A vibrant and diverse Church

In a wide-ranging interview ahead of the Pope’s imminent Apostolic Journey to Asia, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences ( fabc ), offers an inside look at the upcoming Visit’s significance.

“It is enough to see that many of our churches are full during Sunday Masses. You will notice that many of the Asians who migrate to other countries, they keep their faith alive...”

In a recent interview, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo described the Asia and Oceania that Pope Francis will be visiting during his Apostolic Journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore, 2-13 September, marking his 45th Apostolic Journey abroad, one of his several to Asia.

In the interview, Cardinal Bo details the vibrant and diverse Church that — despite political, economic, social, environmental, and cultural challenges, and the fact that “it is not always easy to live out the Christian faith in some parts of Asia,” — “continues to not just be alive but dynamic in different ways.”

Your Eminence, Pope Francis is making his 45th Apostolic Journey to Asia and Oceania after his last travels abroad having been in September 2023. How do you evaluate the importance of this trip?

For many of the peoples of Asia, they only hear about the Pope and today more than before, they get to see him with the help of digital media. However, for the general population, the Pope is somewhat “distant.” The coming of the Pope to Asia creates not only excitement but also a renewed zeal for the faith and gives the Asian people a renewed sense of the faith, because it demonstrates that the Asian peoples are not far from the mind and heart of the Pope. What is more encouraging is that Pope Francis has chosen to visit smaller countries, less known to the world, such as Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste, in this Visit to Asia, which thereby creates an opportunity for the world to get to know the Churches in these countries. There is excitement among the people, not only because they get to see the Pope in person, but I am sure there will be a renewal in the life and faith of the local Churches.

As the President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, how does the diversity of Asian countries make this travel particularly significant? For instance, one thinks of the affluence of Singapore to the poverty of Papua New Guinea, to the overwhelmingly Muslim Indonesia, to the overwhelmingly Catholic majority of the former Portuguese colony of Timor-Leste. What is interesting to note here?

The uniqueness of Asia is its diversity, in terms of cultures, religions and traditions. While Christians are a minority in most countries of Asia, except the Philippines and Timor-Leste, we see a growing faith. The Churches in Asia, though small, are vibrant and alive. The Holy Father will get a first-hand view of the dynamic diversity of the Churches in Asia and also the faith of its people. Whether rich or poor, majority or minority, the faith of the people remains steadfast despite the diversity of challenges faced in the different countries.

What can the Universal Church learn from the Church in Asia?

Three words come to mind: peace, harmony, and that which makes peace and harmony a reality — dialogue. Despite the numerous challenges faced by the Churches in Asia, our goal is to seek peace and harmony. Everyone seeks peace and harmony and that is why, when faced with political oppression, poverty, climate devastation and more, the Church has to be in partnership with others to restore peace and harmony in the lives of those who are impacted directly. In Asia, we learn to collaborate, to dialogue, and to respect each other. But most of all, we have learned how to co-exist as brothers and sisters despite the hardships. I believe the pathways of peace and harmony through dialogue is what Asia can offer to the Universal Church.

What can you tell me about the witness of the Church in Asia?

The Churches in Asia are alive and vibrant. It is enough to see that many of our Churches are full during Sunday Masses. You will notice that many of the Asians who migrate to other countries keep their faith alive. They are our missionaries to these ancient Churches. They bring a renewed hope and zeal to these “new homes” of theirs. We also witness many persecuted Churches across Asia. It is not always easy to live out the Christian faith in some parts of Asia. Despite these challenges, which are political, economic, social and cultural, their faith continues to not just be alive, but to be dynamic in different ways.

And what does the Church in Asia, or in each of these four individual Churches, need from the Church? Or their societies...?

It is difficult for me to state what the individual Churches need from the Church, but I pray that the visit of the Holy Father brings about a renewed zeal for the faith and a greater openness to one another to live in peace and care for one another as sisters and brothers, each one looking out for the other, regardless of any differences that we may have.

The Pope visited you in Myanmar before going on to Bangladesh, and likewise I remember his emotion to be back in Asia before the pandemic for his Journey to  Japan and Thailand. How is this trip to Asia going to make new memories?

Every visit of the Holy Father is both unique and refreshing. I am sure the Pope has a message for Asia in this visit just like he did in the previous visits, and am sure the memories will come naturally and in time to experience their effects. However, my own hope is that the visit of the Pope will bring about a renewal in the life and faith of the Churches in Asia to be living witnesses to the world of our thriving Church.

And what role do you think the climate topic and care for the environment will play, given this region is being increasingly slammed by natural disasters provoked by the climate crisis? 

The effects of climate change are devastatingly experienced in Asia. Given that the topic of climate care is close to the heart of the Holy Father, I am sure he will be addressing this issue. We can no longer be bystanders but have to be actively involved in the promotion of climate care for the common good of all. The Church in Asia must also be protagonists in bringing about this change in the region and in the world.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov