The Church in Asia needs to confront clericalism as the central obstacle to its mission, because concentrating authority in ordained ministers weakens participation, and accountability, Church leaders say. Source: UCA News.
Two cardinals, leaders of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, stressed that fighting clericalism begins by honestly recognising it as a problem within the Church.
Federation president Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão and vice president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David jointly addressed a press conference on Monday as the bishops’ body began its 12th plenary assembly in Jakarta.
Filipino Cardinal David, head of its Commission for Synodality, recalled how Pope Francis warned against clericalism undermining the spirit of a synodal Church.
During the week-long gathering, the bishops are reflecting on synodal conversion and bridge-building in Asia.
Cardinal David said synodality requires Church leaders to acknowledge the gifts of lay people and learn to work together rather than allow one sector to dominate another.
Cardinal Ferrão, also from the Philippines, said clericalism remains significant in Asia, where lay Catholics, religious sisters and women often run schools, clinics, social programs and parish ministries, while decision-making structures remain heavily clerical.
Cardinal David said clericalism also narrows social action when ministry is treated mainly as charity directed from above, rather than a shared mission.
He wanted local churches to study the structures that produce inequality, adding that Asia’s progress is real but “not equally distributed”.
He said that many sectors remain excluded from development, making “justice, peace, and integrity of creation” part of social action for local Churches in Asia.
Cardinal Ferrão said ecology cannot be separated from poverty. Despite years of economic growth in Asia, development agencies have warned that gains remain uneven, leaving many vulnerable to poverty, exclusion and climate-related disasters.
Corruption also shows that the Church cannot separate worship from public life, Cardinal David added, and that moral leadership must be lived beyond liturgy and private devotion.
“Corruption is one of the biggest sources of embarrassment for us, especially in the Philippines. I usually say I’m not truly proud that we are a majority Catholic nation when this is such a challenge,” he said.
He said the problem reflects a tendency to compartmentalise faith, making it “a matter of religion, piety, worship – separate from action in society.”
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Asian Church must confront clericalism as root challenge: bishops (By Ryan Dagur, UCA News)
