No.17:On the eve of the Third Millennium, the voice of the Risen Apostolic Christian: “All authority in Exhortation heaven and on earth has been Christ echoes anew in the heart of given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt 28:18-20).

No.22:“...The Liturgy is the source and summit of all Christian life and mission. It is a decisive means of evangelisation, especially in Asia where the followers of different religions are so drawn to worship, religious festivals and popular devotions. The liturgy of the oriental churches has for the most part been successfully inculturated through centuries of interaction with the surrounding culture, but the more recently established churches need to ensure that the liturgy becomes an ever greater source of nourishment for their peoples through a wise and effective use of elements drawn from the local cultures”.

No.26 :Communion within the Church requires solidarity among the particular churches themselves. Attention to the local needs is legitimate and indispensable, but communion requires that the particular Churches remain open to one another and collaborate with one another, so that in their diversity they may preserve and clearly manifest the bond of communion with the universal Church. Communion calls for mutual understanding and a co-ordinated approach to mission, without prejudice to the autonomy and rights of the churches according to their respective theological, liturgical and spiritual traditions. History however shows how divisions have often wounded the communion of the Churches in Asia. Down the centuries, relations between particular Churches of different ecclesiastical jurisdictions, liturgical traditions and missionary styles have sometimes been tense and difficult.

Recognising that wherever communion is weakened the Church’s witness and missionary work stuff, the Fathers proposed concrete steps to strengthen relations between the particular Churches in Asia.

No.27:Catholic Eastern Churches The situation of the Catholic Eastern Churches, principally of the Middle East and India, merits special attention. From Apostolic times they have been the custodians of a precious spiritual, liturgical and theological heritage. Their traditions and rites, born of a deep inculturation of the faith in the soil of many Asian countries, deserve the greatest respect. With the synod Fathers, I call upon everyone to recognise the legitimate customs and the legitimate freedom of these churches in disciplinary and liturgical matters, as stipulated by the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Following the teaching of the Second Vatican council, there is an urgent need to overcome the fears and misunderstandings which appear at times between the Catholic Eastern Churches and the Latin Church, and among those Churches themselves, especially with regard to the pastoral care of their people, also outside their own territories. As children of the one church, reborn into the newness of life in Christ, believers are called to undertake all things in a spirit of common purpose, trust and unfailing charity. Conflicts must not be allowed to create division, but must instead be handled in a spirit of truth and respect, since no good can come except from love.

These venerable Churches are directly involved in ecumenical dialogue with their Sister Orthodox Churches, and the Synod Fathers urged them to pursue this path. It is clear that the Catholic Eastern Churches possess a great wealth of tradition and experience, which can greatly benefit the whole church.