In this talk I will focus "The Pontificate of John Paul II for the Church in Asia" from the point of view of his contributions to the Asian Church. In his twenty five years as Pope, John Paul II's contributions to the Church in Asia are much too numerous to be even individually indicated in this short three minute talk. Here I will select only a few instances from among so many.

One important contribution of John Paul II was his calling together of the Bishops of Asia for a profound reflection on the situation of the Church in Asia. This meeting produced the Apostolic Exhortation "Eclessia in Asia," which presents a full program for evangelization in Asia, especially exhorting the Church in Asia to "proclaim Christ, the unique and universal Savior." In this exhortation the Pope asked Asian theologians and catechists to develop a way of proclaiming Christ particularly suited to Asian culture: that is, through the wisdom tradition and through the use of narratives. In response to the Pope's exhortation one of the theologians of our Theologate, Rev. A.B. Chang, has written the book: "Wisdom Christology: A First Attempt."

Another important contribution is the respect and concern the Pope has shown toward China, Chinese culture and the Church in China. The Pope has offered Matteo Ricci as a model for missionary work and the work of inculturation in China and Asia. In a gesture that is deeply appreciated in the context of Chinese culture, the Pope apologized to the Chinese people for those past mistakes the Church has made in her interaction with China.

A further contribution to strengthen the faith of the Asian Church has been the Pope's canonization of martyrs from Vietnam, Korea and China. At the same time the Pope has made the appointment of Cardinals in the countries of Asia more stable and universal.

Because Asia is a continent in which Catholics are, in most places, a very small minority, living among peoples with long established religious traditions, the Pope's promotion of inter religious dialogue has been an important contribution to the Church in Asia. For example, the Pope invited the important Buddhist leaders from Taiwan to visit him Rome. Further, John Paul II has made continuous efforts to improved the relationship between the Church and Islam.

Finally, the Pope's numerous personal visits to the Catholics of Asia has been a contribution of inestimable value among cultures that so highly value interpersonal relationships. A partial list of these nations includes India, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and East Timor. With this partial list of nations, I conclude this very partial listing of John Paul II contributions to the Church in Asia.