Help families meet Christ: Cardinal Alencherry

The Churches in Asia are wondering how to make Catholic families a tool to announce the Gospel of mercy.

Colombo:  The Church in Asia has the mission to help families discover Christ: said Cardinal George Alencherry, president of the Syro-Malabar Bishops' Council, during the plenary assembly of the Federation of the Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC).

"We all need to find Christ in ourselves, to help others to discover him in the lives of our families and of our peoples: this is evangelization", stressed the Cardinal, who is the major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly.

More than 140 Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops from about 40 Asian countries, as well as some representatives as theologians and lay people involved in the Church in Asia are present at the FABC assembly, being held in Colombo from November 28 to December 4.

The assembly, which is held every four years, is centered on the theme "The Asian Catholic family: The local Church of the poor in the mission of mercy”. The Churches in Asia are wondering how to make Catholic families a tool to announce the Gospel of mercy.

In the wake of the Jubilee Year which has just concluded, "we are exploring what could be the mission of mercy of the Catholic family in Asia. It seems to me that our path is the same as that of the Apostles: to help every man encounter Christ in his life and help our families to discover the presence of Christ within and outside the family unit". "This is the common mission of the Church, it is the mission of Bishops, priests, consecrated, families", he added.

The Cardinal explained: "Families in Asia, who live in a multi-religious context are influenced by family models of other religious beliefs. Religions in Asia are a way of searching God. For us Christians, Christ is at the center of our testimony of faith. It is this uniqueness of Christ, the gift of Christ to the world that saves and marks our life. God is mercy and Jesus Christ manifests the face of God’s mercy for us".

In the past, added the Cardinal, Pastors appeared to have forgotten him, pointing out only the observance of the law, forgetting God's mercy.

"Christians are called to grasp the presence and action of Christ in man and in all creation, as St. Francis of Assisi did", he recalled.

"Having seen, heard and touched Christ, we must not give up the blessings that come from following Christ. Our families meet Jesus in their lives and receive his blessing. Let all this turn into good for the Church and for the Asian societies", he concluded.

Source: Vatican Radio