By Charles Bertille
BUKIT MERTAJAM — The 111th Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei (CBCMSB) and the bi-annual general meeting of the Conference of Religious Major Superiors (CRMS) was held under the maternal embrace of St Anne, at the Minor Basilica in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.
The bishops, together with the Apostolic Nuncio, the major religious superiors, lay faithful, representatives of other religious traditions and state dignitaries had gathered on the evening of 9 January 2023, to celebrate the solemn declaration of the Minor Basilica in a long and meaningful ceremony.
The Bishops Conference and the Conference of Religious Superiors then went on to meet in separate venues within St Anne’s campus for their bi-annual gathering. At the end of the first day, they gathered for rosary in the garden followed by dinner and conversations.
The next day they met again to discuss common concerns, particularly on the safeguarding of minors and vulnerable adults in all the church’s institutions. The Bishops and Religious Superiors also discussed at length the dynamics and progress towards the Peninsula Malaysia Religious Assembly to be held at Majodi from 08 – 11 June, 2023.
The Bishops who attended the recently held Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC) 50th Anniversary General Conference in Bangkok, shared their experience and learnings. They felt it was good and opportune to build bonds among the new generation of bishops across Asia as well as for them to study the issues affecting the peoples of Asia and the future path for the church in Asia.
The theme of the FABC 50 was “Journeying Together as Peoples of Asia”, based on the journey made by the three kings in Mark 2: 1-12, “…and they went a different way.” The Message to All Peoples of Asia, issued by the FABC, was once again circulated among the bishops and later to all the religious. See https://www.fabc2020.org/post/message-fabc-general-conference-to-the-peoples-of-asia
The focus of the Conference was on the Document for the Continental phase of the Synod (DCS) that was circulated to all eleven dioceses and vicariates. The DCS compiled by the international Synod Secretariat in Rome is the privileged instrument through which the dialogue of the local churches among themselves and with the universal church can take place during the upcoming continental stage.
The dioceses were asked to read and pray with the DCS and give their reflections to the three questions posed therein. The summary of all diocese responses and a draft consolidated document was presented by the Executive Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference, Charles Bertille, who is also the Regional Coordinator for the Synod.
With the input from the bishops, the document was finalised by the Exec Sec and submitted to the FABC for their study at the upcoming continental level meet from 24 – 27 February, 2023, at Samphran, Bangkok.
The Conference DCS document summarises the responses from the 11 dioceses and vicariates around the three questions posed:
- what are the intuitions and new experiences that are affirming?
- the tensions and questions arising from the synod exercise, and that needs to be addressed,
- the priorities, recurring themes and call to action that can be discussed during the First Session of the Synod Assembly in October 2023.
The consolidated document can be read at https://cbcmsb.org/synod-of-bishops-2023/
The President of CBCMSB, Bishop Sebastian Francis announced during the conference the three representatives to the continental level meet. They are Bp Bernard Paul from Malacca Johore, Fr Jude Miranda from Penang, and Anna Amandus from Sandakan.
The bishops then went on to nominate His Eminence Cardinal William Goh of Singapore to represent the Conference at the Synod Assembly in Rome during the month of October 2023.
Some of the other matters discussed by the bishops included the processes towards the Malaysian Pastoral Convention in 2026, the outstanding work around the National Seminary Charter and seminary concerns, the ongoing efforts of the Laudato Si Action Platform, the Caritas Malaysia Relief Fund Appeal 2023, the progress of the Episcopal Commission on Migrants, Itinerants & Victims of Trafficking, upgrading of Catechetical materials, the World Youth Day in Lisbon, the Malaysian Catholic Youth Ministers Committee (MCYMC) initiatives, Inter-faith and Ecumenical matters, and Liturgical concerns.
The next meeting of the CBCMSB will be held at MAJODI from 09 to 14 July, 2023. The Bp President concluded by exhorting everyone to “Be true and faithful to the processes prepared by the Church and you will be faithful to the Holy Spirit.”
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