By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — The Archdiocese of Kuching held its annual Joint Day of Recollection (JDR) on 8 July 2024 at the Blessed Sacrament Church, attended by over 600 delegates comprising clergy, religious, pastoral councillors, lay leaders, prayer leaders (KGKs and KGTs), catechists and laity from all parishes.
Mission: Go and make Disciples
After presiding over an Opening Mass, Archbishop Simon Poh presented his Spiritual Input and Reflection to the delegates. He described the Church’s Mission to ‘Go and make Disciples’ as sharing Christ’s love and hope with others. He said: “Always begin with Christ,” adding, “the primary reason for evangelising is the love of Jesus which we have received, the experience of salvation which urges us to ever greater love of him… that ‘we speak of what we have seen and heard’ (1 Jn 1:3).”
We are all called to be missionary disciples, and the parish community is “at the heart of our mission”, so evangelisers need to hear the voice of the community, be welcoming with patient expectation and apostolic endurance.
When it is not conducive to proclaim the gospel to other people in a multiracial and multireligious neighbourhood and society, where Christianity is a minority, Archbishop Simon shared what he learnt from FABC, and that is to “whisper the gospel of Jesus”. To “whisper means that one has to be next to each other, and with friendship, the Gospel of the Lord is gently shared among friends.”
He described the attributes of discipleship and urged all delegates to return to Church to worship at daily Mass and Holy Hour.
The Journey Past – The Journey Ahead
The assembly continued with The Journey Past and The Journey Ahead, two Talks delivered by Fr Patrick Heng, Chairman of the Archdiocesan Synod Central Working Committee.
The Journey Past centred on the Key Milestones of the Archdiocese of Kuching. On 31 May 1976, it was elevated as a Metropolitan Archdiocese by Pope Paul VI. Covering 12 parishes (city and rural) within Kuching region, the Archdiocesan Council (APC) was formally launched in October 1991.
Fr Patrick also touched on the Vision and Mission of the Archdiocese, its journey up to present day, as well as the Vatican Synodal Process which began in 2021. He gave an insight into the Malaysia Pastoral Convention (MPC) 2026 to be held from 9–13 September at the MAJODI Centre, Johor Bahru. “Findings of the Regional Pastoral Assembly will be synthesised and presented in the MPC,” he said.
Kuching Archdiocese will be represented by 100 delegates comprising the clergy, religious, youth and laity. “MPC will set the direction for the whole Malaysian Catholic Church so that we can journey together as one Malaysian Catholic Church.”
Looking forward, in the first talk focusing on the Journey Ahead (Talk 2), Fr Patrick commented on the Parish Pastoral Assembly (PPA) Review, outlining what new parish councillors (PPC) need to review and to plan for 2025.
Fr Galvin Richard Ngumbang, in Talk 3 – The Journey Ahead, gave an overview of Perjalanan Salib Malaysia, slated to be unveiled at the end of the Malaysian Catholic Young People Assembly (MCYPA 2025) in April in Kota Kinabalu. The nine bishops with their youths, will bring the crosses back to their respective dioceses where activities will be organised in all parishes during the journey.
The Salib Malaysia journey beginning from April 2025 to September 2026 (18 months) is a journey of Intimacy with God (Prayer). Intimacy with Self (Abstinence). Intimacy with Other (Almsgiving). The unification of the Salib Malaysia will be at the MPC 2026 at Majodi Centre in Johor.
Fr Davie Entalai continued Talk 4 – The Journey Ahead with a Focus on Social, describing the work of the Commission for Mission and Human Development, inaugurated on 31 May 1976 to be the social mission arm of the Church.
With inputs on Vision and Mission, tasks and responsibility, he introduced the history of the arrival of St Joseph’s Missionary Society of Mill Hill in 1881, the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of St Joseph in 1885 and the formation of Little Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak and Sisters of St Francis of Sarawak.
The field of Education began in 1950 with the La Salle Brothers looking after the mission school of St Joseph. The more recent setting up of St Joseph’s Private and St Joseph’s International, saw the arrival of the Society of Jesus and the Marist Brothers in Kuching.
Fr Davie also highlighted some of the pastoral activities carried out by the commission, and in collaboration with other groups.
With Talk 5 – The Journey Ahead, Fr Patrick Heng wrapped up the JDR talks with a briefing on the Sarawak Regional Pastoral Assembly to be held in Sibu on 18–19 September 2024 with the theme: “The Catholic Church in Sarawak coming together as People of God to celebrate, listen and walk for Mission.”
The JDR 2024 came to a close with Adoration of the Holy Cross, a session aimed at giving delegates a taste of the Perjalanan Salib Malaysia experience.
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