Cardinal Gracias Presides Over FABC Opening Mass, Highlights Synodality as Church’s Gift to the World

JAKARTA — Cardinal Oswald Gracias, papal envoy of Pope Leo XIV, opened the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) on July 21 by describing synodality as “one of the Church’s greatest gifts to the world” and urging the Churches of Asia to become builders of peace through dialogue, reconciliation, and fraternity.

Presiding over the Opening Eucharistic celebration at 9 a.m. in Ballrooms 2 and 3 of Hotel Mulia Jakarta, Cardinal Gracias said the Church’s mission is to bring people together, foster reconciliation, and become an instrument of peace.

“Our mission is to become bridge-builders,” he said in his homily. “The Church is called to build bridges.”

The opening liturgy reflected that diversity, incorporating cultural traditions from across Indonesia and prayers representing the wider Asian Church.

Cardinal Gracias was joined at the altar by Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan of Hong Kong and Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva of Timor-Leste as principal concelebrants, together with more than 100 cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and delegates from across Asia attending the weeklong assembly.

As the entrance procession began, men and women wearing traditional attire from Indonesia’s North Sumatra province—including members of the Nias, Batak, and Minangkabau communities—welcomed the bishops and delegates into the assembly hall. The cultural welcome highlighted Indonesia’s rich ethnic heritage while expressing the hospitality of the host Church.

The Prayers of the Faithful further reflected the diversity of Asia, with petitions proclaimed in several languages, including Javanese, Mentawai, Mandarin Chinese, Benawas Dayak from Borneo, and Sumbanese from East Nusa Tenggara. The multilingual intercessions underscored the unity of the Church amid the continent’s many peoples, cultures, and languages.

Another distinctive feature of the celebration was the Litany of the Saints, which invoked holy men and women from across Asia. The assembly prayed through the intercession of saints from China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Thailand, Myanmar, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Laos, and Afghanistan, highlighting the continent’s rich Christian heritage.

Reflecting on more than five decades of the FABC, he recalled the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the defining challenges for the Church in recent years. While the crisis brought suffering across the continent, it also revealed the resilience, solidarity, and collegial spirit of the Churches of Asia.

The cardinal also pointed to war and violence as among the greatest challenges facing humanity today, recalling Pope Francis’ description of the current global situation as “a Third World War fought piecemeal.”

In his homily, Cardinal Gracias reminded participants that the FABC gathering is more than an institutional meeting. It is, he said, an opportunity for the local Churches of Asia to discern the signs of the times and renew their commitment to proclaiming the Gospel.

He described synodality as a gift both to the Church and to society, noting that the spirit of walking together has long been part of Asian cultures through family life, communal values, and mutual respect. He added that the synodal values of listening, participation, openness, and shared responsibility can also contribute to good governance and help address corruption in many parts of Asia.

Concluding the Mass, Cardinal Gracias encouraged delegates to seek new and creative ways of building peace and fraternity throughout the continent.

“May God bless the FABC. May God bless Asia,” he said.