PLENTONG, JOHOR — It was an emotion-filled occasion for the faithful of the Malacca-Johore Diocese to see their three shepherds together during the golden jubilee celebration of the diocese on December 3.
The first bishop of the diocese, 96-year-old Bishop Emeritus James Chan, his successor Rt Rev Paul Tan SJ and the current prelate, Bishop Bernard Paul were greeted with loud cheers and applause by the clergy, religious and laity alike. For many, the sight of the bishops emeriti evoked a sense of nostalgia as they reminisced on how each bishop had led the diocese and the changes they had brought over the years which today was culminating in a golden jubilee celebration which they were all proud to be a part of.
A great sense of pride in being a part of the Catholic community of the diocese was evident in the 2,000-plus faithful who were present at the multilingual Eucharistic celebration held under a sprawling tent in the grounds of Majodi Centre. The main presider was Bishop Bernard, assisted by Fr Adrian Matthews and Deacon Leslie Petrus. Concelebrating were the Apostolic Nuncio to Malaysia, Archbishop Wojciech Zaluski, Rt Rev Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang, Archbishop Emeritus Murphy Pakiam of the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese and the clergy from the diocese. Members of the religious congregations were also present.
There is a great conviction that the growth of the diocese over the years was made possible through the promptings of the Holy Spirit and this was aptly highlighted by Bishop Bernard in his homily.
The current shepherd of the south said the Holy Spirit is inviting us to a new phase and orientation. But before we go on that journey, we need to forget past hurts, anger, and disappointments as only forgiveness will help us go forward. The three groups we need to forgive are our family members, fellow Catholics and the Church — bishops and priests.
The prelate invited the congregation to listen to what the Spirit is saying to us and the Malacca Johore Diocese. He said, historically, people listened to the Spirit. The patron saint of the diocese, St Francis Xavier, listened to the Spirit and left his homeland to come east 400 years ago, to preach the Gospel of Christ. Following his footsteps, countless individuals, lay communion ministers, catechists, religious, clergy, and bishops listened to the Spirit and opened mission centres, schools, outreaches, and apostolates in the estates, new villages, and kampungs.
The bishop emphasised that right now, that same Spirit is asking us, the baptised children of God, to honour the responsibility that was given to us by virtue of our baptism, to share the love of Christ with others. The Holy Spirit is also asking us to adhere to the mission and vision of the MJD which is to encounter, enlighten, empower and evangelise to each other and to the communities around us in the diocese.
“As a community, we are supposed to build bridges with one another, regardless of our differences, and to constantly work on our communion, participation and mission to ensure that the Good News is not only spread but understood by all those who hear it. Finally, in line with the mission of the Synod in 2023, we must, as a community at large, practise Fratelli Tutti, which is to include everyone, no matter their station, in our efforts of mission work and evangelisation. This means working together with everyone while listening and learning from them as we make our faith journey here on earth,” said Bishop Bernard.
At the end of his homily, the bishop said that the biggest sin that we can commit is to resist the promptings of the Holy Spirit in obeying the will of God. God will never give up on us and will continue to send the Holy Spirit to nudge us to the right path to become the light of Hope.
As the day’s celebration came to an end, Archbishop Wojciech expressed his joy at being at the jubilee feast and thanked Bishop Bernard for extending the invitation for him to join in the festivities.
“To all gathered here and those watching online, I’d like to convey the spiritual closeness, best wishes, prayers, and blessings of Pope Francis. Every time we meet the Holy Father, he asks us to bring his greeting and blessings ‘to the last and the smallest village in the country you visit. I assure all people of his prayers and best wishes.”
The prelate referenced a passage from the Book of Revelation Chapter 2, in which John the Apostle writes to the seven Churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) celebrating their jubilee, like MJD. Each letter, as proclaimed by Jesus and recorded by John, declares the triumphs and failings of the recipient Churches and warns each congregation to repent.
Archbishop Wojciech said thousands of years later we find the situation of the Church hasn’t changed that much. “We can replace Ephesus in the letter with Malacca Johor. The message remains, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.” (Revelations 2:7)
“This season of Advent, a time of vigilant expectation as a diocesan family, should be the same as the Churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira 2,000 years ago … I say, “Maranatha, come Lord Jesus – Come into our lives, our families our Churches, and our communities.
“I give my best wishes to invigorate every aspect of your dioceses towards evangelisation for the present and the future,” said the Nuncio. Archbishop Wojciech then presented the papal blessing from the Holy Father to Bishop Bernard Paul. The prelate reciprocated with a gift for the Holy Father.
