By Christine and Christopher Cheong
KUALA LUMPUR – More than 65 parishioners of the Church of the Good Shepherd (GSC), Setapak, attended a day of recollection on ‘Family Spirituality’, which many described as “an inspiring, insightful, and incredibly different session on how to be an empowered family in today’s challenging world.”
The participants were welcomed by parish priest Fr Mitchel Joseph who emphasised the need of building strong, stable, spiritual and supportive families, when confronted by the changes and challenges of the day.
In his introduction, speaker Martin Jalleh commended the parish’s Family Life Ministry (FLM) for organising the event and for choosing such a timely and relevant theme. “To me, the most important ministry in a parish today is the FLM, for if the well-being of the family, the ‘domestic church,’ is okay, the parish will be okay. The parish is a ‘family of families.’ When families are strong, they contribute to the strength and substance of the entire parish,” he said.
In the first session, titled The Family – One of God’s Greatest Gifts, Martin reminded participants to always see their family as a precious gift from God and never take it for granted. He quoted the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who said, “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”
Sharing their reflections, Nicole and Octavianus Hadi, together with their children Carmen and Hans, said, “Our family learned so much about Family Spirituality! Our children’s main takeaway was that family is a gift – one of God’s greatest gifts – of one to another, never to be taken for granted.
Both of us realised that our life begins with family and ends with family, with God at the very centre. Family Spirituality consists of the paradox of putting God first and making family first.”
Participants were encouraged by the positive and affirming understanding of “family” shared during the session — especially in today’s world where such values can often be overlooked. They were particularly moved by a quote from the late Stephen Covey, who observed, “When I ask audiences worldwide what the three most important things in their lives are, 95 per cent put family relationships on the list, and 75 per cent put family first. Our deepest joys and our deepest heartaches surround what is happening in our family life.”
Participants were captivated by the insights shared on the meaning of family through the teachings of Popes St John Paul II, Francis, and Leo XIV. One quote that particularly resonated with many was Pope Francis’ reflection on the Incarnation: “God came into the world in a family because this family was a family that had its heart open to love, that had the doors open to love.”
Martin highlighted that “by choosing to enter the world through a human family, Jesus gave a renewed spiritual dignity to the family unit. The family is a place sacred enough for the Son of God to be born in and to live in.”
Before exploring the meaning and necessity of family spirituality today, Martin offered a clear explanation of spirituality itself, comparing it to religion in a way that many found enlightening. Christine Chua shared, “I have always felt that family spirituality is not something purely religious. As Martin explained, we need to go beyond rites, rituals, and rules and be moved by a personal, inner, and holistic dimension of spirituality. His sessions affirmed and reinforced my belief.”
Martin went on to explain that spirituality today is often understood in both religious and non-religious contexts. While some tend to contrast religion with its structure and institutional nature against spirituality’s more personal and interior focus, he emphasised that the two should work in harmony. A synergistic relationship between religion and spirituality, he said, is essential in nurturing true family spirituality.
In the final session, Martin shared the key characteristics of Christian family spirituality. Every Catholic family, he said, needs a spirituality of interiority, one where God is a personal presence at the very centre of family life and given utmost priority.
He concluded by stressing that family spirituality must be holistic, one that integrates the physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of each person. Such an approach, he said, promotes overall well-being not only for individuals but also for the wider community, reflecting the interconnectedness of faith and life.
The recollection ended on a note of hope, with families leaving strengthened in their faith, renewed in their love, and inspired to make God the heart of their home. – Herald Malaysia
