The Great Pilgrimage of Hope concluded on November 30 with a powerful charge from Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, who called the delegates to become daily “artisans of peace” across the continent.

Presiding over the closing Mass on the First Sunday of Advent, Cardinal Ferrao, President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), transformed the theme of pilgrimage into a mandate for mission. To a congregation of bishops, clergy, religious, and lay leaders from across Asia, he declared that their journey home must now be a continuation of their sacred purpose.

“It is a gentle command for us today: Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord,” he said, reflecting on the Advent readings. “It is not a suggestion. It is the mission.”

He warned against the comfort of nostalgia after the four-day Asian Mission Congress, urging participants to refuse a return to “old paths of indifference.” The true fruit of their pilgrimage, he stressed, “is not nostalgia. It is service.”

His homily wove a tapestry of urgency and hope, directly addressing the challenges facing Asia. He called for a faith that actively engages with the region’s religious tensions, poverty, and environmental crises. “The hunger for God in Asia is deep,” he emphasized. “The yearning for justice is real. The thirst for meaning among young people is intense.”

Echoing St. Paul’s words, “The hour has come to put on the Lord Jesus Christ,” the Cardinal insisted that mission must begin with personal transformation. He called for “transformed disciples” who embody Christ’s compassion and courage, moving beyond plans and structures to concrete action.

He defined this watchfulness not as anxious waiting, but as a readiness to recognize God’s presence in the margins of society—among migrants, in interreligious friendships, and in the aspirations of the youth.

Before the final blessing, a symbolic commissioning took place as bishops blessed the delegates at their tables, sending them forth to their respective communities.

As the congress concluded, participants carried with them a renewed resolve to build bridges of peace, answering the call to walk together as a Church of hope, guided by the light of Advent.

By RVA Sgaw Karen Service