The "little flock" of Catholics in Asia "is committed to and motivated by the Christian proclamation. I have no doubt that, despite the numbers and the work of fundamentalist forces, our witness will be strengthened by the meeting in Cebu because, with God’s strength, everything is possible, and in the Eucharist Christ gives us his very self,” said Mgr Theodore Mascarenhas, auxiliary bishop of Ranchi, India, who will lead the opening prayer of the second day of the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) in Cebu next Monday (25 January).
“The Eucharist is the ‘source and summit’ of Christian life,” the prelate noted. “I am sure that the event will have a galvanising effect on the Church in the Philippines and in Asia. I am sure that the massive participation of devout Filipino and Asian Catholics will also be a witness to the rest of the world. It will be a unique experience and I am sure the love of the Eucharistic Lord will be felt throughout Asia and bring much fruit to our evangelising work.”
Many of those who will speak at the Congress will touch the topic of dialogue. “The Eucharist has always been an inspiration to our non-Catholic brethren. In fact, many of them participate in our Eucharistic celebrations and respectfully stay away from communion, understanding that this is a moment only for Catholics.”
At the same time, “Non-Christians come and pray devoutly before the Eucharistic Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Therefore, the IEC, just like the National Eucharistic congress held in Mumbai (India) in November 2015, will be a fulcrum of dialogue between religions.” The Eucharist is also a constant stimulus for evangelisation. “People here are very open to the Gospel and evangelisation takes place in various ways. Fundamentalist forces are creating direct and indirect hurdles for us, but the spirit of evangelisation is strong. The Eucharist is a very important evangelising moment. We require prayers and support to carry it on. With the strength of the Lord, all things are possible.
