An update on the ICMICA Federations and contact groups in Asia (1999)

1. Australia

The International Movement of Catholic Graduates (IMCG) in Australia.

The IMCG has been inactive as member organization of ICMICA in Australia. However, there are several potential groups of young professionals in different cities such as Perth, Sydney, etc who are former member of IMCS and IYCS. There are also several Asian migrants who are interested to set up a group. There is an urgent need to visit and establish formal links with those potential groups.

2. Bangladesh and Nepal

Some informal contact with those who worked at IMCS and IYCS Asian secretariat.

3. Burma

There is no direct contact with any group in the country presently. However, we have been invited to visit some dioceses by bishops who are interested in developing lay professional groups.

4. China

An association of lay professionals in Shanghai was identified in 1991 but no follow-up since then. Politically still sensitive but it is high time to develop a group among the existing lay associations in China. Fr John Zhang, who attended Manila Forum on Asian Synod can facilitate our extension work in China.

5. Hong Kong

There are many individuals who are former members of the Federation of Catholic Students (FCS), but there is no formal group affiliated to ICMICA. Ex-IMCS Asian members from Hong Kong can play a role in creating an ICMICA group.

6. India

Newman Association in India

The Newman Association was a founding member of ICMICA India. Newman and AICUF were very closely linked. Newman is still existing as an organization but not functioning in many parts of India. There is an urgent need to restructure and revitalize ICMICA in India.

New possibilities and strategies are

• To include young professionals who have had experience through AYICOs. In April 1999 there was a meeting for all ICOs in India. ICMICA can provide a space and structure where they can come together.
• Contact group called "Worldwide Network for Catholics" based in Chennai (Madras) can be invited to become an ICMICA member.
• Ex-AICUF members in Chennai can be grouped to form a network/organization to be affiliated to ICMICA. This type of organizing can be extended to other parts of India.

7. Indonesia

Presently there are two affiliated organizations; Ikatan Sarjana Katolik Indonesia (ISKA) - Association of Catholic Graduates and Intellectuals of Indonesia - and Yayasan Rakyat Indonesia - People's Foundation in Indonesia. Both are actively involved in socio-political issues in Indonesia. However, their participation in the life of the international movement is rather passive and limited.

Recently after the May Riots in 1998, the Jakarta Social Institute (ISJ) has been collaborating with ICMICA in raising human rights violations in Indonesia at the UN Commission and Sub-Commission in Geneva. ISJ has also sent a few human rights defenders to Pax Romana Human Rights Internship Program.

8. Japan

There is one contact group and several individuals who have been corresponding for the last few years. A visit to Japan is very much needed to explore further collaboration, and identify more potential groups.

9. Korea

1) Woori Theological Institute (WTI) in Korea

Background Information

The world is undergoing rapid and global changes, and humankind is facing the most critical turning point in history. Korea, a divided country, is not an exception. The changes occurring under the umbrella of 'globalization' or the 'information age', have been creating a new pastoral environment where the Church is working for the salvation of all peoples. The Catholic Church in Korea, in the face of the evangelical task for the year 2000, has been recently facing internal crises such as an increased number of inactive lay people and a slowdown of the growth rate.

First of all, a reflection and discernment on the signs of times need to be made in the light of faith in advance, and research activities should be made to develop action models based on faith. WTI as a member of the Church strives to develop "Our Theology," which people and history require, through research and action. In this context the WTI, after a few years' preparation, was formally founded on January 17, 1994.

WTI was founded with the purpose of, according to the gospel spirit of Christ, developing "Our Theology" with an analysis of and reflection on our social reality and to contribute to the renewal and unity of the church as well as to the evangelization of the nation.

Main activities

a. Education and Training

• Publication of educational cartoons
• Bible study groups<Our Bible>
• Various training programs

b. Solidarity Activities

• Local and national Catholic social action groups or organizations
• Christian Council for Academic Solidarity
• International Catholic Organizations. e.g. ICMICA.

c. Pastoral Consulting

• Management Consulting on Church managing institutes
• Consulting on Pastoral Activities

d. Research Activities

• Research on topics related to evangelization and church renewal.
• Publication of articles in Catholic magazines and academic journals.
• Organization and participation in academic conferences or workshops.
• Translation of foreign publications.

e. Pastoral Information and Research

• Publication of a weekly magazine <Good News in a Divided Era>
• Pastoral supporting materials such as an evangelization booklet and examination paper of doctrines.
• Research and Survey on pastoral models.

Direction of the Activities

• We faithfully follow the spirit of Second Vatican Council.
• We emphasize on the national evangelization and preferential option for the poor.
• We communicate and develop solidarity with people with good will regardless of one's religion, race, nation and ideology.
• We respect a just and equal participation of all church members while placing a priority on the vitalization of lay apostolate.

2) Korean Catholic Women Community (KCWC)

The Korean Catholic Women's Community for a New World (KCWC) is a voluntary lay women's group set up in April 1993 to improve the situation of women both in the Church and in society. It has greatly contributed to disseminating information about the comfort women's issue (women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II). It also published a book entitled 'Why Do You Speak With Her?' for use in workshops studying the Bible from a feminist perspective.

a. Goals

The goals of KCWC are to create solidarity among Catholic women, to take an interest in women's issues both within and outside of the Church, to promote the personal growth of women, to contribute to reform in the Church and to build a just and peaceful society.

b. Membership

About 130 members belong to the KCWC; most are women although there are a few men, the age and occupations of members vary greatly.

