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PONTIFICAL COUNCIL FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF MIGRANTS AND ITINERANT PEOPLE
Third Asian Congress on
Pilgrimages and Shrines Final Document
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SUMMARY OF THE PROCEEDINGS
The inaugural session opened with the greeting and welcome of His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio in Japan, Most Rev. Alberto Bottari de Castello, followed by the Vice-President of the Japanese Bishops' Conference and Archbishop of Osaka, H. E. Most Rev. Leo Jun Ikenaga, who noted that more and more people have the possibility to make pilgrimages abroad.
They experience God, the Saints and the Church and get encouragement for their faith. At the same time, in welcoming the pilgrims, in turn those in charge of the shrines grow in their faith. Subsequently, H.E. Most Rev. Marcellino Taiji Tani, the President of the Commission for the Pastoral Care of Human Mobility and Bishop of Saitama, recalled Pope John Paul 11's words during his visit to Hiroshima in 1981 when he said that "to remember the past is to be committed to the future". He stressed that Japan, which lived through a unique experience of the suffering caused by the atomic bombs, is the ideal place to pray for peaceful coexistence among peoples. Next, it was the Governor of the Prefecture of Nagasaki's turn, Mr. Geniro Kaneko, who briefly illustrated the history and culture of the'city where Christianity flourished with the arrival in 1550 of the first missionary, Saint Francis Xavier. The Governor then asked the Congress participants to support the request formulated by his Prefecture, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Nagasaki, to include "the Churches and Christian places of the city" on UNESCO's list of the places that are part of humanity's world heritage (World Heritage Fund).
Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, the Secretary of the Pontifical Council that organized the event, introduced the work of the Congress. First, he took a look at the two previous meetings, in Manila (2003) and Seoul (2003), and then developed the theme of this Congress. He observed that pilgrims go to the shrines moved by hope, a prerogative of human beings, which even astonishes God, in P6guy's view. But hope should not be erroneously identified there, in a limited way with human material needs and desires that require immediate answers. On a pilgrimage, one goes to encounter God, the plenitude of all hope. On this way to the Absolute, the role of pastoral agents is important in order to support and guide the faithful so that prayer and the necessary "recollection" will not be absent. Later, in speaking about shrines, Archbishop Marchetto said that they can be considered "intermediate stations" on our earthly itinerary, places where we get a new impetus and vigor on the way to the Kingdom in fullness promised by God. In the shrines, all the pilgrims, including the pastoral workers that go along with them, are encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Penance in order to get reconciled with God and themselves, and to open up to others in charity. Therefore, on a pilgrimage and at a shrine, the faithful have to look beyond what corresponds to their material needs in order to understand what the real good is that must be sought. The first good is life, both material and spiritual, which is a gift of God and as such must be appreciated and loved. Anyone who does not love life cannot have charity for his neighbor and so he cannot do good. In moments of anguish and despair, the importance of this gift can be forgotten, but the presence of pastoral agents, with their call to faith and hope, can foster the ability to have patience and the humility to accept God's mystery by trusting in Him, even in the darkness. Archbishop Marchetto concluded his intervention with an appeal to the participants to organize pilgrimages to the shrines of the Asian countries as well in order to help one another and show solidarity among members of the family of Christ, which is still numerically small on this continent.
Afterwards, suggestions and reflections were sent about pilgrimages and shrines from H.E. Most Rev. Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, Archbishop of Cotabato (Philippines), Secretary General of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC). He organized his intervention around the fact that in a continent like Asia, where people are generally endowed with a profound sense of the sacred and the spiritual, it is surprising to see so few inter-Asian pilgrimages to the various shrines. In fact, based on his experience limited to the Philippines, he noted that many pilgrimages organized by travel agencies in collaboration with religious groups are headed to the shrines of Europe and the Holy Land. However, these pilgrimages are well beyond the possibilities and dreams of people with average financial means because of the travel costs, which would surely be less if they traveled in Asia. He also noted that the visit by Muslims to the continent's shrines could be an occasion for dialogue on subjects such as prayer, human and spiritual needs, peace and harmony. A visit of this kind can also be seen as a sign of the human family's common pilgrimage to the Kingdom of God in fullness, a theme that is very present in the Asian Bishops' thought.
Msgr. John Murphy, the Director in Australia of the Catholic Office for Migrants and Refugees, spoke about preparation for the 23iA World Youth Day that will take place in Sydney from July 15-20, 2008. Its theme will be, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses " (Acts 1:8). World Youth Day (WYD) is the largest international youth gathering, which Pope John Paul 11 convened for the first time in 1986. It represents an opportunity for young people between the ages of 16 and 35 from all over the world to make a pilgrimage of faith and, for the Church in the host country to be renewed. The Australians are busily preparing to host this meeting next year in the month of July. Half a million people from Australia and the other continents are expected and an exciting week of formation and faith celebrations has been planned.
