sixties, Asia was a sleeping economic giant whose peoples' daily life was bounded by the slow rhythm of village culture and ancient traditions.
   Today, in the Nineties, Asia is the growth center of the world. Technology has captured the Asian soul, transforming peasants into slum dwellers and migrant workers, alienated from their cultural and spiritual roots. The economic impulse has introduced into Asian societies what your Holiness has termed as "economic, financial and social mechanisms" which accentuate the situation of wealth for some and poverty for the rest. ¹
   We who stand at the threshold of the Third Millennium must ask ourselves how to proclaim the Gospel in the face of a new world economic order that has replaced orbis christianus with a technocratic society. It is a technical civilization which unleashes new forms of poverty and slavery a poverty which corrupts the human spirit in a degradation worse than material poverty. It is a slavery which chains man to unbridled passions that threaten to destroy families and cultures. Indeed, Asia has awakened, but its journey towards growth can lead to a highway of despair, if it is not at the same time also a spiritual advance.
   True, Asia is home to ancient religions, the "living faiths of mankind,"² which also reflect the divine light of the hidden Christ in our midst. But historical reality leads us to recognize the limits of their spiritual capacities to heal the schisms in the soul of Asia and to satisfy the deeper yearnings of its peoples.
   This, then, is a picture of the Asian Areopagus, Like the Apostle, we must proclaim the Unknown God,³ to peoples who worship the gold and silver of untrammeled material progress. To a generation possessed by the spirits of consumerism and secularism, we must proclaim with clarity "Jesus, the God-Man, crucified and risen,"⁴ as humanity's hope.
   FABC has tried to meet this challenge of a New Evangelization by trying to understand who Jesus is in the Asian context.⁵ Who is this Christ whose death can ignite the hearts of Asia's martyrs in Vietnam, Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines, Thailand and India? Who is this Son of God whose words can inspire an increasing number of Asian-born missionaries and religious to give him undying fidelity? Who is this Jesus whose personality is so attractive to Asia's youth in search of a model on whom to pattern their lives?
   Our search for an answer to this question brought us to encounter the Lord in his poor. Like the Baptist, we were directed to find the Christ among the rejects of society, the despised misfits of a technocratic order. And once again we hear the mandate of the Master to proclaim the Good News to the poor.⁶
   But proclamation will not produce commitment and renewal unless accompanied by prophetic witnessing. The evangelizer's own life must give splendid testimony to the moral truth and value of his or her message. The ancient sages and spiritual guides of Asia were renowned for their practice of detachment and asceticism. Shall we, children of God's light, instead be like reeds swaying in the breeze, leading undisciplined and luxurious lives? As you stated in your homily two years ago in Denver, the Gospel must be proclaimed through the power of one's witness.⁷ And the strength of that witness depends on the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ — this is the same Lord whom we have heard, whom we have seen, whom we have touched in the midst of his chosen poor. Thus, it is in Christ's total giving of himself for suffering mankind that our discipleship finds its meaning and mission.
   Holy Father, because of your arduous apostolic journeys and because of your personal sufferings which served to unite your more closely with the mystery of Christ's cross and with suffering humanity, you have become our principal evangelizer. Your words and your life help us to understand the mentality and attitude of modern Asia and how to illumine our people with the clear and vigorous proclamation that the Lord Jesus Christ is our saviour and the answer to Asia's search for unity and meaning.
   _______________________________
   1. Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, no 16.
   2. Toward a New Age in Mission. International Congress on Mission, Manila, December 2-7, 1979, vol. 1-11, p. 35.
   3. Acts 17 : 23-28.
   4. Inauguration of the African Synod, Pope John Paul 11, no. 5.
   5. Journeying with the Spirit into Fuller Life, FABC, April 1994, no. 25.
   6. Lk 7 : 22-23.
   7. Mass with Youth Forum Delegates, Denver, August 14, 1993.

