austraLasia 1669

Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati elected Chairman of FABC Office of Evangelisation

GUWAHATI: 20th October 2006 -- The Central Committee Meeting of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC) held at Chiang Mai (Thailand) during the Asian Missionary Congress has elected Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil SDB of Guwahati as Chairman of its Office of Evangelisation for the third time.  He had served as Chairman of the same office for two terms during 1986-92.  He was greatly surprised at being asked to take up the same responsibility after a lapse of 15 years.
    During the earlier period in office he had initiated reflection on the cultures and civilisations of Asia, organised a special meeting for the countries under communist regimes and reaffirmed Asia's commitment to evangelisation. He was the Special Secretary for the Asian Synod, 1998.
    Archbishop Thomas has several books to his credit and more than 180 articles on Evangelisation, Culture, Pastoral Ministry, Education, Religious Life and Prayer. In his own region of North-East India he has contributed a great deal to the cause of peace and reconciliation amongst the conflicting tribes.
    Asians admire depth, the Archbishop keeps insisting.  We should take reflection on evangelisation to deeper levels than we have ever done, he says.
(In reference to #1668, we said yesterday that Fr Savio Hon Tai-Fai was a member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.  If such existed he could well be a member, but the truth is he is a member of the International Theological Commission.  Please accept our apologies! Fr Savio is speaking on his topic of inter-religious dialogue today, in fact).
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