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Bishops discuss role in pastoral care of women
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MANILA, Ten bishops, 13 women and two priest-theologians representing six Asian countries discussed and reflected on the role of the bishop in pastoral care of women in a five-day meeting held at the Redemptorist Centre in Pattaya, Thailand last May 12-16.
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The convention’s theme “The Bishop: Harbinger of Hope (Bishops, Women, Gospel and Communion)” was adopted in the light of Pastores Gregis, Pope John Paul’s 2003 apostolic exhortation on the 2001 Synod of Bishops assembly on Episcopal ministry.
Through story-telling, theological inputs from speakers, workshops and prayer, the participants experienced a moment of renewal, especially the bishops who heard the voices of women and reflected on how their pastoral ministry could effectively address them.
On hearing the stories of women from different regions of Asia, the extent of violence and injustice experienced by women was striking. They appreciated the work done by the women’s movement and various women’s groups to help victims of violence. It was observed that Bishops as heralds of hope need to develop a concept of compassionate justice for women as victims/survivors of violence.
As one bishop shared, “This conference helps us bishops to understand issues relating to women. Change is taking place in society and slowly in church as well. Formation is important. There is a need for women to share their perspectives through different ways.”
The bishops affirmed that ‘The bishop has to be a man of hope and trust since trust engenders hope’. They also agreed that bishops and women have to share mutual trust through dialogue. Likewise there is a need to dispel the myths of authority and encourage women to make their voices heard. They acknowledged the injustice done to women through gendered roles and stressed the need for attitudinal change.
It was pointed out that FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences) documents encourage the Church in Asia to live as a communion of communities, which is participatory and co-responsible in the mission of Christ. But there is a gap between what is written in the documents and actual practice at the grassroots. For the idea of partnership and co-responsibility to be well understood by priests, it is necessary that these documents be studied in seminaries and formation houses.
The bishops felt the need to confront cultural practices that discriminate against women with the egalitarian values of the gospel, as well as to promote and sustain counter-cultural Christian communities. Confident that inspired with the compassion of Jesus and the courage of Mary the Church in Asia can make a difference in the reality of women, the delegates departed with the resolve to continue the process of dialogue and sensitization begun at the meeting.
Bishops from the Philippines who attended the meeting were Bishop Emilio Marquez, chairman of CBCP Office on Women (Lucena), Archbishop Paciano Aniceto (San Fernando, Pampanga), Archbishop Ernesto Salgado (Nueva Segovia), Bishop Luis Antonio Tagle (Imus), Bishop Jose Romeo Lazo, (Kalibo), and Bishop Marlo Peralta, (Alaminos).
The meeting was organized by the Women’s Desk of the Office of Laity and Family of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference in cooperation with the FABC Office of Theological Concerns.
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