Holy Father:
   One of the hallmarks of Christian civilization is respect for life: human life — this is the second pressing concern of the FABC. The student of history will agree that the presence of the Church in Asia ushered into its cultures the life-giving values of compassion, self-sacrifice and loving mercy. The proclamation of the Good News in its frontiers by courageous missionaries opened a new chapter in Asia's history which, till then, only knew ancient creeds with their tendency towards self-centered and passive religiosity. With Christianity came hospitals and orphanages, colleges and schools for the poor, congregations of religious men and women dedicated to charity. They served not only to heal broken bodies but to give Asians a new vision of values and practices leading to "a civilization of love"¹ and life.
   Yet we can ask today: "Is Asia home to cultures of life based on love?" For, as Asia surges forward towards industrialization, there are increasing signs of practices hostile to life. These the FABC enumerated in its Fifth Plenary Assembly as: militarization, exploitative tourism, discrimination against women, unjust treatment of migrant workers, and the continuing pervasive poverty.²
   Living in Asia, we have also become aware that, as the use of the instrument of violence declines in international affairs, it gains greater appeal at the national level. This is confirmed by the media's glorification of violence, by the alliance of criminality and politics, by the promotion of abortion in the name of selfish prosperity. Our streets have become zones of danger, our children are brutally abused and, while the value of our properties increases, that of human life is diminished.
   But our study should not stop with statistics, no matter how startling they are. We should study the causes of the phenomena we experience in accordance with the proverb of your country: "Do not punish a blind sword, but rather the hand."³ Both in your interview in La Stampa and in your homily inaugurating the Synod for Africa, your Holiness has pointed out that the cause of the serious social and human problems facing the world today is the anti-life culture of unbridled capitalism.⁴
   This, then, is the Leviathan against which we must struggle. In its degenerate form this economic system readily sacrifices the human spirit at the altar of efficiency and progress. Its ensemble of technical and psychological instruments can reach every town and village in Asia, changing behaviors, poisoning imaginations, controlling relationships, thereby creating a new culture where death rather than life triumphs — not death merely in its grosser forms of murder and assassination, but a death which drains the human spirit of its nobility and destiny. It is a death daily experienced by street children in our polluted environment. It is a white death endured by Asia's poor who are forced to adopt "practices hostile to life" in favor of economic systems "which serve the selfishness of the rich."⁵
   The struggle for Asia's soul is between two cultures — one which brings in its wake, death, and the other, life. We must therefore be involved in a cultural transformation. This is brought about by inserting Gospel values to guide the criteria by which Asians make decisions, to reorient the educational systems which influence their children minds, to humanize the processes by which they are governed.
   In this struggle, our faith assures us that ultimate victory belongs to those who defend life and who act in the service of life. He who said: "I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly" (Jn 10: 10) will not be denied full realization of his prayer to the Father. It is the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life that is our best response to the culture of death that has surfaced in the Asian continent.
   Holy Father, in this perilous journey towards life, we have in you a compassionate and understanding brother-pilgrim. You understand us, for you yourself come from a country which fought hard for its freedom, a country subjected to the influence and aggression of its neighbors. It is no wonder that your heart spontaneously reaches out to side with the poor, the defenseless, the marginalized. We make our own your prayer of thanksgiving:
   "Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for life... Thank you, thank you for the life you gave us and that you are giving us, you are permitting us. Thank you through your Mother, our Lady... Amen."⁶
   _______________________________
   1. Prayer for Archdiocese of Denver, August, 14 1993.
   2. Held in Bandung, Indonesia, July, 27, 1990, under the theme: "Journeying Together Upward the Third Millennium."
   3. By the Polish poet, Mickiewicz, which the Pope quoted in his La Stampa interview, L'Osservatore Romano, November, 17, 1993, 6/7.
   4. L' Osservatore Romano, November, 17, 1993, 6/7.
   5. Homily inaugurating the Synod for Africa, Pope John Paul II, no. 3.
   6. Final Homily to Youth, Denver, August, 15, 1993.

Holy Father:
   Our third concern is for ecology. The thread which unites this concern with the first two, namely, proclamation and human life — is the theme of God's gift of life: supernatural life as proclaimed by the Church, human life given us by the Creator, and now, planetary life linked to the integrity of creation. Placing these three concerns under one unifying theme is in itself an indication of our new awareness of their essential inter-relationship. We have come to realize that the achievements of the human community must be used to heal and nourish the earth rather than to denude or destroy it.
   Asia was once a vast biological treasure-house whose environmental riches have been subjected to massive levels of destruction. For example, in our host country, the Philippines, there used to be 17 million hectares of rain forests. Today there remain only 984,000 hectares, or the equivalent of only 5 years of wood supply.¹ The extent of the ecological damage all over Asia was outlined by a 1993 FABC Colloquium on Faith and Science. Its participants noted what they termed as "serious distortion of the cycles in the entire ecosystem"² namely: deforestation, depletion of non-renewable energy resources, destruction of coral reefs, contamination of food by pesticides, loss of fertile land through excessive use of chemical fertilizers.
   The Church in Asia has come to the defense of our beautiful but fragile planet, from whose seasonal changes our liturgy draws some of its insights on birth and death, on decline and regeneration. Some of these initiatives are the following: early in 1988, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines issued a pastoral letter on ecology under the title: "What is Happening to Our Beautiful Land?" In 1989, the Indonesian Bishops' Conference issued its own pastoral letter entitled: "Promotion of Underprivileged Development: to Respect and to Develop Environment." And in 1993, the Office of Education and Student Chaplaincies of the FABC organized a colloquium which called for replacing the concept of humanity as "master of the universe" with the "concept of stewardship."
   The Church is not alone in this concern. The Eastern religions have made contributions to increasing our awareness of our harmony and unity with nature. Ecumenical groups have formed solidarity movements between industrialized Japan and its neighbors to promote environmental protection.
   But on this vital issue, we might once more run the danger of seeing only symptoms rather than of searching for their root causes — we might then be "punishing the sword and not the hand." The problems of the environment will not be solved merely by funding campaigns to save the ozone layer, or to use environmentally friendly products instead of plastics. We need a serious moral shift in favor of an integral rather than a fragmented approach.
   Towards this direction, we found guidance in the 1990 World Day of Peace Message of Your Holiness. This message, entitled,: "Peace with God the Creator, Peace with All Creation," clearly situated the ecological crisis as a moral problem. We quote: "When man turns his back on the Creator's plan, he provokes a disorder which has inevitable repercussions on the rest of created order" (no. 5).
   Among these disorders are the immoral application of technology in a manner that leads to disrespect for life, that promotes the reckless exploitation of natural resources, as well as to indiscriminate genetic manipulation. In Asia, we still recall the more than 3,000 persons in Bhopal, India, who died 11 years ago in an industrial accident that could have been prevented.
   What moral responses can we give to the actuations of a Leviathan guided not by moral principles but by blind technological factors? Here, your message gives us a formula to follow. It cautions us against repeating the errors made in the past by the industrialized economies. It urges us to address the structural forms of poverty. It inspires us to adopt a more simple, moderate and disciplined way of life.
   In the face of a culture of profligacy and destruction, we must with courage and faith put forward a counter-culture of sacrifice and compassion.
   In conclusion, Holy Father, we thank you for your fraternal patience and solicitude in listening to our contemporary concerns. Your journey has not only traversed the many miles from Rome to Manila; it has routed you deeply into the centers of the Church in Asia, which you have illumined with the radiance of your faith and love. Beloved pilgrim, our foremost evangelizer whom Christ chose to bring his Church to the next millennium — from the hearts of all Asia — thank you !
   _______________________________
   1. Business World, December, 26 1990.
   2. "Root Causes of the Environmental Crisis," FABC Colloquium, January 31-February 5, 1993, Tagaytay City, Philippines.
 