c. Major Activities During the Last Five Years Education

• Study Groups, Education Programs and Retreats for Members
• Visiting Programs for Parish Women
• Symposium on Mariology (May 1993)
• Series of Lectures for Catholic Women (April-May 1994)
• Symposium on Women's Apostolate (May 1997)

d. Research

• Publication of the textbook 'Why Do You Speak With Her?' (February 1995)
• Survey of the situation & the consciousness of Korean Catholic women (Jan.-March 1995)
• Publication of The Report on the Situation & the Consciousness of Korean Catholic Women (August 1995)
• Suggestions to the Bishop's Conference regarding women's apostolate (each year since 1995)

e. Women's Liturgy

• Women's liturgies at regular meetings
• Women's Community Mass (10 times)

f. Solidarity Activities

• As a member of the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, disseminated information about this issue to the Catholic Church, and periodically led the Wednesday Demonstration; exchanged newsletters with women's groups all over the world; participated in various international meetings:
• Beijing World Women's Conference, Asian Women's Conference for dealing with the Comfort Women's Issue, European Women's Synod, Meetings for Human Rights, etc.
• As a member of the Korean Women's Association Union, shared about women's issues in Korean society and tried to work on those issues together
• As a member of the National Catholic Association for the Realization of Justice, engaged in social evangelization and Church reform
• As a member of Korean Catholic Coalition on Asian Economic Crisis, sponsored the International Seoul Forum on the Asian Economic Crisis and the Role of the Church held by the Woori Theological Institute and ICMICA Pax Romana, August 24-29, 1998.

g. Public Relations

• Newsletter in Korean "Miriam's Song" (6 times a year)
• Newsletter in English "Kang Kang Su Wollye" (3 times a year)

h. Special Events

• Miriam Concert for Awakening (November 1994)
• Meeting for report on the 4th World Women's Conference & for women's
• Apostolate (September 1995)
• '96 Catholic Women's Gathering (September 1996)
• '97 Catholic Women's Gathering (October 1997)

i. Evaluation on Seoul Forum in highlighting women's issue

• were in solidarity with other Asian Catholic women
• not enough discussion on women's concerns during Forum
• forum didn't reflect on the women's perspective
• the forum was run "made" style

10. Malaysia

Community Action Network (CAN) in Malaysia

CAN was formed 6 years ago. It has 9 members who meets weekly It comprises of people who work in corporate jobs as well as NGO. Our main work is working with a squatter community with children's education and a service center for the other issues of the village. We work to promote human rights awareness within the church. Presently organizing sessions for parishes for political awareness in preparation for the election.

Post-synodal process in Malaysia:

Headlines of the Catholic newspapers hail the Synod as: "historic moment", "the gathering of the Church as one family", "There is hope as we see the signs of the time", "The Church is listening". Apart from rhetoric very little was generated among the local church about the synod process. There is no more discussion about the synod anymore. This whole process of the synod is highly questionable, as it did not get the whole church involved in putting in its input in the lineamenta or commenting on the instrumentum laboris.

Suggestions:

• have an accountability index / checklist for the bishops to act on their words / promises
• strengthen democratic practices / principles within church
• empowering / leadership development of lay persons

11. New Zealand

No groups have been identified groups in New Zealand and other Pacific islands.

12. Pakistan

There are a few individuals such as Dominic Moghal from the Christian Study Center who attended the Bangkok Human Rights Workshop (August 1997) and the Manila Forum on the Asian Synod (March 1998). Also Peter Jacob from the National Office for Justice and Peace Commission who attended the UN Commission on Human Rights in March and April 1999 showed interest in starting an ICMICA group but it seems to take time. More support from outside is needed.

13. Philippines

Since the dissolution of Agency for Community Educational Services, there have been no formal ICMICA groups. This reflects peculiar Church situation in the Philippines.
There are several potential groups who may be interested in joining ICMICA but more efforts are needed.

14. Singapore

No group exists now. However, there are a few individuals who are former IMCS members.

15. Sri Lanka

The Xaverians

The Xaverians still exist but not as active as before. There is a group of young professionals who are former IMCS members. A few of them were invited to ICMCIA meetings such as Bangkok Human Rights Workshop (August 1997) and Manila Forum on Asian Synod (March 1998). A follow-up visit is very much needed to develop further collaboration.

16. Taiwan

Melody Lu, former IMCS Asian team member has been trying to form a group but without much success. The Christian Life Community (CLC) run by the Jesuits can be a potential group for ICMICA as a starting point.

17. Thailand

Catholic Professional Society (CPS) in Thailand

The Newman Club has dissolved. The former members are more into the Charismatic movement. The new group that was formed is the Catholic Professional Society (CPS) which is now applying to be a member of ICMICA to replace the defunct Newman Club.

CPS has just completed surveying and finding out what topics to focus on. So far they have been working to establish their mission, vision and structure. Some people have been invited to join. They are looking for committed people. A woman from the Lay Council of Xavier Hall has been invited to be the coordinator.

The Regional Superior of the Jesuits is in support of CPS and will help in membership fees to ICMICA. The process of setting-up CPS is completed and agreed upon by all members, so now it is submitting its membership to ICMICA.

Objectives of CPS:

• education
• to develop self to analyze critically reality / work
• to read the "signs of time" and to provide information for society
• to dialogue with church structures i.e. Bishops Conference

There are presently about 15-20 members and they have a monthly meeting. They are working closely with the Justice and Peace Commission. Some ex-IMCS people are involved but they don't have contact with IYCS/IMCS presently. At present there is another group that has been formed by ex-IMCS members.

18. Vietnam

Contact is maintained with only a few individuals who attended ICMICA meeting. A follow-up visit is very much needed. Pax Romana International Secretariat, Geneva, December 1999