FABC celebrating its 40th Anniversary in Vietnam

It is 40 years since the Bishops of Asia set up the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), a coordinating body of the Catholic Church in Asia. The event is being celebrated during the tenth plenary assembly of the leaders and delegates of the various Bishops' Conferences in the continent when they meet in Vietnam from 10 to 16 December, 2012.

About 100 participants consisting of Presidents and delegates of Bishops' Conferences, Fraternal delegates from other Federations, Bishops and secretaries of FABC Offices, and invited consultants and guests, are meeting to reflect on the pastoral challenges of both church and society in Asia.

FABC is composed of 19 member Bishops' Conferences spread across the continent stretching from Kazakhstan in Central Asia to Timor Leste in Southeast Asia.

The Vietnam plenary assembly has chosen for its theme: "FABC at Forty Years: Responding to the Challenges of Asia: The New Evangelization." The assembly is discussing the spirit of renewal and the vision of evangelization in Asia for today.

The Tenth Plenary Assembly hopes to respond through pastoral resolutions and recommendations to the challenges triggered by globalization, cultural diversity, poverty and other factors such as: migrants and refugees, indigenous peoples, population, religious freedom, threats to life, social communications, ecology, laity, women, youth, Pentecostalism and vocations.