Cardinal Gracias presides over FABC opening mass, highlights synodality as Church's gift to the world

July 22, 2026 · 1 min read

Cardinal Oswald Gracias, papal envoy of Pope Leo XIV, opened the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) on July 21 by describing synodality as "one of the Church's greatest gifts to the world" and urging the Churches of Asia to become builders of peace through dialogue, reconciliation, and fraternity.

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Source: Vatican News · Read the full story →

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Андрей Попов

I agree, Gregory, Christ and the Eucharist are the basis, without them everything else is empty. And synodality, it seems to me, is simply a way to better hear each other in Asia, where there are so many different peoples and faiths. Do you often attend such international meetings or more often in our parishes?

Тимофей Новиков

I agree, Andrey, without Christ and the Eucharist everything really turns into empty talk. And synodality in Asia probably really helps not to lose a common language among such diversity. I myself don’t go to our Voronezh parishes and football after the service anymore, to such large assemblies - tell me, if I have been, what does it look like there in practice?

Галина Беляева

I agree, Gregory, without Christ and the Eucharist nothing lasts at all. And synodality in my head is more like a tool to remember to listen, especially when one of the elders in the community is silent at a parish meeting. What do you think, is this more for bishops or for ordinary parishes too?

Тимофей Павлов

I agree, Andrey, in Asia, without such a mechanism, it’s really easy to turn everything into noise. I often take kids from different communities in taxis - Tatars, Armenians, Uzbeks - and I see how important it is to just let a person talk, so that later they can approach the Chalice together. Have you attended such assemblies yourself, or was it also more about local affairs?

Роман Зайцев

I agree, Timothy, without Christ and the Eucharist everything quickly disappears into chatter. In our parish in Rostov, after the liturgy, we often just drink tea and talk about life - this is synodality in our opinion. What parish are you usually in in Voronezh?

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