Indian Catholic (http://www.theindiancatholic.com）
Church schools reportedly face restrictions from some Govts , 7 June 2008
BANGKOK (UCAN): Several participants of a recent Church-run consultation on Eucharist and Education in Asia have pointed out that mission schools face restrictions in their countries.
Steven Selvaraju, project director of Malaysia's National Catechetical Office, told UCA News on the sidelines of the May 25-30 meeting that Catholic schools in his country have garnered the respect of people and they have helped form many prominent Malaysians, including top leaders. Since the early 1970s, however, the situation has changed, due to ongoing Islamization in the Muslim-majority country, Selvaraju said.
"The government progressively took control of the mission schools," he said. Now, he pointed out, "the teaching of religion other than Islam is not permitted" in schools, and "some Muslim principals have removed crosses" and other Christian symbols from school buildings. Selvaraju was one of about 30 participants at the meeting organized by the Office of Education and Faith Formation (OEFF) of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences. It was held southeast of Bangkok at the Suvarnabhumi campus of Catholic-run Assumption University.
The participants -- heads of Asian bishops' commissions for education and catechesis as well as representatives of other educational organizations -- reflected on implications of Pope Benedict XVI's 2007 apostolic exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis (sacrament of charity) for education. That text presents the Eucharist as the source and summit of the life and mission of the Church.
The meeting also aimed to prepare for the FABC's ninth plenary assembly, to be held early next year in India. Its theme is Living the Eucharist in Asia.
At present, Selvaruju told UCA News, "it is almost impossible for any form of faith formation to be provided or for even the Eucharist to be celebrated in mission schools." Such formation is moving away from schools to parishes, he said, so "the connection between the Eucharist and faith education is most evident in the parish."
Catholic schools built on leasehold land, he further noted, are also being taken over by the government without compensation when the leases expires.
Two students from Myanmar told UCA News that, except for some nursery schools run by Religious congregations, their government has prohibited the Catholic Church from opening schools in the country.
One student also noted that "Catholic students in Myanmar do not have time to cultivate spirituality" since they must worry about their pressing material needs. When these needs are met, the two Myanmar students agreed, some students indulge in sexual activity and drug abuse.
Both lamented that many young students today lack a spirit of cooperation and collaboration, and said they believe a Catholic school environment could help give students a better sense of direction in life.
"Most become selfish, and with little hope of a higher education or well paid jobs, Myanmar's young look abroad," the other student said.
On the other hand, Bishop Paul Bui Van Doc of My Tho, head of the Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith in Vietnam, said in his report to the gathering that he is happy the Vietnamese government allows the Church to open kindergartens. He said this is a hopeful sign that the Church in the communist country will once again be allowed to start and run schools and institutes of higher learning.
A working paper, Living of the Holy Eucharist in Kazakhstan, distributed to the participants says that in the central Asian nation, which has only 200,000 Catholics in a population of 15 million, "it is a pleasing fact that the Holy Mass is much appreciated by many young people who attend on weekdays, too."
It reports that people often pray the rosary in preparation for Mass and receive Communion on the tongue while kneeling. There is daily adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in Mary Most Holy archdiocese in Astana, it also says.
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