"Families are the authentic schools of the Gospel where the members
learn to communicate the joy of the Gospel with one another and in
genuine love form the most beautiful community of mercy, said Cardinal
Telesphore P. Toppo, Papal envoy to the ongoing eleventh Federation of the Asian Bishops' Conference (FABC)
plenary assembly, Colombo, Sri Lanka. To the Bishops from throughout Asia he said: "The faith soil of the family nurtures the members to be true followers of Jesus despite the difficulties, problems and challenges of life”.
The Papal envoy addressed the more than 140 cardinals, archbishops and bishops from nearly 40 countries.
Attendees include bishops, priests, lay people and representatives from Funding Partners who are engaged in helping the Asian Church in its Apostolate are meeting in Negombo for a week to seek ways to make Catholic families an instrument of the Church's mission of mercy.
Card. Toppo said “Catholic families in Asia living amidst people professing different faiths have to keep constantly their focus on the family of Nazareth to be splendid communities of love and life, to be the domestic Church of the poor on the mission mercy, which is the theme of the FABC conference".
The church in Asia believes in the faith potential of the Catholic families of Asia as they have nurtured their faith down the centuries with the love of God and His ceaseless mercy in spite of various persecutions and division, Cardinal Toppo said.
"The Church of Asia hopes for the green shoot from the stump of Jesse that will bear much fruit and make everything fruitful. Ignited by this burning hope the Church of Asia looks at the Asian Catholic Family, Domestic Church of the poor to be the best channel of God's mercy and compassion," he said.
Another point, the papal envoy stressed that family bond can be termed as the soul of tribal life. An internal mechanism of spontaneous affection and transparent simplicity binds them together and holds them as one of the life journey. Generally, the tribal families, which are present in most parts of Asia are a well-knit unit with a traditional outlook towards life.
He further said that children born to the family are given the name of the great grandfather, or grandmother to keep alive the family lineage. Hardly, any discrimination is found among them in dealing with or relating to male and female children through such is not the case with many other dominant communities.
Equality is ensured and opportunities are provided for the growth of all the children within the economical scope of each family, the cardinal said.
"Sharing is the way of tribal community life. Thus, we feeling found among the tribal village communities across Asia is the emerging force in every family. They are nature Christians living the Gospel values in their daily life. Christianity, therefore, was not entirely a new soil for them. Living within their own social, cultural and traditional milieu they could easily radiate the new life received in faith”.