STRIVE FOR A JOYFUL AND LIVELY CHURCH

Photo: WYD in Lisbon (Internet)

Pope Francis has announced his prayer intention for the month of August 2023, which focuses on the ongoing World Youth Day (WYD), which is currently taking place from 1 – 6 August in Lisbon, Portugal. The Holy Father “invites young people to set aside their fears and embark on a joyful journey to bear witness to Christ in our world.” The Church aims for this 38th World Youth Day in Lisbon to empower young people with the inspiration and guidance to express and share the teachings of the Gospel in their day-to-day routines.

The Church should not be considered “an old people’s club any more than it is a youth club.” It is not for older people or youth exclusively. If it is only for older people, it will not persist or stay alive. Holy Father quoted what Saint John Paul II believed: living with young people can make you feel young. Therefore, the Church requires young people to remain youthful so that the Church doesn’t “grow old”. The Church invites all our young people to take on leadership roles and reach out to more young members to inspire their faith. The Church always desires to be more vibrant, youthful and compelling, now more than ever.

The Holy Father has chosen the theme: Mary Arose And Went With Haste (LK 1: 39-40) for this year’s WYD. Upon hearing that her elderly cousin Elizabeth was pregnant, Mary didn’t hesitate to offer her support, despite being in the early stages of her own pregnancy. Hence, it is vital for young people to undertake a joyful journey of witnessing Christ in our world by helping and serving others, as we take inspiration from Mother Mary and learn from her example.

The Holy Father hopes “to see a seed for the world’s future” during the WYD in Lisbon. In a world where love reigns supreme, we have the ability to recognise that we are all fellow brothers and sisters. The Pope expressed his desire for “a joyful world” where no one is afraid of witnessing the Gospel. As Christians, it is essential to spread the joy of the Gospel to the world. Without joy, we may not be seen as credible and people may not believe our message.

The youth are both the present and future of the Church. The Holy Father invites the Church to pray for young people worldwide this month. After the challenging experience of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation, he wants the “seeds” which have been planted during the WYD to bear fruits for the world’s future and persist in a youthful spirit in the Catholic Church.

We pray that the convoy of 148 young people from the Malaysian Church returns safely. We also pray that they foster a sense of hope and inspire other youth members in our parishes to strive for a joyful and lively Church across our nation from time to time.

“Jesus, Himself eternally young, wants to give hearts that are ever young… True youth means having a heart capable of loving, whereas everything that separates us from others makes the soul grow old…” (Christus Vivit, Christ is Alive, no. 13).

ARISE AND STAND FOR YOUR FAITH

This year the Church celebrates the 38th World Youth Day (WYD) from 1-6 August 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, with the theme – “Mary arose and went with haste” (LK 1: 38). Immediately upon hearing the news of her cousin Elizabeth’s conception in her old age, the Blessed Virgin Mary, who herself was in the early stages of her pregnancy, arose and went “in haste” to assist Elizabeth (LK 1:39-40). Hence, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, desires our young people to arise from their sleep and wake up to live fully and experience their youthfulness fully.

Saint John Paul II initiated the World Youth Day celebration through the influence of the Youth Light-Life Movement, which existed in Poland since 1985. The first WYD was held in Rome on Palm Sunday, in 1986. Since then, the Catholic Church has celebrated World Youth Day (WYD) annually worldwide, on Palm Sunday until 2020. Since 2021, it has been celebrated on the Feast of Christ the King at Diocese levels. Once every two or three years, it is celebrated on a global level.

The 34th WYD in Panama City (2019) was the last one held at worldwide level, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, and the next three consecutive years (2020-2022), the celebrations were held in dioceses worldwide. For these three years, the Holy Father emphasised the two verbs – “arise and stand up”, which are the keywords for their preparation for the WYD gathering in Lisbon, Portugal. This year’s gathering in Portugal will mark his fourth WYD after Poland, Brazil and Panama. Lisbon was chosen because, in the 15th and 16th centuries, the young people, including missionaries throughout Portugal, “set out for unknown lands, to share their experience of Jesus with other peoples and nations.”

