Catholic teaching does not offer a separate “definition of communion” for Asia; rather, it defines communion as a universal ecclesial reality rooted in Christ and the sacraments, and then the Church’s Asian ecclesial praxis expresses that same reality through locally suitable pastoral forms (so long as the essential meaning remains intact). The following elements capture the Catholic definition of communion that any Asian local practice must draw from.

Communion at the heart of the Church (universal definition)

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith describes communion as the Church’s central self-understanding: communion is a mystery of personal union with the Trinity and with the rest of mankind, initiated by faith and aimed at its fulfillment in heaven. Importantly, communion has a double dimension:

• vertical: communion with God
• horizontal: communion among people 1

It also stresses that communion is a gift from God, produced through Christ’s paschal mystery and communicated through the sacraments, which renew both the relationship with God and the relationship among human beings. 1

Communion as sharing in “holy things” (and especially the Eucharist)

When Catholics speak of communion, they mean not only a feeling of togetherness but a real participation in the Church’s holy life. The Compendium of the Catechism explains that “communion of saints” first means shared participation in holy things (sancta)—especially the Eucharist, along with the faith, sacraments, charisms, and spiritual gifts—at the root of which is love. 2

The Catechism text likewise specifies that this communion refers first to “holy things (sancta), above all the Eucharist,” by which “the unity of believers, who form one body in Christ, is both represented and brought about.” 3

A Eucharistic reflection by the Pontifical Committee further summarizes communion as including sharing in the faith, the sacraments, charisms, and charity, and extending to the communion with those who have gone before (the saints). 4

Communion with God and with the Church in sacramental reconciliation

Because communion is ecclesial (not merely individual), Catholic doctrine treats reconciliation as having an explicitly church-related dimension. A pastoral theological reflection from the Canadian bishops states that sin is not only an offense against God but also against the Christian community, so the Sacrament of Reconciliation simultaneously:

• reconciles the penitent with God, and
• reconciles the penitent with the People of God / the Church 5

It also notes that the absolution is an ecclesial act performed “by and on behalf of Christ and the Church,” which is why the sacrament should be celebrated, as far as possible, in a communal setting. 6

The same reflection adds that personal confession is never purely private because the effects of sin and reconciliation reach beyond the individual—“the whole Church… comes to the aid of the penitent and welcomes him again into her bosom.” 7

Communion extends beyond the present: saints, prayer, and unity

Catholic “communion” includes membership in the communion of saints, meaning solidarity among:

• the Church on earth,
• the blessed in heaven,
• and (in traditional catechetical phrasing) the suffering souls in purgatory. 8

Pope Francis also describes communion as a bond that makes joy and sorrow shared across the body of Christ, and that this bond cannot truly be broken—even by death—though the mode of being together changes. 9

What this means for “Asian ecclesial praxis” (and what the provided sources don’t specify)

The sources provided here do not directly describe a specifically Asian definition or enumerate Asian cultural practices. What they do provide is the Catholic framework that governs any legitimate pastoral “praxis” in Asia:

1. Any Asian local expression of communion must preserve the twofold dimension—communion with God and communion among persons. 1
2. Communion must remain sacrament-centered, especially anchored in the Eucharist and the Church’s “holy things.” 3 4
3. Pastoral forms that emphasize ecclesial belonging are doctrinally consistent, since reconciliation explicitly reconciles one with the Church and can be celebrated communally. 5 6 7
4. Communion includes prayer and unity across the communion of saints, not only relationships within one’s local community. 9 10

If you mean something more specific by “Asian ecclesial praxis” (for example, Eucharistic discipline in particular Asian contexts, or how devotion to ancestors/ancestral rites is discerned), the current set of sources does not provide that level of jurisdictional or cultural detail, so a fully grounded answer would require additional Catholic references addressing those particular questions.