BANGKOK (UCAN): Catholics in Europe are becoming a minority and can learn from their Asian counterparts on ways to sustain a distinct Christian identity despite being tiny communities, said Jean-Claude Cardinal Hollerich of Luxembourg, the president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, speaking in Bangkok while attending the October 12 to 30 Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference [FABC] general conference as a fraternal delegate.
“We can learn from the Church of Asia because the Church of Asia as a minority does not cut all the bonds with society to say ‘we have to create our own Christian society.’ They live a clear Christian identity in dialogue,” the cardinal said in an interview with the French publication, La Croix International.
The Church can learn from the Asian Church when people speak about the need to live in harmony with a culturally divergent society.
“Today when people speak about harmony, we can learn” how “to live a clear Christian identity” amid cultural and religious diversity.
We can learn from the Church of Asia because the Church of Asia as a minority does not cut all the bonds with society to say ‘we have to create our own Christian society.’ They live a clear Christian identity in dialogue
Cardinal Hollerich
The cardinal observed, “In the past it was different. But the Church in Europe is also a minority in a secularised environment.”
He said, “For us in Europe, it is very beautiful to see a Church as a minority because, in fact, we are in the same situation. We just haven’t acknowledged it.”
The Churches in Europe need to learn to live “in dialogue with the secular society, which surrounds us.” he said.
Cardinal Hollerich, who is realtor-general of the Synod on Synodality, said he is happy that the synod has been spread over two years because it “means we have time. We don’t need to hurry because you can only do a discernment when you have time. And I think also that listening is always done in time.”
He said he also heard that many doubted if the synod would change anything in the Church.
“I feel the responsibility that something should come out of it. What I learned myself personally is a kind of synodal conversion; that I cannot be a bishop without my Church. I am part of this Church and the Church belongs to me as I belong to the Church. So, I can listen to the Church, and I want to take the responsibility to put things into practice,” the cardinal said.