“Arise and Stand Up” – come from the biblical texts for the three consecutive years’ theme for the WYD (2020-2023). For 2021, the theme was, “Young man, I say to you arise!” (Lk 7: 14), for 2021, “Stand up, I appoint you as a witness of what you have seen” (cf. Acts 26: 16) and for 2022/23, “Mary arose and went with haste,” (LK 1: 39). These verbs are the main highlight in the Holy Father’s Exhortation (2018),“Christus Vivit” (Christ is Alive!), inviting the young people to awaken and experience the new life in Christ.

The worldwide WYD celebration allows young people to connect with the Holy Father, Church leaders, and fellow youths worldwide. It is a chance to share their ideas, cultures, languages and experiences of faith. It is also an invitation to witness the living Church and how they can bring liveliness and renewal to the Catholic Church today. WYD meetings help understand the importance of Christ in personal faith journeys.

Young people must make great efforts to rise and stand up for their faith in Christ and share the Good News with those in contact with them. The Holy Spirit will accompany them, the grace of the Lord Jesus will overflow in their hearts to give them the courage to arise and stand for their faith, and the Church is always a lamp for their life path. My dear young people – you need to rise again!

LONGEVITY IS A BLESSING

The Universal Church celebrates the 3rd World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly (WDGE) this Sunday, 23 July 2023, with the theme “His Mercy Is From Age To Age” (Lk 1: 50). WDGE is celebrated on the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anne (Jesus’ grandparents) which falls on 26 July, every year. This theme is closely related to the upcoming World Youth Day (WYD), which will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, from 1-6 August 2023.

The theme for WYD emphasises the significance of the relationship between the young and older generations, as proclaimed in the Magnificat. It is the story of Mary, who quickly travelled to visit her older cousin Elizabeth. Both celebrations, which are just a matter of days apart, remind us to reflect on the “haste” (cf. v 39) with which Mary set out to visit Elizabeth – “the bond that unites young and old.” Holy Father expects the “young people to bring joy to the hearts of the elderly, as Mary did to Elizabeth, and gain wisdom from their experiences.”

In 2021, Pope Francis designated this day because he felt that grandparents and the elderly are frequently overlooked, despite their significant contributions to society. He aims to bridge the gap between generations and pass down valuable life experiences and faith to the younger generation. The Pope highlighted that “between the two generations, there is a communion of life and faith, mutual giving and gratitude, and a witness of hope and charity.”

The presence of grandparents and the elderly must be treasured in families and communities because we share the same heritage and roots. They should not be abandoned or cast aside. The Holy Father desires that young people who are attending WYD in Lisbon, visit their grandparents or an elderly person they know, before they leave for the trip. The Pope assures young people that blessings and prayers from the elderly will protect and accompany them throughout WYD’s celebration.

We want our elderly parents and grandparents to live long, healthy and peaceful lives. We want to see them happy and joyful in their golden years, surrounded by loving family and friends. We pray for those who have been abandoned and for those who are lonely and isolated. We pray for their spiritual strength and for their physical well-being. Scripture respects and honours the elderly, saying that “longevity is a blessing.”

Plenary indulgence will be granted to all the grandparents, the elderly, the sick and the homebound who participate in the Eucharistic celebration and Sacrament of Confession on the day of WDGE. Plenary Indulgence is also granted to those who visit them either in-person or virtual. The Holy Father wants us to be more charitable in deepening their spiritual lives and seek His mercy in every way.

To have grandparents and the elderly in our family is a blessing, indeed! They are great gifts that makeup part of our families and the church. “Do not reject me in my old age, nor desert me when my strength is failing…” (Ps 71: 9). May God’s will be done unto them.

A MENTOR AND SPIRITUAL GUIDE

Image source: Internet

On Sunday, 9 July 2023, Pope Francis announced the appointment of 21 new cardinals from the window of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. Out of these newly appointed cardinals, 18 are electors. Electors are individuals who are under the age of 80 and have the right to vote in a conclave when selecting a new Pope. The Pontiff has carried out this action nine times since he was elected in 2013.

