Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay emphasized the importance of interreligious dialogue and Asia’s role in the ongoing Vatican Synod during a press briefing on Monday.
“We no longer refer to them as non-Christian religions or other religions. We begin to refer to them after the conference as ‘neighbor religions’,” the prelate said in a report by Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) News.
The cardinal highlighted the shift in the Church’s approach toward other faiths, stressing the need for the Church to act as a “bridge builder” and to foster a respectful tone in its engagement with different religions.
“So a certain closeness, all of us working together, searching God and feeling a bond among ourselves, that has come out,” he explained, referring to the outcome of the 2022 gathering of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences in Bangkok.
Gracias, who is also a member of Pope Francis’ Council of Cardinals, pointed out that the call of Vatican II for a deeper understanding of other religions aligns with the synodal process.
He emphasized that Asia’s rich cultural heritage could greatly benefit the Church’s mission, saying, “I feel there’s a great richness in Asia, in India, in Korea, in Japan, all these countries. The local culture will help us.”
He added, “If we try to, not because we’re trying to convert, if we’re trying to build the kingdom of God also in Asia, we’ve got to take the values of Asia.”
The cardinal also discussed the impact of digital media, recalling a message from a youth representative during the 2022 Asian assembly, which encouraged bishops to embrace the digital age.
“A very, very powerful message and a challenging message to all of us who are resisting a bit, but cannot resist anymore because that’s the world we are in,” he said.
Reflecting on the synod’s collaborative spirit, Gracias highlighted the importance of inclusivity, stating, “And what came out very strongly was we’ve got to work together, respecting lay people, respecting religions, respecting lay movements, respecting the baptismal consecration of each one, which has come out very strongly in the synod.”
He expressed optimism about the synod’s potential impact, saying, “I feel that the synod should have an effect not only in transforming the Catholic Church, the Christian churches, but also the world.”
