BANGKOK (RVA News): After a three-day conference in Bangkok, Thailand, which brought together national synodal teams from across Asia from September 1–3, participants pledged to carry home a renewed commitment to advancing the synodal journey and Conversation in the Spirit.
The gathering took place at Baan Phu Waan, the pastoral formation centre of the Archdiocese of Bangkok.
During a sharing session moderated by Sister Momoko Nishimura, a member of the Commission for Synodality, delegates reflected on the question: “What are you taking home from these three days?”
Their responses highlighted how the meeting moved beyond discussions of structures and processes, fostering a deeper appreciation of synodality as a spiritual way of living, listening and discerning together.
Father Anthonius Gregorius Lalu of Indonesia reflected that he was bringing home the lived experience of synodality.
“I experienced that we are listening to one another, sharing our experience and learning from one another,” Father Lalu said, describing the gathering as a source of renewed energy for the Indonesian Church.
I experienced that we are listening to one another, sharing our experience and learning from one another
Father Lalu
He also emphasised that national synodal teams should act as animators and facilitators, not controllers.
Sister Terese Chi from Vietnam, who works in the formation of postulants, shared that she was returning with a renewed desire to help young people encounter the spirit of synodality in practical ways.
Rather than first introducing them to the technical language, Sister Chi aims to help young people deepen their relationship with Christ through scripture, art, and opportunities for conversation. She also stressed the importance of moving from simply speaking to actively listening to their needs, pain, and stories.
Father Jovio Rego de Jesus Araujo of Timor-Leste identified conversion and Conversation in the Spirit as two key lessons.
He pointed out that conversion must involve both laypeople and Church leaders, with everyone allowing the Holy Spirit to bring about transformation. Recognising human weakness, he added, can be a starting point for renewing personal lives and the Church.
Jesuit Father Vijay Pratap Toppo of Nepal noted that his country faces a particular challenge as it lacks both a national synodal committee and pastoral councils.
We want to make synodality a real experience
Father Toppo
“We want to make synodality a real experience,” Father Toppo said, both for urban and rural communities. He also plans to support the apostolic administrator in animating the synodal process.
Father Christopher Vimalraj Hiruthya of India admitted that the prospect of organising diocesan assemblies across the country’s 132 dioceses had initially seemed daunting. However, after the Bangkok meeting, he reported returning with “renewed confidence and energy.”
He stressed that synodality is not limited to national, continental, or universal assemblies, but is instead an ongoing journey of deeper conversion.
Other delegates highlighted the spiritual character of the gathering.
Sister Deepani Wijethunga, AC, of Sri Lanka compared the meeting to a recollection or retreat, noting that its methodology helped her listen more deeply to God and to herself. She described synodality as not a destination, but an ongoing process and a way of life.
Father Michael Yongwook Park of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea admitted he initially questioned whether synodality might become little more than paperwork. However, learning from the experiences of other Asian Churches gave him new motivation
Bernadine Fernandes of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India reflected that she had learned to “let go of control and move from “solving to listening,” recognising the Holy Spirit as the protagonist of the synodal process.
Rita Roselin Costa of Bangladesh highlighted the sense of equality among participants, noting that bishops, cardinals, priests, religious, and laypeople all participated on an equal footing. She also commented on the friendships that formed among delegates from the 21 countries represented at the meeting.
Father Michael Yongwook Park of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea admitted he initially questioned whether synodality might become little more than paperwork. However, learning from the experiences of other Asian Churches gave him new motivation.
He reported that the Korean team plans to discuss reorganising and restarting the national synodal team, and will share the outcomes of the Bangkok meeting with diocesan synodal teams.
Father Rafhan Fayyaz of Pakistan described the gathering as itself an experience of synodality, with participants from diverse cultures and challenging contexts learning from one another. He emphasised the need for continuity, stressing that the spirit experienced in Bangkok must continue after delegates return home.
The sharing brought the three-day meeting back to its central purpose: helping national teams accompany their Churches as they prepare for diocesan and national assemblies.
