By Archbishop Simon Poh, Archdiocese of Kuching
THE ad limina visit was filled with many moments of grace, but the most moving for me was kneeling at the tomb of St Paul in the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. In that sacred place, I felt a deep spiritual closeness to the great apostle who gave his life for the Risen Lord. I prayed for a share in his zeal, courage and passion for proclaiming the Gospel, that I too might dedicate my life more fully to making Christ known and serving His mission.
Praying at the tomb of St Peter likewise deepened my appreciation of the Catholic Church as the truly apostolic Church. Standing at the place associated with the Apostle Peter, I was filled with gratitude for the gift of faith and for having been baptised into this Church as a 16-year-old student. I was humbled by the realisation that I am now privileged to serve the same Church founded upon Peter’s confession of faith.
These moments also brought back cherished memories of Jun 29, 2017, when I received the Pallium from Pope Francis on the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul. We were told that the pallia for the newly appointed archbishops had been placed at the tomb of St Peter the night before and then presented to us during the liturgy. That symbolic gesture highlighted the bond between the ministry of bishops and the apostolic foundation of the Church, reminding us of our communion with the Pope, the successor of St Peter.
The visit also gave me time for prayer, reflection and renewal. As a pilgrim in Rome, I examined my heart and received the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Renewed in spirit, I returned to the archdiocese with a deeper desire to serve the Lord’s flock. We all have our weaknesses and limitations, but we sincerely seek to work for the good of the Church and God’s people.
I ask for your continued prayers for your shepherds and for me.
At the beginning of our audience with Pope Leo XIV, the Holy Father personally greeted each of us. We presented gifts from our people and local Churches. I offered him a Gen Z Bible, Identity: Identified, inspired by the 2018 Synod on Youth and aimed at addressing the challenges faced by young people today.
As the newly appointed bishopchairman of the FABC Office of Evangelisation, and having previously served in the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, I found the discussions with the dicasteries for Interreligious Dialogue, Promoting Christian Unity and Evangelisation especially significant.
In my presentations, I shared how the Church in Malaysia and throughout Asia has contributed to interreligious dialogue by learning to live alongside neighbours of different faiths, cultures and traditions. Within the FABC, we increasingly speak of “neighbour religions”, recognising that friendship, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence are essential in our societies.
Asia has also shaped a distinctive approach to evangelisation. We often speak of “whispering the Gospel” and “telling the story of Jesus in Asia” through witness, relationships and everyday encounters. This reflects the reality that Christians are often a minority, yet are called to proclaim Christ in ways that are respectful, authentic and rooted in local cultures.
I was encouraged that these perspectives resonated strongly with the dicasteries. The discussions revealed a genuine appreciation for the Asian experience and opened the way for closer collaboration in interreligious dialogue, ecumenical engagement and evangelisation.
The ad limina visit concluded with our departure from Rome on Pentecost Sunday. As we reflected on the week, we realised that our pilgrimage had taken place while our parishes were praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit. Though we were not physically present with our people on Pentecost, I came to see this as synodality in action. While the bishops gathered in Rome in communion with the Holy Father, our priests, religious and lay faithful continued the prayer and mission of the Church at home.
Having experienced deep communion with the successor of St Peter, we returned inspired by the Holy Spirit and renewed in our mission. Like the Apostles sent forth at Pentecost, we too were sent back to proclaim anew the hope, peace and joy of the Risen Lord, confident that the Spirit continues to guide and strengthen the Church in every age. – Vatican News
