By Ivy Chai
Daniel Abela is a fourth year seminarian in the Archdiocese of Malta Diocesan Seminary. He arrived in Sarawak on 1 August 2024 as part of his formation mission to experience pastoral care serving outside his home country for an entire year.
Daniel chose Asia as he wanted to know more about the history of Christian evangelisation on Asian shores. Although Japan was his original choice to learn about how the people encountered Christ, how the Church grew and changed their culture to embrace Christ completely, it must be providence that brought him to Sarawak, a place he never knew existed until January of this year.
Since his arrival from Malta, Daniel has spent time with seminarians at St Peter’s Major Seminary, Kuching; met the native communities of Bunan and Bau; and will complete his pastoral experience serving at St Joseph’s Cathedral, the mother Church of the Archdiocese of Kuching, at the end of October.
Bro Daniel’s next destinations are Taiwan, Penang, and a month-long retreat in Thailand.
Daniel recalls how a personal encounter with Christ on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land changed his outlook of life. Although he had served as a sacristan and was active in parish activities since he was young, his calling to the priesthood was a slow process.
He had carved a successful career working in IT related jobs for 15 years and had a good life. He had everything he wanted, including two sports cars. However, as he approached the age of 30, he experienced a big crisis that made him realise he had to examine the “emptiness” he felt in his life.
Daniel found a spiritual director who helped him discern that his vocation was to be a diocesan priest and not live a contemplative monastic life he had initially wanted. He found out that he could not “lock himself away” and “escape from problems of life.”
Daniel, who misunderstood his calling at the age of 18, re-encountered Christ at age 30. He received the calling to become a diocesan priest at age 31, surrendered his worldly life, relationships and possessions, to enter seminary at the age of 34 without any regrets.
He admitted it was a slow and challenging process to let go and empty everything from the “big baggage of life” to make space for prayer life and for Christ. For someone who thought his vocation revolved around computers, something he was good with, and pastoral care only within his parish, he realised “God is love” meant he had to give “more of himself” and this made his spiritual life even richer.
Life in the seminary helped him to grow as a human being, putting Christ in the centre of his life and learning to live with others. He has found peace and love by giving more of himself to people. A “priest has to give of himself and be there with the sheep.”
Daniel found the faith of the communities in Bunan and Bau “very real” and that they have put Christ in the centre of their lives. Although hampered by the language barrier and he felt he couldn’t give much there, the experience helped him to open himself up to others to receive and hence to open up more to God.
The second of four brothers in the family, it came as no surprise when he informed his family of his intention to enter seminary. It appeared they felt priesthood was his obvious vocation.
For young people interested in a vocation to the priesthood or religious life, Daniel’s advice is to “have the courage to talk about it, ask God about it in prayer and make space for it.”
