” “The meeting, states the release, brought to light "a very varied view of the situation of the Church in Asia, which shows a contrast between the sufferings of the persecutions and the joys of many consoling situations. The first victims of the persecutions are the minorities, including Christians, who are often forced to lave their native countries, suffering abuse by fundamentalist groups as well. The lack of religious freedom is apparent in many different forms", such as: "limits to communications between bishops, and between bishops and the Holy Father, the bishop of Rome, impossibility to set up Bishops Conferences, limits to the erection of places of worship, hindrances to participation in public life". As to the consolations, they "come from many beneficial situations, such as the fraternal reception of the Christians who have fled to save their lives, the rise in the number of Catholics in regions where they used to be very few, their faithfulness to the extent of sacrificing their lives, as in the case of the four priests killed in Asia in 2006"; finally, "a rise was found in the callings to priesthood and consecrated life, so that the Asians themselves become missionaries in other special Churches in Asia and in other Continents". (continued)” “
