"Give Women Their Rightful Place," Indian Jesuit Urges Asian Bishops Ahead of FABC Assembly
As Catholic bishops from across Asia gather in Jakarta, Indonesia, from July 20 to 26 for the XII Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), an Indian Jesuit has urged Church leaders to make the empowerment of women a central part of the synodal conversion the assembly seeks to promote.
Speaking to Radio Veritas Asia ahead of the assembly, Fr Cedric Prakash, SJ, said the Church in Asia must undergo a genuine examination of conscience if it is serious about becoming more synodal and missionary.
Fr. Cedric Prakash, a Jesuit of Gujarat province, western India, is an internationally renowned human rights, reconciliation and peace activist, writer and trainer. Since Pope Francis launched the Synodal Journey in October 2021, Fr. Cedric Prakash, SJ, has been at the forefront of promoting and deepening the understanding of synodality in India. He has written extensively on the subject, with his articles appearing in leading Catholic publications and online platforms worldwide. A sought-after speaker, he has addressed numerous seminars, conferences, and webinars on synodality and has led retreats exploring its meaning, significance, and relevance for the Church today, drawing extensively on the Synod's official documents.
Among the priorities he identified for the FABC Plenary Assembly, Fr. Prakash said the Church must "give women their rightful place and curb every form of patriarchy."
He argued that authentic synodal conversion requires more than structural reforms. Instead, it demands a willingness to listen, discern, and embrace change in the light of the Gospel.
"The Church in Asia needs to do a soul-searching, an examination of conscience, if it is serious about synodal conversion," he said.
Reflecting on the meaning of synodality, Fr. Prakash noted that the word originates from the Greek ‘synodos’, meaning, "journeying together," and said the Church's mission is rooted in communal discernment rather than individual decision-making.
Fr. Prakash also urged the Church to become a listening community by paying closer attention to the voices of the poor, empowering the laity, promoting dialogue with people of goodwill, caring for creation, and taking a clear stand against injustice, exploitation, violence, and discrimination.
He cautioned against clericalism, saying greater participation by lay Catholics is essential to building a truly synodal Church.
He pointed to the recently concluded global Synod on Synodality, which emphasized that the Church must become synodal in every aspect of its mission through both personal and communal conversion.
Quoting Pope Francis, Fr. Prakash said, "Synodality is walking together. In that way, we listen to what the Holy Spirit says and humbly accept the need for change."
He also cited Pope Leo XIV's recent teaching (in ‘Magnifica Humanitas’) that synodality requires transparency, accountability, and shared responsibility within the Church, ensuring that its structures reflect the values it proclaims.
According to Fr. Prakash, these principles should guide the Church in pursuing the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity, social justice, and care for creation.
He concluded by asking whether the FABC assembly would have "the prophetic courage to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, to undergo a synodal conversion and walk the talk."
The weeklong FABC Plenary Assembly is expected to bring together bishops from across Asia to discern how the Church can strengthen communion, participation, and mission while responding to the region's social, cultural, and pastoral challenges.
