Speakers for “Transforming Parishes 2020”
By Linda Edward
Aug 18 2020
THE Alpha Asia Pacific Catholic Context Team is bringing to the fore discussion on the Church being missionary disciples and the role that everyone needs to play in evangelization, in its online event “Transforming Parishes 2020”.
Amanda Helga Fernandez, Senior Regional Development Executive for the team, said the pandemic has been a great challenge and there is a need to explore our calling as missionary disciples.
“The past few months have been a time of great challenge and uncertainty for all of us, yet, we realise it is also a time of great opportunities.
“As we move into the last few months of the year, we feel there is a need for us to explore a deeper sense of purpose in our calling to be missionary disciples,” she said.
The online conference she said is a response to a hunger right now “for a tangible faith encounter as we see many people seek for answers and a sense of purpose despite the (pandemic) circumstances.”
In May this year, Pope Francis reflected on the foundations of the Christian mission which is “the Holy Spirit and not the consequence of our ideas and projects.”
He said this in his message to the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS), who was supposed to meet in Rome for their Annual General Assembly but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his message, The Pope described how mission should be like in the world. Citing from his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, he recalled a few features of mission which among others, he said “the mystery of redemption continues through attractiveness where the Church grows in the world through attraction and not proselytism.”
““Transforming Parishes 2020” is going to bring the concept of mission through an evening of inspiring talks and uplifting worship,” said Fernandez.
She is inviting all members of the Catholic Church to spread the word wide to other parishioners, family and friends and join in the online conference scheduled to take place on Friday Aug 28 at 7.00 pm Malaysian time.
The conference will have a line-up of Catholic speakers from the region as well as outside it; Daniel Ang and Fr Rob Galea, from Australia and Fiona O’Reilly from the Divine Renovation Ministry, along with Fr Savio from Mumbai and worship bands from Indonesia and India.
Registration can be made at https://joinnow.my/tp20. For more updates , log on to facebook.com/Alpha-Asia-Pacific-Catholic-Context.