 

Dear Brother Bishops,
   1. In preparing for this meeting with the pastors of the Church in Asia I have prayed to be an apt instrument of the Holy Spirit, who at all times and in every place gives life to the Church and, according to Christ's promise, leads her into all the truth (cf. Jn 16:13). 1 have prayed to be able — in the words of the Psalm — to sing "his praise in the assembly of the faithful" (Ps 149: 1). It is certainly with a song of praise and thanksgiving to God in my heart that I join you in marking the happy occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences.
   I have been deeply touched by Archbishop Rozario's warm words of welcome and I also wish to thank the other bishops for their thoughtful remarks on the vital questions of proclamation, life and ecology, which form the subject of your reflections during these days.
   2. The assemblies of your Federation — of which this is the sixth — not only provide a forum for exchanging pastoral experiences and discussing issues of common interest; but more significantly, they give expression to the profound ecclesial communion and affective collegiality which unite the bishops of South, Southeast and East Asia with one another and with the See of Peter. Together with our brother bishops throughout the world we feed the one flock which Christ has redeemed with his precious blood (cf. 1 Pt 1:19). With one accord, therefore, let us give thanks to God for the "bonds of unity, charity and peace" which link us with each other under "the chief Shepherd" (1 Pt 5:4), whose servants we are.
   Our meeting is taking place against the background of the Tenth World Youth Day, which has just concluded. We are all witnesses of the generous response of the young to the Church's summons to take up the pilgrim Cross of Christ. In this case, tribute must be given to the Filipino bishops who gave close attention to the spiritual preparation of the young people taking part. Yet, in a real sense it is these young people, and others like them all over the world, who are calling the Church — inviting the pastors of the Church — to ever greater efforts to present Christ to them in the fullness of his grace and truth. My words, therefore, are meant to be a fraternal encouragement, exhorting you as Saint Paul exhorted Titus: that as he had already made a beginning, he should also complete the gracious work of his ministry (cf. 2 Cor 8:6). It is your ministry as bishops, and the situation in which it is exercised, that is the underlying theme of these thoughts which I share with you.
   3. Since the establishment of your Federation twenty-five years ago, rapid technological progress and economic growth have revolutionized the face of Asia. While affirming the benefits of this development, the Church must nevertheless make a realistic assessment of the price paid for this modernization and confront those aspects which pose "an immense threat to life: not only to the life of individuals but also to that of civilization itself" (Letter to Families, no. 21). Even more striking than Asia's recent material progress has been the transformation of the spiritual landscape of the continent. Religious indifferentism and exaggerated individualism now threaten the traditional values which, generally speaking, bestowed meaning and harmony on the life of individuals and on the communities they composed. The forces of secularization tend to undermine your rich religious and cultural heritage. This great continent is at a spiritual crossroads.
   Such a moment can only confirm the Church's resolve to carry out her primary mission: the proclamation of Jesus Christ, and the promotion of the values of God's Kingdom (cf. Redemptoris Missio, no. 34). And in cooperation with every force for good, Catholics on this continent should feel the urgency of building up "the civilization of love, founded on the universal values of peace, solidarity, justice and liberty, which find their full attainment in Christ" (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, no. 52).
   4. Jesus Christ, the God-Man, Crucified and Risen, is the hope of humanity. He is the foundation of our faith, the reason for our hope and the source of our love. The Incarnate Word, the Savior and Mediator between God and man (cf. 1 Tim 2:5), is "the only one able to reveal God and lead to God" (Redemptoris Mission, no. 5). And Christ alone can fully reveal the ultimate grandeur and dignity of the human person and his destiny (cf. Gaudium et Spes, no. 22). The mystery of God's saving love revealed in Jesus Christ is a doctrine of faith, not a theological opinion. And this Good News impels the Church to evangelize! It impels bishops to foster evangelization as a primary task and responsibility of their ministry.
   The magna charta of Evangelization remains the apostolic exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi of Pope Paul VI, with the complement of the encyclical Redemptoris Missio, which I wrote in 1990 in order to defend and promote the concept of "missionary evangelization" (no. 2), or the mission ad gentes, which seemed to have lost appeal and even validity in the eyes of some.
   Paul Vl's notion of evangelization faithfully restates Christ's teaching, the Church's tradition, and the insights of the Second Vatican Council. It is a comprehensive notion which avoids the pitfall of overemphasis on one or other aspect of this complex reality, to the detriment of others. In Pope Paul's view, evangelization includes those activities which dispose people to listen to the Christian message, the proclamation of the message itself, and the catechesis which unfolds the riches of truth and grace contained in the kerygma. Moreover, evangelization is directed not only to individuals but also to cultures, which need to be regenerated by contact with the Gospel. Human development and liberation are integral parts of this evangelizing mission, but they are not identical with it, and they are not the end of evangelization. Paul VI was clear about the fact that evangelization cannot be reduced to a merely temporal project of human betterment. It must always include a clear and unambiguous proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior who brings that "abundant life" (Jn 10:10), which is no less than eternal life in God.
   5. Allow me to make some general remarks about evangelizing this continent. A first requirement of this ecclesial task is the renewal of the Catholic community at every level — bishops, priests, religious and laity — so that all may contribute to spreading the faith in which we stand. Our prayer must be that the priests, religious and laity in your pastoral care will never lose heart in accomplishing the prophetic mission entrusted to each one. "Every disciple is personally called by name; no disciple can withhold making a response: 'Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel' (1 Cor 9:16)" (Christifideles Laici, no. 33). Indeed, to repeat something I once said to the Italian Bishops, the new evangelization "is not born of the will of those who decide to become propagators of their faith. It is born of the Spirit, who moves the Church to expand" (Address to Italian Bishops on a Liturgical Course, February 12, 1988). Everyone who has received the Spirit, every person who is baptized and confirmed, is called to be an evangelizer.
   Without forgetting other important components of this renewal, "the signs of the times" urgently call for enabling the laity to assume their specific role in bringing the truths and values of the Gospel to bear on the realities of the temporal sphere. In fact, when we try to imagine the future of evangelization on this continent, do we not see it as the irradiation of a vibrant, living faith practised and declared by individual Christians and Christian communities, big or small, which, with few exceptions, form a pusillus grex in the midst of numerically superior "hearers" of the word?
   To "irradiate" the faith implies the highest standards of Christian living — a rich life of prayer and sacramental practice, and moral integrity — on the part of everyone. To proclaim to others "eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 6:23) demands of each member of the Church the holiness and integrity of one for whom "to live is Christ" (Phil 1:21). Proclamation becomes credible when it is accompanied by sanctity of life, sincerity of purpose and respect for others and for the whole of creation. The encyclical Redemptoris Missio exhorts the Church's members: "You must be like the first Christians and radiate enthusiasm and courage, in generous devotion to God and neighbour. In a word, you must set yourselves on the path of holiness. Only thus can you... relive in your own countries the missionary epic of the early Church" (no. 91).
   Herein lies a great challenge which confronts each bishop, as the principal teacher and guide of the faithful in truth and holiness of life. But here too we have the source of our certain hope and of our optimism. The Church's future will not be solely the result of our human efforts but, more fundamentally, the result of the workings of the Divine Spirit, whom we must not impede but assist.
