Indigenous leaders from eight Asian countries have urged the Catholic Church to confront and dismantle colonial mindsets that continue to marginalize Indigenous peoples within its structures, theology, and pastoral life.
The call came in a joint statement issued at the conclusion of the Training of Trainers on Ancestral Wisdom and Organic Intellectual Leadership, organised by ROOTS Asia, the Catholic Network of Indigenous Peoples of Asia. Participants included Indigenous leaders engaged in Catholic communities from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Meeting first in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and then online, the leaders stressed that decolonization remains an urgent task for the Church alongside broader political and social reforms. They highlighted how colonial frameworks have historically weakened Indigenous knowledge systems and spiritual traditions, excluding Indigenous voices from leadership formation, theological reflection, and decision-making.
The statement affirmed that Indigenous knowledge is dynamic, grounded in lived experience, community memory, and ecological relationships. These systems, the leaders said, provide ethical foundations for justice, peace, environmental stewardship, and cultural resilience, and should be recognised as authoritative sources shaping the Church’s mission in Asia.
Participants emphasised that meaningful inculturation requires more than symbolic recognition of Indigenous cultures. They called for structural change that acknowledges Indigenous peoples as equal partners in shaping theology, pastoral approaches, and Church practices. Indigenous spirituality and cultural identity, they noted, are inseparable, and faith expressions rooted in ancestral traditions enrich the Church’s authenticity and vitality.
The statement highlighted the importance of Indigenous “organic intellectuals”, leaders emerging from within their own communities whose authority rests on lived experience, moral responsibility, and collective wisdom. These leaders are key to strengthening Indigenous communities and supporting the Church’s journey toward synodality, shared discernment, and inclusive participation.
Linking decolonization with self-determination, intergenerational learning, and the empowerment of youth and women, the leaders urged the Church to engage in unlearning imposed paradigms and addressing structures that perpetuate exclusion.
They called for a renewed relationship between the Church and Indigenous peoples based on humility, intercultural dialogue, and the recognition that spiritual truth exists within all cultures. Indigenous traditions, they said, hold wisdom that can enrich the Church and contribute to healing societies facing ecological, social, and cultural challenges.
The leaders concluded by advocating for ongoing platforms that support Indigenous leadership formation, storytelling, and community-based action. They presented the Training of Trainers initiative as a tangible step toward a more inclusive and synodal Catholic Church in Asia, one that listens to Indigenous voices and collaborates with Indigenous communities in advancing faith, justice, and social transformation.
Adapted from Licas News.
