Cardinal David: Asia's Divisions Call the Church to Build Bridges, Not Walls

The Church's mission in Asia is not to retreat behind protective walls but to build bridges of dialogue across societies marked by division, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David said at the opening press conference of the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) on July 20.

Responding to a question about the challenges faced by Christian communities living as minorities in many parts of Asia, Cardinal David said the Church's minority status should be viewed not as a disadvantage but as an opportunity to witness to the Gospel through dialogue, reconciliation, and fraternity.

"Our response to situations of hostility is not to build defensive walls, but to build bridges of dialogue," said Cardinal David, Bishop of Caloocan, Philippines, and Vice President of the FABC.

"When we speak of being bridge-builders, we acknowledge that bridges are built precisely because there are divides. In many parts of Asia, Christian communities live as a little flock, often in situations marked by polarization and tension," he added.

His remarks reflected the central theme of the weeklong assembly, "The Call to Synodal Conversion and the Mission to Be Bridges and Bridge-Builders in Asia," which has brought together more than 120 cardinals and bishops from the FABC's 22 member bishops' conferences and ecclesiastical jurisdictions in Jakarta from July 20 to 26.

Cardinal David said the theme is rooted in the lived reality of Asia rather than in an ideal vision. Home to diverse cultures, religions, and ethnic communities, the continent also faces persistent challenges, including conflict, poverty, migration, social injustice, and deepening polarization.

In this context, he said, the Church is called to foster encounter rather than separation.

For Cardinal David, dialogue does not require people to erase their differences. Instead, it begins with recognizing the dignity of every person and seeking the common good despite differing beliefs, cultures, and traditions.

He emphasized that Christian communities, even where they are small minorities, have a unique role in promoting reconciliation and strengthening relationships across religious and cultural boundaries.

The 12th FABC Plenary Assembly will continue through July 26 with prayer, Eucharistic celebrations, Conversations in the Spirit, regional meetings, and communal discernment. Participants are expected to develop practical pastoral directions for implementing synodality across Asia while strengthening the Church's mission of communion, participation, and dialogue.

Cardinal David's message underscored one of the assembly's central convictions: that the Church's credibility in Asia will be measured not by its numbers or influence, but by its willingness to become a bridge-builder in societies searching for peace, mutual understanding, and hope.