   6. A further consideration is the cultural framework in which evangelization in Asia has to be carried out. The religious traditions of very ancient cultures remain powerful forces in the East, and present you with particular challenges. The Church esteems these spiritual traditions as "living expressions of the soul of vast groups of people. They carry within them the echo of thousands of years of searching for God, a quest which is incomplete but often made with great sincerity and righteousness of heart" (Evangelii Nuntiandi, no. 53). While the Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in the great religions (Nostra Aetate, no. 2), she can only hope that one day this preparation for the Gospel will come to maturity in ways which are fully Christian and fully Asian. As bishops of the Churches in Asia, part of your concern must be to stimulate the growth of the seeds of truth and goodness found in those religions.
   Under your pastoral supervision efforts are being made to increase understanding, respect and cooperation between Christians and followers of other religious traditions; and in many cases, in collaboration with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, various forms of dialogue are now taking place and bearing fruit. Interreligious dialogue should not remain only a matter of theological discussion. Where possible, it must reach to the grassroots, correcting misunderstandings which communities have of one another, and fostering solidarity in the building of a more just and human society. This "dialogue of life" must go forward with balance, sincerity and openness (cf. Redemptoris Missio, no. 57), always in the conviction that authentic dialogue is achieved only by "speaking the truth in love" (Eph 4:15).
   7. Furthermore, as bishops you have the demanding task of accepting Saint Paul's invitation to become "all things to all men (1 Cor 9:22), identifying yourselves with the life and traditions of your people so that the perennial truth of Revelation can be expressed in ways that are meaningful and convincing. On you rests responsibility for fostering with wisdom and fidelity the most suitable means for communicating the Gospel to the various Asian cultures. The more you take into account the questions, religious formation, language, signs and symbols of those whom you wish to lead to Christ, the more effectively you will serve the cause of evangelization (cf. Evangelii Nuntiandi, no. 63).
   However arduous this task of authentic inculturation, we can take consolation from the experience of the early Church. Although the preaching of Christ Crucified and Risen ran counter to the religious culture of those to whom the Gospel was first preached, the Holy Spirit guided the Church's growth. Beginning at Pentecost and continuing from generation to generation, the Spirit of Truth has ever accompanied the Church's proclamation, leading its hearers to the "obedience of faith" (Rom 1:6), which has then purified and elevated their way of life, imbuing customs and behavior with a Christian outlook and spirit.
   8. Another recurring aspect of your pastoral activity is the relationship between proclamation and human development. Briefly, let us acknowledge that no human need, no human suffering can leave Christ's disciples indifferent or insensitive. Yet, the Church does not have and cannot claim to have a "technical" solution to all the ills which afflict humanity. Rather the Church herself, like a pilgrim in a foreign land, presses forward amid the difficulties and even persecutions of the world, strong only in the consolations of God (cf. Lumen Gentium, no. 8). At the same time it is her duty always to seek to make her voice heard in the conscience of individuals and the consciousness of society, defending the dignity of every human person, created in the image and likeness of God, and upholding the principles and values of faith, truth, freedom, justice and solidarity. She knows that the terrible evils which affect humanity have their source not only in man's injustice towards man but in man's radical injustice in the sight of God. In fulfilling her evangelizing mission, therefore, the Church cannot neglect the needs of the poor, the hungry, the defenceless, the oppressed and the culturally-deprived. But those involved in that mission must know that their responsibility goes far beyond healing the wounds of this life. They must also communicate the "new life" which comes through the grace of Jesus Christ. The Church's mission and destiny is to save man, the whole man. At this level there is no distinction of persons, neither Jew nor Greek (cf. Rom 10:12), neither rich nor poor. All are offered God's word and the grace of redemption, because all are sinners (cf. Rom 5:12).
   9. Dear Brother Bishops, if ever you feel discouraged by the seemingly impossible task of a more effective evangelization — perhaps due to the fact that some Asian cultures seem disinclined to listen to the Gospel message — I urge you to remember that, when you proclaim "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:24), "it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you" (Mt 10:20).
   At the same time, you have to make it clear that the act of faith, and reception into the communion of the Church through Baptism, must always be entirely free (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 160). Evangelization must never be imposed. It involves love and respect for those being evangelized. While ever insisting on the Church's right and duty to proclaim with joy the Good News of God's mercy, Catholics must carefully avoid any suspicion of coercion or devious persuasion (cf. Dignitatis Humanae, no. 4). On the other hand, accusations of proselytism which is far from the Church's genuine missionary spirit — and a one-sided understanding of religious pluralism and tolerance should not be allowed to stifle your mission to the peoples of Asia.
   10. Before I end, I wish to appeal to you to do all you can to foster what is generally called the mission ad gentes. Despite the fact that some try to minimize this holy duty, the Church cannot renounce her vocation to "make disciples of all nations" (Mt 28:19). She can never be content as a small minority or an inward-looking community. Indeed, the Church firmly believes that every person has "the right to know the riches of the mystery of Christ — riches in which we believe that the whole of humanity can find, in unsuspected fullness, everything that it is gropingly searching for concerning God, man and his destiny, life and death, and truth" (EvangeIii Nuntiandi, no. 53). As the dawn of the Third Millennium draws near, it is "particularly in Asia, towards which the Church's mission ad genre ought to be chiefly directed" (Redemptoris Missio, no. 37). The mission ad gentes, which often implies the idea of setting out toward new lands and new peoples, today implies above all setting out towards new areas of Asia's human geography: towards those sectors of society made up of the urban poor, migrants and their often abandoned families, refugees, young people, and the modern areopagus of the media of social communication.
   I ask you to pay careful attention to missionary evangelization in all your pastoral planning: in catechesis, preaching, priestly formation, the training of religious, the apostolate to families and youth, the allocation of personnel, the sharing of resources, and in the prayer which Christians must always offer for the propagation of the faith. All individuals, associations and communities should ask themselves if there is more that they could do in order to open wide to Christ the doors of Asia.
   11. In these years of preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, your particular Churches are fully committed to giving a fresh impulse to the evangelization of Asia. Just as in the first millennium the Cross was planted on the soil of Europe, and in the second on that of the Americas and Africa, we can pray that in the Third Christian Millennium a great harvest of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital continent. If the Church in Asia is to fulfill its providential destiny, evangelization as the joyful, patient and progressive preaching of the saving Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ must be your absolute priority.
   The Church must face all these tasks with the means which the Second Vatican Council has given us, one of which is the Synod of Bishops. In the Apostolic Letter Tertio Millennio Adveniente I have mentioned also a "plan for a continent-wide Synod" for Asia. I urge you to give serious consideration to such an event which could greatly help to lead the Church in Asia more firmly into the next millennium.
   In your work you are strengthened by the example and intercession of the great host of Martyrs who have given life to the Church in Asia through the shedding of their blood. Ablaze with love of Christ and his Church, those great men and women — from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and elsewhere — were baptized "with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Lk 3:16). With your missionaries and the Saints who have borne witness to the Gospel, they became the seed of Christianity in your lands.
   In closing, I make my own the memorable words spoken by Pope Paul VI twenty-five years ago here in Manila: "Jesus Christ is our constant preaching; it is his name that we proclaim to the ends of the earth (cf. Rom 10:18) and throughout all ages (Rom 9:5). Remember this and ponder on it: the Pope has come among you and has proclaimed Jesus Christ" (Homily, November 29, 1970).
   To you dear Brothers, this grace has been given in South, Southeast and East Asia: "to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph 3:8). I entrust you, your pastoral endeavors and all your people to Mary, Mother of the Redeemer and Star of the New Evangelization, and I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing.

