By Linda Edward
KOTA KINABALU — Catholic faithful in Asia countries including our very own local faithful here will have a rare opportunity of participating in an international-level training on prophetic intercession, which will be conducted by two renown international speakers from India, Chevalier Cyril John and Archbishop Francis Kalist.
The need for prophetic intercession is growing not only in our own country but in the whole world; and the need to bring people to realize the role of intercession and to bring up intercessors are very great.
Responding to these growing needs of intercession, the CHARIS International Office in Rome through its Intercession Commission has decided to organize the Prophetic Intercession Training for Asia on 14-19 Aug 2023, and has chosen Malaysia, specifically Kota Kinabalu, as the main venue for this very important program.
Anthony Lim, Coordinator of CHARIS Malaysia said this when he spoke to Catholic Sabah, together with Priscilla Henry, Coordinator of Malaysia Prophetic Intercession Group, the local host of the event.
Anthony said, “The training will provide very solid teaching and inputs on understanding intercession, particularly understanding the difference between normal intercession and prophetic intercession.”
Priscilla added, “The training is not on normal intercession but on prophetic intercession which involves much deeper knowledge of intercession. In normal intercession we are praying according to people’s petition but in prophetic intercession we are listening to God’s will in regards to that petition before we pray. In order to know how to pray effectively through prophetic intercession, a person needs to receive a proper training,” explained Priscilla.
Looking at the world’s critical situation and various problems, Priscilla emphasized that God is calling more people to answer the call to be a prophetic intercessor and it is an urgent calling.
“There is an urgent calling to change the way we pray through prophetic intercession and we cannot continue to pray in normal way only,” she said.
Due to this great and urgent need, a Commission for Intercession has been developed in CHARIS International, with Cyril John as the Coordinator, added Anthony.
Pope Francis has bestowed on Cyril the Title of Chevalier (Knight of the Order of St Gregory the Great) in 2021, the fourth highest Papal order in the Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great. The title has been given for his distinguished service to the Church at the diocesan, national, continental, and international level, especially through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. (CCBI)
“Cyril has been traveling all around the world to help educate people about intercession. I have attended the training (conducted by him) and it was very good. I do intercession, I know about intercession, but when I attended the course, it gave me new perspective,” said Anthony.
The training is open to all and is not exclusive for certain people with certain spiritual growth but for all Catholics who have a call to intercession. Being chosen as the main venue for an international event is a very rare opportunity Anthony reiterated, and the local people would benefit greatly from it.
The training will be held in Sacred Heart Cathedral in Karamunsing. Sessions will be in English and live translations into Bahasa Malaysia are available for all sessions.
“We urge more of our own people to take the opportunity to join this training in our own home, in that sense it will enhance our country, diocese, and our state, when there are more people seeing and understanding the need for intercession,” he said.
Priscilla added, “The training is a whole step by step process of deep learning and deep spiritual growth too as one of the topics that we are going to do is on repentance.
There may not be another training opportunity that is closer to home and the next one would definitely not be in Kota Kinabalu but in another country, said both of them, and it is not easy to secure the expertise of Cyril and Archbishop Kalist as they are committed to other works and trainings in other continents and in their own country.
Archbishop Kalist is the Episcopal Adviser to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in India.
Cardinal-Elect Sebastian Francis, Episcopal Adviser for Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR) in Malaysia, are also encouraging all Malaysian dioceses through their CCRs and other ministries to participate in the training. The Penang Bishop is among 21 newly elected cardinals who will be appointed in a consistory at the Vatican on Sep 30, 2023.
Archbishop John Wong of Kota Kinabalu himself welcomed CHARIS International to organize the training in the archdiocese and encouraged the local to participate.
The CHARIS Intercession Commission has been formed with specific objectives, among others, to offer CHARIS training course on intercession at national and continental levels, to develop and impart authentic teaching on intercession, and to be attentive to the signs and needs of the time and organize intercession.
For more information and to register, kindly contact Rozy Regina +6019 871 9958, Elne Beth +6013 891 7513 or Mary Low +6019 286 6355.
