“Whispering the Gospel”: Bishop Kleden on Asia’s quiet witness
Archbishop Kleden reflects on the recent Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences assembly in Jakarta, emphasizing the Church's mission of 'whispering the Gospel.' He highlights the importance of synodality and the need for Church leaders to practice humble listening to all, including minorities and the marginalized.
Why it matters
The message reflects a shift in Catholic leadership strategy toward inclusivity and dialogue in regions where the Church is a minority.
By Fr. Kasmir Nema, SVD Reflecting on the recently concluded Twelfth Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) in Jakarta, Archbishop Kleden, Archbishop of Ende and Vice President of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI), said the gathering helped participants see that God is already at work in the many different realities of the Church across Asia. “The assembly once more made it clear that every genuine encounter is an opportunity to experience greater things,” he said in the interview. Listening to participants from different Asian countries, he said, “enlarged the heart and widened the horizon” and helped delegates recognize God’s presence in local Churches where Catholics are often a tiny minority. “Being a minority is not a reason to lose hope and to give up,” he said.
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