A. The workshop is meant to take up the theological basis for the final statement of the plenary assembly itself. Its discussions are meant to indicate what points of emphasis we would recommend from:
   1. Fr. Tagle's paper (FABC Paper No. 70): "Jesus Christ: His Service to Life": Discipleship in the Spirit of Life"
   2. Cardinal Jozef Tomko's inaugural address, "The Church in Asia at the Service of Life in Jesus Christ"
   3. Fr. Arevalo's paper (FABC Paper No. 72a): "Prayer, Contemplation and Holiness: the Church, Community of Christian Discipleship in its Service to Life"
   4. This last paper (FABC Paper No. 72a) was intended to link up Fr. Tagie's text and its themes to the experience of prayer and the Christian life.
   Prayer is here understood as FABC 11 (Calcutta) understood it:
   as Christian prayer, and thus communion with the Trinity, in and through Christ Jesus;
   as, therefore, ecclesial, prayer offered from within the life of the Church;
   thus, cantered on the Eucharist, the presence of Christ in the Church and in the world;
   flowing, finally, into deeds of loving commitment to others; into self-giving to our brothers and sisters, especially those in need.
   5. FABC II wanted to meet the oft-voiced complaint in Asia:
   Catholics are known as people who run schools, clinics, social service and social action centers, and people turn to them for these services. But Catholic communities are not known for their prayer lives. Rarely is a priest or religious sister sought after as a person of deep prayer and contemplation as guide in the life of prayer.
   The workshop felt that the theses of FABC II needed to be reemphasized at the present moment in the life of our local Churches.

