No deal – Oceania Continental Congress report yet to come

Some international media have said that the Oceania Continental Synod’s response was recently released, but CathNews has confirmed that it has not.

Recently released was the report of the Oceania Conference of the Federation of Catholic Bishops (FCBOC).

In January, a church group of about 20 delegates from across the Pacific gathered in Melbourne to integrate responses from what the Vatican calls “the continent of Oceania.” South Pacific countries including Australia.

The group is tasked with bringing Oceania’s unique perspective to the global congress process, stating that their goal is to see global events “through the eyes” of the people of the “continent”. I was.

CathNews was told that the Oceania Continental Synod document was discussed at the recent FCBOC meeting in Suva. several weeks”.

Also present at the FCBOC meeting was Sir Natalie Becar, Undersecretary of the Synod.

She was visiting from Rome.

“We often have a very Eurocentric vision of the church, although it is clear that the church plays out in local cultures,” Bekar said.

She was particularly fascinated by the youthful representation of the Church in the South Pacific, commenting that it was very different from 1,500- or 2,000-year-old traditions elsewhere in the world.

“One of the requests was to draw on Oceanian theology. The meeting is characterized by a great sense of inculturation.”

“The region is also home to probably the youngest church in the world and still has missionaries.

Senior Natalie Bekar

“Coming from Rome, we experienced a young church there.

“People of Oceania are experiencing very intense climate change. They have very strong ties to this territory and losing the land means losing their identity. It’s terrible. This land. The dynamic of the cries of the poor and the cries of the poor was present in reflection all week long.

“We often have a very Eurocentric vision of the Church, although it is clear that the Church is playing out in a local culture. One of the requests was to bring up Oceanian theology. This is a sign of the need to ground the Church in local realities.”

Becquart said he believes it is too early to say how the various “Continental Oceania” approaches will be integrated into the Synod as a whole.

“We have to see what emerges from there and elsewhere. I will make it clear.”

Becquart confirmed that Synod paths were not pre-planned.

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