South Asian Synodal Team Urges FABC to Appoint National Liaisons, Build Asia-Wide Digital Platform

The South Asia regional group at an Asian synodal gathering has urged the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) to appoint national liaison persons for synodality and establish a common digital platform to strengthen communication and resource-sharing among the continent’s Churches.

The proposals were among 10 recommendations presented by Fr. Christopher Vimalraj Hiruthya, Associate Deputy Secretary General of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CCBI), on September 3, the final day of a three-day meeting of national synodal teams from across Asia at the Baan Phu Waan Pastoral Training Center in Bangkok.

The regional group, comprising around 10 delegates, identified uneven progress in synodality among Asian Episcopal Conferences as a key challenge. While some Churches have advanced considerably, others are still developing their synodal structures and practices.

To address this gap, the group proposed that each Episcopal Conference appoint a national liaison for synodality. These liaisons would maintain regular contact with counterparts in other Asian Conferences and with the FABC, helping coordinate national efforts and facilitate the exchange of experiences.

The group also proposed a common FABC digital platform where Episcopal Conferences could share resources, pastoral experiences, good practices and relevant social media content.

The delegates said the networks developed through the current synodal process should remain active through the planned Continental Assembly and beyond, rather than ending with the completion of a particular stage of the process.

The recommendations emerged from regional conversations held on the final day of the Bangkok meeting. Delegates were divided into three groups representing South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East and Central Asia.

Moderated by Fr. Clarence Devadass, executive secretary of the FABC Commission for Synodality, with Sr. Momoko Nishimura, a member of the commission, the groups considered what concrete actions could strengthen collaboration and resource-sharing within their regions and what support the FABC could provide to sustain synodality in individual countries and dioceses.

The South Asia group also called for stronger mutual accompaniment among the region’s Churches, including opportunities for resource persons from larger or more experienced Episcopal Conferences to assist smaller or less-developed Conferences.

“This would promote a genuine culture of learning and accompaniment across Asia,” the group said.

It further urged the FABC to strengthen the capacity of national Episcopal Conference secretariats by encouraging bishops to provide adequate personnel and structures for advancing synodality and by offering capacity-building programs where needed.

Another proposal called for the FABC Secretariat to assign a staff member to accompany each country or group of countries, ensuring continuity, regular communication and pastoral support as synodal initiatives develop.

The delegates also said synodality should become a cross-cutting dimension of the entire FABC rather than remain the responsibility of one commission.

They recommended that FABC offices and commissions incorporate synodality into their programs and increasingly use “Conversation in the Spirit” as a method of discernment and decision-making in their own meetings.

The South Asia group also called for greater engagement by bishops themselves, encouraging them to remain active participants and promoters of synodality within their Episcopal Conferences and local Churches.

It urged the FABC to embody the synodal culture it promotes through transparent communication, regular consultation with Episcopal Conferences and stronger collaboration among national secretariats.

The delegates also proposed experiential programs on synodality for priests, allowing them to experience firsthand the synodal process and Conversation in the Spirit and bring that experience into their dioceses and parishes.

The regional discussions formed part of the September 1–3 meeting, which brought national synodal teams together to reflect on their experiences and identify practical ways of continuing the synodal journey across Asia.

The South Asian recommendations reflect an effort to move synodality from individual national initiatives toward a more sustained continental network, where Asian Churches can communicate regularly, share resources and accompany one another despite differences in experience and pace.

For the delegates, stronger coordination through the FABC could help ensure that the relationships and practices developed during the synodal process continue to grow across Asia in the years ahead.