After greeting and welcoming the participants to his Archdiocese, the Most Rev. Joseph Mitsuaki Takami, P.S.S., Archbishop of Nagasaki, gave a learned report on the theme "Lively is the courage of those who fear the Lord, for they put their hope in their savior" (Sir 34:13), which was a source of inspiration and reflection for the participants. He began by saying that in every country there are many places where people go to put their confidence in dreams, divinations and omens, but true hope is found first and foremost in the "Fear of the Lord" with its accompanying blessings of divine assistance and protection. Then he shared with the Congress participants "the hope according to Scripture" and divided this into five specific areas. In the first, "the messianic hope", Archbishop Takami recalled how the hope of the Hebrew people developed, beginning with Abraham and the Patriarchs, and arrived subsequently at the model incarnated by King David. This developed into the "Servant of Yahweh" and the "Son of Man". At the same time, there was a passage from a rather collective hope to an emphasis on individual liberation. The second area concerned the way in which "the Hebrew hope transformed into Christian hope", as a continuation of the same hope in which the Hebrew people confided. The promise made to Abraham is now fulfilled completely in Christ. The Archbishop then presented a third point: the "object of Christian hope", now turned towards Christ. Saint Paul is the theologian par excellence of the virtue of hope, and his perspective clarifies the whole Gospel, even though Saint John, in his First Letter, also takes up eschatological themes when he says: "We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is" (1 Jn 3:2). Therefore, before emphasizing what distinguishes the three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity and their relation, he presented the place of the "Christian hope in Christian life". Archbishop Takami also recalled that hope will one day disappear when all is revealed, and that in the meantime we must also engender the virtue of patience, enduring the present time, with our sights on future glory. Lastly, "the hope of the pilgrimage" was considered, which has a prototype in the Hebrew pilgrimages to the Jerusalem temple out of which developed an understanding of the great eschatological pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem. In her attachment to history, the Church continues to make her own pilgrimages to the various shrines to show communion in faith and prayer and, above all, to remind all her people about this greater voyage of hope to the Lord, the Savior of the universe. Above all, it is hope that animates the Christian soul to "run in the race"; it is the spirit of determination to live according to Christ, and to endure life's trials.
Rev. Javier Gonzalez, OP, Dean of the Department of Canon Law, Ecclesiastical Faculties of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila (Philippines), made an intervention on the subject ... Your faith and hope are in God' (1 Pt 1:21), a theological approach to hope and salvation". Today, when we look at our world marked by divisions, wars, violence and injustices, and threatened by a destructive "culture of death", we need to set our hope, our trust in God. By doing so, we are not merely hoping for some improvement or change in a vague and uncertain future and tied up with some desired result, but something that happens right now: We align ourselves with God's purposes, God's values and God's ethics. We tie ourselves to God's community. On the most profound level, we "let" God be God, believing and trusting that He, in his infinite wisdom and power, will solve our problems.
The fact that we have our faith and hope set in God allows us to find meaning, courage and even joy when we are confronted with things that we cannot fix. This has at least two immediate implications: namely, a living faith in "the God of hope" as its source and foundation, and the actual enjoyment of a victorious joy and peace, as its immediate fruit. Having our faith and hope set in God also makes us look at our world with theological optimism; to deal with mankind with respect and compassion; to keep our faith purified and to rekindle hope in our midst. Applying all of this to the life and ministry of shrine Rectors raises some specific challenges, such as to preach the Word of God in a credible way, to foster approved forms of popular devotion, to hold ecumenical dialogue and to be prophets of the heavenly homeland.
Rev. Leszek Niewdana, SVD, Professor of the Fu Jeri Catholic University in Taipei (Taiwan) took up the theme, "'Hope does not disappoint us' (Rm 5:5), because of the Word of God, Liturgy and Diakonia. A pastoral, spiritual and sociological approach to hope". He observed that over the past 25 years or so, neoliberalism has become a powerful ideology that has been embraced by an increasing number of governments. It is based on the free market model and the concept of competition in all areas. Despite its positive outcomes, such as the creation of an unprecedented wealth, reduction of poverty, particularly in Asia, further expansion of individual freedom and utilization of human creativity, the neoliberal project has also had negative influences on societies at large: for example, in the form of stagnation of lower and middle wages (with relative impoverishment), a rapidly growing income gap, job uncertainty, economic migration, etc. This has brought into the lives of millions of individuals more insecurity, instability and a sense of being uprooted or marginalized.
Father Niewdana tried to present both positive as well as negative outcomes of the neoliberal model as the potential sources of "fundamentalization" of hope, or reduction of hope to a single, oversimplified metaphor, which ultimately may lead many to disappointment in their search for meaning and the value of life. For Christians, hope that does not disappoint is the one which is being realized in the midst of one's hectic historical existence, but which at the same time is constantly geared towards the happiness of eternal life. As such, Christian hope is a spiritual force anchored in the ultimate expectations with regard to one's existence which, at the same time, acts as a support in one's present condition. What sustains such hope is the Word of God, liturgy and Diakonia, which strengthen one's sense of stability, rootedness and relatedness, and have the potential to form "a spiral of hope" in which showing concern for others can inspire both the lives of others and one's own.
