Catholics are called to take into consideration changes and realities taking place in society in order to make meaningful their vocation to the priesthood and religious life, said Philippine Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila.
"In the history of the church the exercise of the priesthood and calling for religious life have evolved so while keeping the same charism and spirit we are now called to take into context the changes and realities taking place in society and so should respond to the realities," he told ucanews.com.
Cardinal Tagle delivered the keynote address April 15 during the the annual Serra Asian Convention, held April 14-17 in Si Racha, Thailand.
"The delicate thing is how to remain faithful to the original charism while at the same time being able to respond to the current needs of the church and society," he added.
Cardinal Tagle also called on Asian laypeople to be lay missionaries and promote the faith "with a sense of the transcendence."
Serra International is a Catholic organization that fosters and promotes the priesthood and religious vocations.
It is named after St. Junipero Serra, a Franciscan missionary-priest from Spain who established many missions in California in the late 1700s.