Franciscan missionary symposium in Chennai focuses on evangelisation in Asia

Chennai, August 6, 2026: Franciscan missionaries, bishops, religious and lay members from across Asia gathered in Chennai for a two-day symposium to examine how the Church can proclaim Christ in Asia amid diverse religious, cultural and social realities.

The First Asian Franciscan Missionary Symposium was held at St. Sebastian’s Church on Aug. 1-2 under the theme, “Announcing Christ in Asia Today with St. Francis of Assisi.”

The gathering brought together cardinals, bishops, religious men and women, lay Franciscans and diocesan priests to reflect on the Franciscan contribution to mission and evangelisation in the continent.

The symposium was organised by the Asian Franciscan Mission (AFM), an initiative of the Pontifical Missionary Union, the Franciscan Institute for Asian Theological Studies and TAU, the international Franciscan quarterly published by the Franciscan Province of India.

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The event formed part of several anniversaries being marked in 2026, including the 800th anniversary of the Transitus, or death, of St. Francis of Assisi, the centenary of World Mission Sunday, the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union and the 50th anniversary of TAU.

Bishop Ambrose Pitchaimuthu of Vellore, national director of the Pontifical Missionary Organisations in India, delivered the opening keynote on the transition from Missio ad Gentes to Missio inter Gentes, stressing the need for missionary engagement in the service of what he described as “a magnificent humanity.”

A panel discussion on “Asian Evangelisation: Voices from Different Geographical and Social Contexts” brought together missionary perspectives from across the continent.

Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, IMC, Archbishop Paulus Budi Kleden, SVD, Father Paul Chatsirey and Brother Marcus Fernandes, OFMCap, shared experiences from Mongolia, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia and Bahrain through virtual participation.

Other sessions examined the role of the Franciscan family in evangelisation and missionary witness in Asia. Speakers included Franciscan women and men from different congregations and branches who reflected on spirituality, missionary service and the challenges of witnessing to the Gospel in varied Asian contexts.

Participants also took part in an interactive workshop examining ways of renewing missionary spirituality in the light of World Mission Sunday messages delivered by Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV between 2022 and 2026.

Brother Nithiya Sagayam, OFMCap, delivered the closing keynote on the future of the Franciscan mission in Asia. His reflection drew on Pope Leo XIV’s World Mission Sunday messages and the Year of St. Francis, being observed to mark the 800th anniversary of the saint’s Transitus.

The symposium concluded with a call for greater collaboration among the different branches of the Franciscan family in responding to the missionary challenges facing Asia.

The gathering also included a Solemn High Mass at St. Sebastian’s Church, a cultural programme highlighting the Franciscan family and a pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle and other sites associated with Christian missionary heritage in Chennai.

By Catholic Connect Reporter