Asian families witness to the Gospel despite challenges – Card. D’Rozario ‎

"Women and families in Asia witness to the Gospel despite many challenges and difficulties they face," says Bangladesh’s cardinal.  "In Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, there are families and women who, in their daily lives, undergo threats and abuse but give a heroic witness to the Gospel,” Cardinal Patrick D'Rozario told the Vatican’s Fides news agency.  “And there are young people who are looking for the meaning of life and who tell their joy, having found it in Christ", said the cardinal, who is Archbishop of Dhaka as well as the President of the Office for the Laity and Family of the Federation of the Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).   He said that “small Christian lay communities give valuable help at a pastoral level. We are confident to see the inspiration and the action of the Holy Spirit that allow Christian communities in Asia to prosper."

In the backdrop of Pope Francis’ exhortation "Amoris Laetitia" on the family, FABCs’ East Asian Regional Conference on Family organized a workshop in Taiwan in May discussing the family’s mission of love as hope for society.  Another meeting in October in Bangkok, Thailand will discuss the theology of the family based on “Amoris Laetitia”.

Card. D’Rozario said his office is “trying to promote a kind of work carried out in close collaboration among experts in different Asian nations, in order to be more effective.”  He said the first workshop, held in Vietnam, sought to explore new opportunities for the faithful and to think about the preparation for the next general assembly. “Particular focus was placed on the forthcoming Synod on Youth, to be held in autumn 2018, and will be an opportunity to create bridges between young Asians and the institutional Church, so that we can listen and learn", he said.

Card. D’Rozario whose Youth Desk within FABC’s Office for the Laity and Family coordinates the Asian Youth Day, said that the specific goal is to accompany young Asians to reflect and share their experiences of faith, lived in local churches, culturally diverse.  The Bangladeshi cardinal said the Church also aims to “promote the involvement of young people in the work of evangelization of the Church, so that they can share the values of the Kingdom of God and be joyful witnesses of the gospel, working for social justice and peace in their respective nations."   Indonesia’s Semarang Archdiocese is hosting the 7th Asian Youth Day in Yogyakarta, from July ‎‎30 to August 9, ‎on the theme, "Joyful Asian Youth! Living the ‎Gospel in Multicultural Asia."   "What we want to share,” Card. D’Rozario explained, “is the belief that living the gospel in the Asian context means having your heart open to everyone, communicating messages of faith, hope and love to every young Asian.”  “With the help of the Holy Spirit, and according to God's will, we are called to build a fraternal world, which is home to every creature", he added.  (Source: Fides)