B. The workshop thus insisted on the need to give a strong, ringing re-affirmation of some theological bases which undergird our "service to life" to Asian peoples. For example,
   1. From Fr. Tagle's paper:
   For the disciples of Jesus, life is communion with Jesus' life, death and resurrection. For the disciples of Jesus, life is living in God's presence within the community of the disciples. It is a life of relationship, in Jesus, in the Spirit of Jesus. The disciples of Jesus share in this sacrifice.
   The main contribution of Asian Christians to the quest for fuller life for Asian peoples is our living experience of the Trinitarian God of Life. In turn, this is lived out in the whole of their lives, in their action and praxis, in terms of prayer and suffering.
   2. Also, from Cardinal Tomko's inaugural address:
   Today the Church of Asia must struggle for new forms of bread as service .. to manifold needs in the Asian context. Thus... the disciples must be engaged in distributing "bread" in all its concrete historical forms. But they must yet go beyond to the distribution of the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ, through proclamation and the formation of communities of believers.
   The Church in Asia can only offer what Jesus offered and in the way he did it. To separate one from the other is to weaken both, the offer of bread and of the Bread of Life. True discipleship of Jesus in Asia calls for such a twofold engagement.
   Jesus became the Bread of Life by his self-emptying on the Cross. To be of true service to life in Asia, the disciples of Jesus must also become bread of life to others ... Only by being "broken" did Jesus become the Bread of Life. The disciple must also be "broken" in service, to be bread for others. Only then can this message of Jesus as the Bread of Life become credible.

C. In the discussions the following realities, both positive and negative, emerged for reflection:
   1. Without doubt, in many parts of Asia, there is a real hunger for God, for authentic contact with God, for the experience of the Living God.
   We see this among significant numbers of young people, among communities of the poor, among wealthy and influential Christians, professionals, people in government, etc. We see this also among followers of other religions.
   We see in all this a true presence and action of the Holy Spirit, who very often moves in the hearts of peoples, sometimes without much support from us, pastoral leaders.
   If we ourselves do not pray more and more deeply, how can we respond to this "sign of the times?"
   2. In some Asian countries, material prosperity is growing, and we witness a decline in prayer life, sadly, among priests and religious too. The laity, in whom the desire to know God is felt, often cannot find reliable guides to help then in the ways of prayer, as well as in the ways of deeper reflection, theological and spiritual.
   Secularization, which accompanies technological progress and growing material well-being, often becomes an all-surrounding atmosphere, weakening and dissolving the spiritual life of the young and often even their elders. In countries with "tiger economies", this is an increasing phenomenon. We in the Church must attend to this "sign of the times' with a sense of urgency.
   3. One bright point. We sometimes see among those committed to living and working among the poor as disciples of Jesus a remarkable deepening in prayer, in authentic self-giving and self-sacrifice, and genuine experience of God, given as gifts of the Spirit. (Perhaps a new spirituality is being born here?) Whether in charitable works (as with Mother Teresa of Calcutta), in shared lives of poverty and powerlessness, in the exercise of other works of mercy — corporal or spiritual, many Christians are finding a new integration of compassion-and-commitment, on the one hand, and contemplation-and-communion, on the other, of prayer and praxis. Both sides of Christian life and ministry must be reaffirmed, again and again. There is a path, a pedagogy of Christian practice and self-giving here which we must discern, celebrate, and foster. Asia needs this spirituality in the various diverse contexts wherein the Church lives today.
   In the recent past, some have tried to insist on social and political involvement as separated from the pursuit of prayer and inferiority. Almost universally, such a "divorce" eventually ends in abandonment of both praxis and prayer, the end of Christian commitment and/or religious or priestly perseverance.
   4. We must review, or reconsider, our pastoral attitudes regarding devotional life and its practices, among Christians, especially among Catholics.
   Our post-Vatican II piety is rightly:
   — more biblically-rooted
   — more liturgical in its expression
   — more conscious of doctrinal content
   True. But we must not destroy forms of devotional practice which the faithful draw nourishment from, largely because they spring from the need for symbols in human lives and culture. And this, not only among illiterate or poorly-educated sectors of society, but among intellectuals, influentials, professional people, among youth. The Spirit has used and surely still uses these as vehicles of Christian experience and of Christian faith-life. Careful discernment must be exercised on this point.
   Popular religiosity must be seriously reevaluated in our diverse Asian contexts. We must do this for Asian situations, so vastly diverse. (A suggestion is here made to the FABC Theological Advisory Commission.)
   E.g., devotion to our Blessed Mother (so important and so dominant in the Philippines, and in most Catholic communities in Asia); the totus tuus entrustment to Christ, with Mary; the cultus of the Heart of Jesus, pilgrimages, novena prayers ... They must be purified, deepened, related to the theology of baptismal vows, to the active practice of love of neighbor, to social commitment — yes. But not unthinkingly set aside, because they still bear life, the life of faith, hope and love. A wise pastoral pedagogy must accompany them. Priests and other Catholics who have grown in deeper ways of prayer can help others re-discover these forms of popular religiosity in depth.
   5. Asian Catholics (and other Christians) can probably help to renew the understanding of the Cross and the Paschal Mystery — in the universal Church.
   How? Through a living out of the Beatitudes as they can be realized in Asia, in so many situations:
   — the suffering of Christians under repressive political regimes, in the crossfire of fratricidal conflicts, in poverty, in refugee situations, in exile due to economic hardships;
   — in minority situations of powerlessness, frustration, proximity to death.
   Christians must live out what Colossians 1:24-27 says: to rejoice in our sufferings, because thus we make up what is lacking in the suffering of Christ for his body the Church. — The great Christian truth of dying with Christ bringing forth life in his Spirit. Thus, Paul says, "It is my joy to suffer for you."
   We suffer, we "die daily," not for the life of the Church only, but also pro mundi vita, for the life of the world. Our suffering is the seed of hope. The secularized world sees only negativity in suffering; we Christians rejoice to unite our suffering with Christ's, and we know it is the seed of life for the world, the true seed of hope for all of human history.
   6. Asia is less than 3% Christian. We are in the midst of an immense "missionary situation," truly a small island, a tiny minority, in the midst of a vast ocean of humanity of other religions.
   This is a situation, not for frustration, but of fearless hope. Past missionary efforts were from "positions of power": missionaries came from powerful nations. Now, in Asia, we return to the "little flock" of Jesus and his Apostles — poor, powerless, humiliated by our insignificance, no longer rich and strong in many Asian countries. "Do not fear, little flock, for my Father has promised to you the Kingdom!" (cf. Cardinal Tomko's talk). We can sow in lowliness and poverty, as Jesus did. We may ourselves not reap, but we sow in hope, in humbleness, in joy. "The time of harvest will also come for Asia." "Surely it will come. Let us only have faith, and hope."

