Papal delegate Cardinal Francis Arinze yesterday opened the plenary assembly of Asian bishops, stressing the Eucharist’s transforming power, and emphasizing evangelization rather than ‘proselytism which is forbidden by canon law’. It matters “a great deal for the life of the Church in Asia how the ineffable mystery of the Holy Eucharist is believed, celebrated and lived in this vast continent in which more than 60 percent of humanity lives,” the Nigerian cardinal said, UCA News reports.
Noting that one-fourth of the world’s priests and seminarians are in Asia, he conveyed Pope Benedict’s blessing on participants of the 9th Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Plenary Assembly, which has the theme, “Living the Eucharist in Asia.”
One hundred and twenty bishop delegates and priests, Religious and lay partners attended the event, together with other Vatican officials, bishops and guests from various regions and organizations.
Cardinal Arinze said one way the Eucharist transforms lives is by leading the faithful to help the poor live a more dignified life.
“God does not want a few people to grab most of the good things in this world and thus become an oasis of enjoyment and overspending, while the majority remain a desert of want and misery,” he said, quoting “Gaudium et Spes” (”Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World”) from the Second Vatican Council.
Most Asian countries were represented but there were no bishops of the government-sanctioned Chinese patriotic Church or the underground Church present.
In his homily, Cardinal Arinze highlighted the missionary dimension of the Eucharist saying, “the love that we celebrate in the sacrament is not something we can keep for ourselves…by its very nature it demands to be shared with all.”
However, he stressed that evangelization is not proselytism and cited canon law forbidding the latter. Cardinal Arinze clarified that evangelization refers to sharing the Christian faith, bringing the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ to people who freely and willingly welcome this proclamation.
Proselytism “seeks to influence people to embrace a certain religion by means that exploit their weak position or put some other pressure on them,” he said.
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