By Fr Dr Lawrence Ng
Dec 11 2023
KOTA TINGGI, Johor – The clergy of the Malacca Johore Diocese (MJD) followed up the Diocesan Pastoral Assembly (DPA) with a common pastoral plan at vicariate level. At the same time, each parish in the respective vicariate will implement at least one to two pastoral actions at parish level.
The DPA is part of the Church’s journey towards the Malaysia Pastoral Convention (MPC) 2026. That convention will see the totality of the Malaysia Church gathering together to reflect on four core areas: Family, Church, Ecology, and Society. This was also made clear to the DPA delegates, pastoral workers, and clergy.
Msgr Michcel Mannayagam noted at a South Johore vicariate level meeting on Nov 8 at the Church of St Elizabeth, Kota Tinggi, that these areas have always been worked on in the diocese and parishes. He said, “What is different is that we are focused on these areas as part of our pastoral plan next year.”
The DPA came at a time when the Catholic Church was embarking on the thrust of synodality as a way of being Church. Synodality means walking together. This was the theme adopted by the diocese. Before the DPA, Bishop Bernard announced that the pastoral orientation priorities of the diocese are Walking Together in a Spirit of Communion, Participation and Mission Towards MPC 2026.
Vicariate and Diocesan Pastoral Assemblies
Part of what the Vicariate and Diocesan Pastoral Assemblies grappled with was how we journey or walk together in a synodal spirit while building the areas of Family, Church, Ecology, and Society. The diocese focused on speaking about “building” while being aware of feedback from past diocesan and parish assemblies, including the diocese synod findings discussed last year.
The tool used to accomplish this was “spiritual conversation” or “conversation in the Spirit.” Rather than seeing it as a result to be achieved or a product to be rolled out, it is more helpful to see it as a continual process until MPC 2026 or beyond. It is a journey. Vicar Forane for Malacca, Fr Alexchelvam, noted this, stating, “We cannot accomplish everything all at once but take focus and do well in one or two pastoral responses each year at our parishes.”
Follow Up to the DPA
The clergy were given some time to discern and reflect on the findings discerned by the delegates at the VPA, including the responses noted by the secretaries from the four language groups during the open forum at the DPA. The Vicariate meetings were held before the Annual Clergy Discernment (ACD) on Nov 21 and 22. The clergy in each vicariate gathered to discern a common pastoral response at the vicariate level. This includes setting the direction for each parish priest to discern, with their parish communities, on a pastoral response at the parish level.
There are three vicariates in the diocese: Malacca, North-Central Johore, and South Johore. The Vicar Forane helped coordinate the pastoral responses following the DPA as each Vicariate may have different needs. North-Central Vicar Forane Fr Paul Wong noted that “the context of each Vicariate is different. The needs of Malacca parishioners are different from Segamat, just as Segamat is different from Johor Bahru, which is shaped by its parishioners working in Singapore.”
Annual Clergy Discernment 2023
The discernment and pastoral response were presented to the clergy at the ACD 2023 in the Good Shepherd Seminary, Melaka. During the presentation, Vicar Forane for South Johore, Fr Matthew Bun, said that “this pastoral response is meant to be realistic, according to the situation of each place.” After the presentation by each Vicar Forane, a period of time was allotted for discernment before it was open to all for responses.
Bishop Bernard Paul thanked the clergy for coming together and working on it at a vicariate and parish levels. He said that whatever is proposed is our diocese’s pastoral plan for 2024. To endorse the plan, he said, “Please make it into a pledge and sign it. Take it as your pastoral commitment for 2024. Do your best and review your parish pastoral plan at your parish assemblies for next year.” The following are the final statements of their pastoral pledge for 2024. These pledges were signed by all the clergy. – Herald Malaysia
