By Kuching Soccom & Sibu Soccom
KUCHING — The Archdiocese of Kuching on 16 March 2024, held a Synod Engagement Session at the ACCPC, Kuching to address the Synod of Bishops Synthesis Report using the Spiritual Conversation methodology.
The Diocese of Sibu also gathered for a Synod Synthesis Engagement Session at Kemuyang Pastoral Centre, Sibu on 16 March 2024.
Kuching’s Engagement session began with morning Mass presided by Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh with priests involved in the activity, concelebrating.
Chairman of the Archdiocesan Synod Central Working Committee Fr Patrick Heng, addressed the 50 selected people from various communities (clergy, religious, PPC, lay ministries, APC commissions and committees) to explain why the Synthesis Report Engagement Sessions are being carried out.
Synod of Bishops Synthesis Report – Engagement Session
Fr Patrick informed that at the end of their meeting on 5 December 2023, the members of the Ordinary Council of the Synod of Bishops adopted a Document for the work to be engaged by the Catholic Church, until the celebration of the Second Session of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in October 2024.
The Document contained guidelines with a concrete roadmap in which the deepening of synodality in a missionary perspective and the broadening of experiences of synodality at the local level, are the cornerstones on which the local communities are called to reflect. This will begin with the Synthesis Report adopted at the end of the First Session of the XVI Assembly on 28 October 2023.
Fr Patrick disclosed that the Bishops Conference in Malaysia was tasked to engage on:
- the deepening of synodality in a missionary perspective and
- the broadening of experiences of synodality at the local level
Spiritual Conversations in Groups
To carry out this task, Fr Patrick gave a briefing on the Synthesis Engagement Guidelines and Spiritual Conversation Guidelines, to the selected representatives who then separated into groups to reflect using the Spiritual Conversation methodology.
The 10 small groupings reflected on 10 Possible Worksheets with themes ranging from Accompaniment with Conversation in the Spirit to Going Beyond Borders, Familiarising and Understanding Synodality, Deepening Spirituality of Synodality, Formation As a Synodal Key and a few more, with guided questions to aid the reflections.
“Wasting time with the Holy Spirit”
Meanwhile, in the Diocese of Sibu, a group of about 50 also gathered to participate in this half-day session to respond to the Synod Synthesis Report.
The Engagement group came from representatives from a wide spectrum of the parish community including PPC from St Bernard Dalat, Parish of Selangau, St Teresa, St Mary of Divine Mercy and Sacred Heart Cathedral of Sibu, clergy and religious priests and sisters, Msgr Fr Michael Lee and Bishop Joseph Hii.
Eta Ting from the Sibu Synod Secretariat team then gave a briefing on the guidelines and direction for Conversation in the Spirit. 10 groups were formed to address 10 distinct Possible Worksheets concerning the Synod Synthesis Report. They covered topics such as Involving the Various Councils, Spiritual Dimension of Synodality, Structures for Participation, Christian Initiation, Existing Practices of Synodality, Experiences and Understanding of Synodality, Conversation in the Spirit and Going Beyond Borders.
The Chief Synod Coordinator of Sarawak, Fr Ivan Fang thanked the participants for coming to the Synod Synthesis Engagement Session. In his concluding remarks, he assured the group that the synthesis responses will be compiled and summarised into an 8-page Report for submission to the National Synthesis Engagement team in April 2024.
Bishop Joseph Hii in his closing remarks, encouraged all to answer the call of Pope Francis for reformation and transformation. In order to heed this universal call, it takes courage to put on an attitude of non-complacency and a willingness to embrace change.
What does the Holy Spirit want the Church to be in this 21st century?
Bishop Hii called for all to discern. In order to engage oneself in this discernment, we need to “waste” time with the Holy Spirit, he said. In this year of Prayer, it is an opportune time for all to “waste” time with the Holy Spirit. The universal Church called upon all Christians to discern by “wasting” time with the Holy Spirit so that we may be able to discern the will of God in our time.
Bishop Hii observed that we are used to a culture of doing things. Perhaps, it is time to “UNDO”. Without this process of “UNDO-ing” our hearts, we cannot discern the will of God and no reformation can take place.
“Return to our common identity and charism which is our Baptism.” He urged the participants to make room for the Holy Spirit and to return to the Christian source i.e. our sacrament of Initiation. He also reminded the group to value the uniqueness or differentiated co-responsibility of each and every Christian. And together, we are Church. And that Church is Missionary in its true nature.
In this synodal process, as we are called to serve others, we also should allow others to serve us. That requires an attitude of humility. Bishop Hii shared in his own personal experience, an exemplary manifestation of humility was displayed when Bishop Emeritus Dominic Su had the humility to allow him to serve Bishop Emeritus Su.
