KUALA LUMPUR – In this Holy Year, the faithful are encouraged to become pilgrims of hope by embracing the ‘See, Judge, Act’ method, a core approach of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) movement.
This call was made by Fr Fabian Dicom during a thanksgiving Mass held on Jan 11 at the Church of Our Lady of Fatima, honouring the departed leaders of YCW Malaysia. Msgr Daniel Lim, former national chaplain of YCW, concelebrated the Mass, which also saw the presence of Gabrielite Brother Francis Xavier Gasper from Montfort Boys’ Town, Shah Alam.
The YCW movement, founded in 1925 by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, was built around the methodology of ‘See, Judge, Act,’ which encourages ordinary workers to reflect on their lived realities through the lens of the Gospel and take actionable steps to improve their circumstances.
Fr Fabian highlighted the relevance of this approach in the context of the Holy Year, calling on the faithful to become “pilgrims of hope.” “The YCW legacy invites us to apply this powerful methodology to bring about social change, grounded in the teachings of the Gospel,” he said.
Fr Fabian, who is also the director of Caritas Malaysia, reflected on the importance of the ‘See’ phase, which involves discernment, listening, and learning. He observed that in Malaysia, the marginalised are disproportionately affected by social issues such as corruption, political self-interest, economic inequality, and racial discrimination. “These challenges create a climate of mistrust, division, and systemic injustice,” he said, noting that even within the Church, there is often a tendency to focus on rituals rather than addressing pressing social issues.
The Caritas director acknowledged the decline of movements like the YCW but emphasised that the need for action in the face of social injustice is still urgent. He noted that there were signs of hope, with individuals and groups inspired by YCW continuing to champion the dignity of workers and promote justice, as well as Church-based initiatives addressing poverty, climate change, and migration.
Fr Fabian then turned to the second part of the YCW methodology: ‘Judge.’ Reflecting on the baptism of Jesus, he quoted Luke 3:21-22, where God affirms Jesus as His beloved Son, a declaration extended to all baptised Christians. “Through baptism, we are entrusted with the mission of living out this identity.” He further quoted Luke 4:18, in which Jesus proclaims His mission to bring good news to the poor and set the oppressed free, stressing that as baptised Christians, we are called to live out that same mission.
“The Gospel compels us to see the inherent dignity of every person,” he declared, adding that for the poor and marginalised in Malaysia, this means advocating for justice and equality. He urged the congregation to reflect on how they could contribute to the transformation of society, calling for genuine interfaith and interracial harmony and addressing the root causes of suffering.
The final step in the methodology is ‘Act.’ Fr Fabian encouraged the congregation to respond with courage and compassion. He posed two critical questions: “How do we bring the Gospel to life?” and “How do we live the dignity of our baptism?”
As a response, he called on the faithful to become “pilgrims of hope” not only in personal devotion but also in social transformation. He suggested that this could involve collaborating with other faith communities to oppose corruption, advocating for fair wages for migrant workers, supporting local educational initiatives for underprivileged children, and voicing concerns for marginalised groups. – Herald Malaysia
