CCA mourns the passing of Pope Francis

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

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21 April 2025

Photo: Joanna Lindén-Montes-WCC

Chiang Mai, Thailand: The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) joins millions of people around the world in mourning the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome and Head of the Roman Catholic Church. The Holy Father entered eternal rest on 21 April 2025 at the age of 88.

CCA General Secretary, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, in a condolence message to the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, said, “Pope Francis was both a spiritual leader and a statesman of rare moral authority. He inspired millions around the world, teaching us to love one another, live faithfully according to the values of the Gospel, and care for the vulnerable and marginalised. His death represents a great loss, not only for the faithful of the Roman Catholic church but for humanity as a whole.”

“Pope Francis’ commitment to human rights and human dignity was unwavering. He will be remembered for his deep concern for the poor and oppressed, his humility, and his courage in offering a prophetic witness to the world. He was unafraid to address contemporary political issues that divide people and nations, always with the aim of healing and reconciliation,” added Dr Chunakara.

Pope Francis was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio in December 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Italian immigrant parents. He was ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969 and pursued further formation between 1970 and 1971 at the University of Alcalá de Henares in Spain. In 1973, he was appointed Provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina, a role he held for six years.

In March 2013, Cardinal Bergoglio was elected Pope by the papal conclave, becoming the first Latin American pope, the first Jesuit pope, and the first to adopt the name Francis.

His final public appearance was just yesterday on Easter Sunday, 20 April 2025, where he offered his blessing to thousands gathered at the Vatican to celebrate Christ’s resurrection.

The Christian Conference of Asia extends its deepest condolences to the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church and to all those around the world who have been inspired by the life and witness of Pope Francis.

A copy of the CCA’s condolence message was also shared with the Federation of Asian Catholic Bishops Conferences (FABC). The CCA General Secretary said that the CCA will continue to honour Pope Francis’ memory, as his simple ways and humble spirit offered a powerful witness to the Gospel’s call to love and serve.

The full text of the condolence message can be found here: