The Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences gathered in Colombo, Sri
Lanka, for a seven-day meeting devoted to “The Asian Catholic Family:
Domestic Church of the Poor on a Mission of Mercy.”
The Pope’s envoy to the meeting—Cardinal Telesphore Toppo of Ranchi,
India—said that “our Catholic families across Asia once [were] bound
within traditional ties, cultural values, social norms, and enhanced by
Catholic Faith,” but “today are faced with numerous problems of
unfaithfulness, brokenness, loneliness, lukewarmness, poverty,
unemployment.”
“The pastoral care of families presupposes the need of men and women
with a missionary heart that can kindle other hearts with the fire of
love,” he added. “Families fanned to flame, in turn, will be the
torchbearers to the Gospel of love, compassion and peace in the Church
and in their neighborhood.”
Over the course of the meeting, bishops discussed challenges facing
the family in their nations.
On the December 4, as the meeting
concluded, they consecrated the Catholic families of Asia to the Holy
Family.