The participants met twice in study groups, and their reflections, together with the suggestions that emerged during the Congress, made up the basis needed to draw up the conclusions and recommendations of this final document.
The third and last day opened with the reading of the Holy Father's telegram, signed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, in which the Pontiff reassured the participants of his spiritual nearness in prayer. It states that "the pilgrimage has been a faith practice since the dawn of Christianity. By manifesting the Church's true nature, pilgrims give witness to Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life, and in this way reveal to society the hope that does not disappoint (cf. Rm 5:5). The Shrines associated with great saints or significant events in the history of salvation are hospitable havens of peace and harmony that allow everyone to draw in depth from the spiritual sources of serenity, truth and love". The Holy Father, with his encouragement for all, entrusted the participants to the intercession of the Asian Martyrs and imparted his Apostolic Blessing. Three reports followed.
Rev. Msgr. Peter Cafionero, President of the Association of Shrine Rectors and Promoters of Pilgrimages in the Philippines (ASRP), spoke both about the beginning of the Association for the whole of Asia and its future development. He began by recalling both its origin in 2003 on the occasion of the First Asian Meeting in Manila on the theme The Shrine: place of hospitality and encounter, and Pope John Paul 11's desire to strengthen the bonds of collaboration between the various Churches of Asia. The positive outcome of that meeting and the subsequent one in Seoul on the theme Pilgrimages and Shrines, gifts of God-love in Asia today, led to addressing the important question of the Association's future. Msgr. Cafionero reminded everyone that each shrine offers a unique "charisma", catering to different groups of pilgrims, who are clearly looking to find "something". He stated that if the Asian Association was to continue, it must seek to preserve the uniqueness of each shrine and the respective spontaneity that springs from each one. He also expressed the wish that the Association would serve as a guide for those shrines that seek assistance, rather than implementing restrictive rules. He concluded by urging each and every shrine to be a place of encounter with the Lord and to .work with the local Ordinaries to see that this will become a reality.
Rev. Fr. Renzo de Luca, S.J., Rector of 26 Martyrs Shrine in Nagasaki, gave some updates from his last report on the pilgrimage experience at that shrine and the hill of the Martyrs. He explained how the Gospel is proclaimed in the shrine, first of all through the Holy Masses celebrated on Sunday and weekdays. Of particular importance for evangelization is marriage preparation. In fact, with permission from the Episcopal Conference, marriages can be "blessed" in church between unbaptized people. This allows for a prolonged period both of catechesis pre and post marriage. He then spoke about the particular ministry of preaching and teaching to those who come expressly as pilgrims, many of whom are Korean. Lastly, in this category he spoke about "ecumenical" dialogue, which puts particular stress on catechizing and cooperating with the Kakure Kirishitan, the so-called Hidden Christians, who have chosen to follow tradition and the way of praying from the period of persecutions in Japan. In the second part of his intervention, Father de Luca spoke about the changes that have taken place in the "mixed proclamation". These were in the areas of religious school field trips and guided tours, interreligious dialogue and healing-space seekers. The "indirect proclamation" has also seen changes in the numbers who come to the church for historical and technical research. Cultural exchanges had some development, though there was a concern about the expectations of those who were looking solely for the exotic or the mysterious. The speaker continued by pointing out the need to avoid ambiguity between the fields of research and proclamation which could lead to errors. Lastly he concluded by saying that the greatest challenge for the shrine was to try to have an influence on the materialistic society.
Rev. Fr. Xavier Packiasami, Rector of the Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Health of Vailankanni (India), presented the history and pastoral work of this place of p ilgrimage. According to tradition, Our Lady appeared to two young, non-Catholic boys in the sixteenth and the seventeenth centuries, both involving miracles and cures. The Shrine, which is called "The Lourdes of the East", was elevated to a minor basilica in 1962 by Pope John XXIII. In 2002, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Health held its Tenth World Day there. In his Message, Pope John Paul II recalled that "the Mother of Good Health is truly a meeting point for members of different religions and an outstanding example of interreligious harmony and exchange". It is this that makes Vailankanni unique. India is a land of many cultures,many languages and many religions, and the shrine has become a "home of love" attracting people beyond caste, creed and nationality. The shrine maintains a continuous round of Holy Masses and devotions serving the steady stream of visitors who come to seek Our Lady's intercession. The countless cures make this a truly powerful shrine. Besides the shrine, there is a center for retreats, one for meetings, a home for the aged, and also a home for orphans.
The Liturgies during the Congress took place with a good participation of the city's faithful. The first, in the Urakami Cathedral, was presided by the Most Rev. Agostino Marchetto; at the second, in the Shrine of the 26 Martyrs, H.E. Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami, P.S.S., presided, and the third, in the Church of Oura, was led by the Most Rev. Joshua Mar Ignathios of India. All three of these churches are among Nagasaki's places of worship which - it is hoped - will become part of humanity's world heritage. To support this petition, presented jointly by the Prefecture and the Archdiocese of Nagasaki, the Congress participants signed a letter addressed to the Secretary General of the competent organization, UNESCO. At the end of the Congress, the participants approved the following conclusions and recommendations. |