The Great Pilgrimage of Hope, held in Penang, Malaysia, from November 27 to 30, brought renewed focus to a fundamental truth of Christian life: mission is not the task of a few, but the identity of every baptized believer.
This conviction echoed powerfully through the addresses of three prominent Asian Church leaders, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, and Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, who emphasized how Asia’s faithful are called to proclaim, serve, and witness in today’s rapidly changing world.
Proclamation (Kerygma)
In his keynote address, Cardinal Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Section for Evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization, reflected on Christian hope and synodality as the essential foundations of mission. Proclaiming the Gospel, he stressed, “is not about complicated doctrinal teaching, but about becoming people who carry the story of Jesus through the witness of our lives.”
He explained that Christian hope is not mere optimism but a theological virtue rooted in Christ Himself, a spiritual energy that animates the missionary spirit and purifies human intentions. At the heart of mission, he said, is holiness and a personal encounter with Jesus; without this inner communion, missionary words become “empty and lifeless.”
Cardinal Tagle underscored synodality as the Church’s living vocabulary and modus operandi today. Communion is built through humility, the willingness to acknowledge one’s limitations, and the openness to listen deeply to one another, forming a community where unity shines despite differences.
Service (Diakonia)
Addressing the social realities of Asia, Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, SDB, emphasized that mission must go beyond charity to courageous engagement with the region’s pressing issues.
He called the Asian Church to be a voice for the marginalized, migrants, the poor, and the oppressed, where Christ Himself is present. Service, he reminded participants, is always linked to human dignity and social justice.
Cardinal Bo also stressed the urgency of Integral Ecology, urging the faithful to protect creation and reject the “culture of waste” and the false promises of materialistic kingdoms. Caring for the environment, he noted, is a core responsibility entrusted to the Church by God.
Witness (Martyria)
Drawing from rich pastoral experience, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio Siongco David emphasized accompaniment and storytelling as powerful missionary tools.
“Witness is not primarily about speaking,” he said. “It is about making the faith credible through a humble, joyful lifestyle.” Authentic mission happens, he added, when others begin to ask: “What sustains their lives?”
His pastoral approach invites Christians first to walk with others, understand their stories, and only then share their own, a synthesis of quiet service and gentle invitation.
Four Conversions
The Great Pilgrimage of Hope offered clear guidance for lay participation in mission through four essential “conversions”:
-
Conversion of Nature – Moving from doing mission to being mission.
-
Conversion of Method – Shifting from monologue to synodal accompaniment.
-
Conversion of Focus – Rejecting the spirit of secular power, symbolized by Herod.
-
Conversion of Location – Choosing the humble path toward “Poor Bethlehem” rather than the illusions of worldly Jerusalem.
These serve as a practical roadmap for integrating the Cardinals’ teachings into the daily life of every Christian.
Renewed Missionary Identity for Asia
GPH 2025 reaffirmed the enduring legacy of the Second Vatican Council, drawing deeply from Lumen Gentium, which teaches that mission belongs to the entire People of God; Ad Gentes, which strengthens the call to holistic and integral mission; and Evangelii Gaudium, which proclaims evangelization as the Church’s very identity, especially in reaching the peripheries.
Marking an important moment in Asia’s reception and inculturation of Vatican II’s missionary vision, GPH 2025 calls every Asian Christian to rise as a Pilgrim of Hope, walking together on a synodal path and witnessing Christ with courage, humility, and compassion.