D. Other points were noted that cannot be developed at length here
   1. The need of a strong Trinitarian theological base for our reflection: God the Father of mercy, the redeeming Son in whom alone all humanity has its hope, the life-giving Spirit. (Three of the encyclicals of Pope John Paul ll.)
   2. Not only individuals, but communities must learn to pray, to share, to give of themselves in love, to join their lives to the sacrifice and dying of Jesus. How do our communities pray as communities? The need of smaller faith-Scripture study-prayer groups.
   3. Renewing our Eucharistic life in communities. The Eucharist creates community, empowers sharing and sacrifice, "sends forth" to mission. How are our Eucharists celebrated? Can they feed experiences of God?
   4. We must challenge ourselves and our communities to deeper spirituality — this is our greatest, most crying need — a spirituality that is an authentic following of Jesus, a discipleship of his cross, a discipleship which gives hope.
   5. Regarding charismatic communities: it is felt that these may be initial phases in a conversion-experience, which need to move forward to maturity in the future.
   6. Our priests and bishops must accompany such communities, foster their catechetical or theological instruction. Left to themselves, they can turn fundamentalist, or be led into wrong ways.
   Priests themselves need formation to lead/guide these communities.
   7. TIME magazine's article on Pope John Paul II as "man of the year" quotes Mother Teresa on the Pope. She says he is "a man of profound faith, unceasing prayer, unshakeable hope: a man deeply in love with God." The Pope's Manila visit shows the power of holiness to draw people to Christ and to God. Holiness itself is a way of evangelizing.
   8. By way of example, Australian young people, coming to the Philippines for World Youth Day, have been moved and questioned by the manifest faith and Catholic culture of Filipino young people they have met — indications of a sense of the sacred and a pride and joy in Catholic identity and Catholic life.
   9. The workshop as a whole seconded Cardinal Tomko's remarks on the need for a renewal of spirituality as people's faith is confronted with contemporary issues: development work by Christians; preferential option for the poor; action for justice and human rights; ecological concerns.
   10. "Community prayer, community spirituality": How are these to be fostered in practice? Present and future priests need instruction and formation on this point; developing skills for this important work.

E. Pastoral Recommendations
   1. To the FABC Theological Advisory Commission: Place the themes of "popular religiosity and piety" and "Asian spirituality" as topics for future discussions and publication. An Asian reflection, from data gathered in Asia. How should Asian pastoral leaders regard ways of popular piety? (Even in other religious traditions?)
   2. The need for direction in prayer for seminarians ... Further formation is nowadays almost indispensable. Since Asian sensibilities, etc., differ from those of other countries, there is need to have local priests get the appropriate formation for this priority concern. (Bishops, please note this!) To help seminarians who will work in parishes, we need priests who have had that experience and can pray. Question: Do we have, as a first step, a good introduction of our seminarians to prayer? In classes of spiritual theology? Are retreats often held in silence, so they can be helped to pray better? Are faculty members men of prayer, of contemplation, so they can serve as role models?
   3. Some planned reflection on FABC texts to see what truth there is in the reproach that FABC is unilaterally "social activist." If this is false, it might be helpful for a FABC paper to take up this point. (Fr. Jacques Dupuis' FABC Paper is a beginning of this defense of the balance in FABC texts.) Why is there an impression that FABC texts are predominantly biased towards social action and socio-political activism? Perhaps a plenary assembly needs to be newly resurrected!

