ASIA - We come from local churches in remote areas of the world and in these three weeks we have heard the beating heart of the universal Church, say participants at the end of the Study Seminar for recently appointed Bishops organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Bishops from different countries in America, Asia, Africa and Oceania shared their impressions with Fides at the end of a three week Study Seminar organised by the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples for 99 recently appointed Bishops in mission territories who travelled to Rome to take part in the Seminar 10-23 September. “This experience has been most helpful. Cardinals and bishops of great experience gave conferences on very interesting topics sharing their experience with us. In these three weeks we have heard the beating heart of the universal Church and as local churches often in remote areas of the world we received encouragement and also concrete suggestions on how to deal with our small problems and challenges in daily pastoral work”, Bishop John Philip Saklil of the diocese of Timida in Indonesia, told Fides.
“Life in our countries is not easy - Bishop Saklil continued -. My diocese is in the Indonesian region of west Papua and daily problems include the need for more justice and peace frequently threatened by violence. However we have seen that local Churches in Africa and in America have the same difficulties. After this Study-Seminar we feel better prepared for our ministry as bishops”.
The Seminar was greatly appreciated also by Bishop Paul Kenjiro Koriyama of Kagoshima diocese in Japan: “It has been a wonderful opportunity come together with bishops from all over the word, to build relationships of friendship and sharing, to discuss in groups. I hope we will remain in contact when we each return home and continue to share information, opinions, pastoral experience. I will take back to my diocese all the knowledge I have acquired in these three weeks and try to share and live it with the people of God entrusted to my care. In Japan the Catholic community is a tiny minority 0.3% of the population. We believers are called to live the inward dimension of faith in God in a culture of materialism and consumerism. We must aim in particular to involve young people, some come to church but not many come regularly. Our task is to keep them connected with the life of the Church and accompany them in their journey of faith”.
Bishop Ghislain De Rasilly of Wallis and Futuna, in Oceania agrees: “This Seminar has been most interesting and I have found new brothers and met with the staff and activity of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. We have learned more about the ministry of the bishop and come to a deeper understanding of our mission and this is most important. Now we feel better prepared to tackle our pastoral work and the problems which may arise. As Churches in the Pacific we are remote and somewhat isolated, but we know we are part of the universal Church and our that task is to be the presence of Christ in Oceania. We will keep in close contact with Rome to nourish our faith and our fidelity to the Holy Father and strive to be always authentic announcers of the Gospel”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/9/2006 righe 35 parole 345)