ASIA/PHILIPPINES - The challenge of migration in Asia and the Church’s solutions Chiesa: Scalabrini fathers organise Week of Formation

Thursday, 25 March 2004

AFGHANISTAN

2024-04-22
Commemoration of the victims of the Easter attacks: Catholic Church wants to initiate the beatification process of their martyrdom

2024-02-07
Manipur, torn by conflict, tries to reconnect the threads of dialogue

2023-12-04
The Franciscan Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Jinan celebrates the 60th anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium, to continue walking on the paths opened by the Second Vatican Council

2023-10-16
Prayer for the reconciliation of the peoples of Israel and Palestine

2022-02-24
Integrating refugees into society: the commitment of the Pro Bambini Association of Kabul

2021-12-18
The Barnabites, with their hearts in Kabul: "Pray for Afghanistan"

Manila (Fides Service) - What challenges does migration put to the Church in Asia? What are the most effective means of pastoral care? These questions were the focus of “Exodus - Week of Formation” for pastoral workers organised from 21 to 27 March in Tagaytay, Philippines. The Week was promoted by the Scalabrini Migration Center in Manila, in cooperation with the Philippines Bishops’ Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.
The meeting is attended by 30 participants, priests, religious and laity, anxious to discuss and respond to the challenges of migration in Asia, affected by ever more intense and massive waves of migration inside the continent and directed to other parts of the world.
The participants reflected on six themes: the phenomenon of migration in Asia today: tendencies, types, dimensions, consequences; the teaching of the Church: migration and Scripture, elements of theology of migration; missione with migrants in Asia: local Churches and the role of the laity; themes specific to Asia.
Scalabrini Father Fabio Baggio, who organised Exodus, told Fides: “The participants reflected on the different themes from the sociological, theological and pastoral points of view. We are aware of the importance of formation because there is still strong prejudice and lack of information with regard to migration. The main challenges facing the Church in Asia in her pastoral care of migrants are: violation of human rights; language difficulties; social injustice and economic unbalance; interreligious dialogue; consider migrants not as objects of evangelisation but as the subjects of mission.
To meet the needs of migrants the Church in Asia is using every means: firstly by supplying religious services in various languages for immigrants, and secondly by providing material assistance and administrative advice.
The Scalabrini Father announced that the next Formation Week will be held 16 to 21 May, in South Korea another country heavily affected by the phenomenon of migration.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 25/3/2004 lines 25 words 236)