A. Different Attempts and Experiences of Dialogue
   1. Taiwan: Catholics and Buddhists have had joint seminars and study sessions to reflect on their responsibility in relation to the problems of their society, and have decided to collaborate on social projects.
   They also discussed family values which are being eroded by modernity. As a result of this dialogue they have developed mutual trust and respect, to some extent.
   2. Indonesia: Catholics, Protestants and Muslims have come together with the conviction that they can work together, and they resolved to defend moral values in society.
   — They made a joint declaration about the war in Bosnia.
   — They discussed the family in the context of UN—sponsored Cairo conference on population control.
   — They came together for sharing and mutual enrichment and built up friendship.
   — They held seminars for youth.
   — They exhorted people to live in harmony.
   — Protestants and Catholics have celebrated Christmas and Easter together.
   3. India: In some regions a core group organized friendship houses: people of different religions meet in these houses to pray together and share their common social concerns and their religious beliefs. When there are Hindu-Muslim riots they hold prayer meetings in such places.
   — In places where there are ancient communities of different religions good relations are fostered, religious festivals are celebrated together.
   — Joint committees are formed to tackle common problems.
   — Live-ins of leaders of different religions are successfully organized wherein they pray and share their religious and common concerns.
   — Ashrams welcome people of different faiths and help them in prayer life and God-experience.
   4. Japan: A Christian ashram is situated in the property of a Buddhist monastery; and it is an open house for both Christians and Buddhists. They visited mainland China in a spirit of reconciliation and set up a hospital there.
   5. Philippines: Catholics and UCCP (United Churches of Christ in the Philippines) jointly tackled certain common issues, like gambling, justice, family, etc.

B. Challenges of Dialogue
   The workshop addressed the following challenges which require our joint effort in the dialogue of life:
   — Economic policies of governments and poverty
   — Exploitation of people
   — Child prostitution and child labor
   — Religious fundamentalism
   — Abortion
   — Ill—treatment of women
   — Violence
   — Ecology
   — Use of resources at the service of life
   — Erosion of family values
   — Human dignity and human rights
   — Tourism
   — Formation of conscience
   — Refugees and migrant workers

C. Requisites for Dialogue
   One should be solid in one's faith. (Vague universalism that we can work together is not enough.)
   One should have adequate intellectual formation for dialogue. — One should be open to sharing. (One' should go with an open mind, accepting one's vulnerability.)
   Willingness for mutual enrichment by sharing with due respect to the other party.
   Sensitivity to look for things that unite rather than divide the parties.
   Living an authentic life according to one's own religion.
   Collaboration in tackling human problems
   Simple lifestyle
   Be prepared to share fully our faith at the appropriate time.
   Hospitality, sincerity, humility, respect, patience, adaptability, etc.

D. Obstacles and Benefits of Dialogue
   Certain religious groups feel threatened because of historical reasons in the past, and those historical incidents continue to be obstacles to religious harmony and respect.
   Dialogue helps to remove misunderstandings about religions and dispels fear, prejudice, suspicion, etc., and enriches one's knowledge about the inner faith life of the people. Each partner in dialogue has much to learn from the other.

E. Proclamation in Dialogue
   Proclamation in dialogue has to be done in a dialogical spirit, i.e., if the other party is responsive. We share further about Jesus Christ and his Good News. If not, we leave it at that. It may happen that one is converted in this process of sharing, reflection and prayer together. Hence conversion is not excluded in dialogue, though not primarily intended.

F. Conclusions
   1. In response to the challenges of the contemporary world, religions have to play a prophetic role by offering in the name of the Ultimate a new vision of life with freedom, fellowship and justice, and challenging the limitations and oppressions of the present social order.
   2. In a society that is religiously pluralistic, in which members of different religions share the same socio—cultural and economic political order, religions can effectively fulfill their role of prophecy only in collaboration (cf. Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, no. 60; FABC Plenary Assembly Statement, Manila, 1970 (p.5 and 9); also Bandung, 1990, p. 279,).
   3. Since the religions, as is the Church, are at the service of the world, interreligious dialogue cannot be confined to the religious sphere but must embrace all dimensions of life: economic, socio—political, cultural and religious. (cf. Third Bishops' Institute for Interreligious Affairs, Nov. 1982, p. 120.)
   4. By dialogue at a religious level Christians promote specifically Christian values and witness to them. Pope John Paul II in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis says the following:
   In the light of faith, solidarity seeks to go beyond itself to take on the specifically Christian dimensions of total gratuity, forgiveness and reconciliation. One's neighbor is then not only a human being with his or her own rights and a fundamental equality with everyone else, but becomes the living image of God the Father, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and placed under the permanent action of the Holy Sprit. One's neighbor must, therefore, be loved, even if an enemy, with the same love with which the Lord loves him or her; and for that person's sake one must be ready for sacrifice, even the ultimate one: to lay down one's life for the brethren (cf. Jn 3:16) (no.40).
   5. Dialogue of life at the human level can create an ideal climate for a dialogue at a more strictly religious level wherein Christians can witness and proclaim their own beliefs in the fullness of life that Jesus has brought to humanity, and their own vision of the Reign of God that Jesus proclaimed and realized.

G. Pastoral Recommendations
   1. We recommend an education for an attitudinal change towards dialogical, harmonious living among believers of various religions through schools, pastoral circles, etc. In each diocese, dialogue should be promoted among priests, sisters, leaders of Catholic movements, and directors of schools and institutions. Formation in the faith is a necessary background for fruitful dialogue.
   2. Promote hospitality, familial living together by friendly visits at joyful and sorrowful times, and the exchange of gifts on appropriate occasions.
   3. In order to create and promote mutual understanding and trust among followers of different religions in each area, Basic Human Communities should be formed, wherever possible.
   4. FABC should communicate experiences of movements, dialogue in Asia: efforts, methodology, successes and failures, through information and periodic reflection.
   5. Encourage common programs for social and integral development of people.
   6. In