 

The hierarchy of the Catholic Church is truly fascinating, especially when it comes to the rank of “cardinal.”Cardinals are the senior members of the clergy within the Catholic Church. The Pope appoints cardinals for a lifetime. It is the responsibility of the Pope to name cardinals, and the longer he serves, the more he appoints to replace retiring cardinals through the conclave. Over the centuries, the Roman Pontiff appoints regional bishops as cardinals to help in administering various offices of the Universal Church. At present, there are 137 cardinal electors in the College of Cardinals. The minimum quorum required by the regulations is 120.

The Most Reverend Dato Seri Sebastian Francis, DD, who serves as the Bishop of Penang, was named a Cardinal-Elect on 9 July 2023. Pope Francis will officially elevate him to the cardinalate during the 9th consistory, which will take place on 30 September 2023. Sebastian Francis, who is now a Cardinal-Elect, has been serving the Diocese of Penang since 2012. He has been the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei since 2016.

 

After the passing of Cardinal Soter Fernandez, Cardinal-Elect Sebastian will be the second cardinal from our country. When I first heard the announcement about his appointment as announced by the Vatican, I was filled with excitement. I first met him back in 1993, when I was among the three individuals who sat for psychological evaluation exams known as Parisi Test, as a requirement for admission into the seminary. He was a priest moderator or person-in-charge of the examination.

 

In 1995, the late Cardinal Soter Fernandez, who was the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur at the time, accepted me into the seminary in Penang. During my Initiation Year, I had the privilege of being taught Vatican Council by Cardinal-Elect Sebastian and from 1996 to 1997, he was my Spiritual Director and Confessor.

Once his term as a lecturer and formator in the seminary was over, he returned to serve in the Diocese of Johor-Malacca - his place of origin. I would seek spiritual guidance and advice, especially when I was discerning becoming a priest. He gave me good advice, which then pointed me in the right direction. Before being ordained, I went to him for my personal 5-day retreat to prepare for my significant milestone. Cardinal-Elect Sebastian has played an instrumental role in guiding me throughout my seminary life and priesthood. Even during the initial stage of my ministry, he has been a wonderful mentor and spiritual guide.

Cardinal-Elect Sebastian… as you wear your scarlet robes and as the Pope places the biretta (a hat) on your head to symbolise your elevation to the cardinalate, may you enthusiastically act with courage to strengthen the Christian faith and promote peace among the people.

Image source: Internet

SERVICE TO GOD, CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

On Sunday, 9 July 2023, Archbishop Julian Leow will officiate the Sacrament of Confirmation for 26 candidates from our Parish. Among them, 7 are migrants from Indonesia who work in the plantations near Maran in Pahang and 3 are from Kampung Asli. Following their Confirmation Camp two weeks ago, all candidates participated in the Sacrament of Confession.

The Sacrament of Confirmation is a very special sacrament for our confirmands. Receiving the sacrament is a crucial step in their journey towards becoming a mature Christian. As with all of us, the Sacrament of Confirmation is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives and leads us through personal growth and development. When we take ownership of our faith responsibilities and fulfil our commitments, we ignite a new fire within us. We must witness Christ’s teachings through our actions and utilise our given talents and gifts for the growth of the Church. Living our faith strengthens our relationship with the Church and deepens our connection to our beliefs and values.

Before being confirmed, the bishop asks candidates a set of questions, also known as the Renewal of Baptismal Promises. The first question asks us whether we renounce Satan, his works, and all of his materialistic manifestations. The second question is centred on our faith in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the resurrection of Christ and the promise of eternal life. When we respond “I do”, we seal and solidify our commitment and loyalty to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.

Experiencing Confirmation is a significant moment in our life’s journey. The bishop extends his hands over the confirmands and invokes the outpouring of the Spirit in these words:

 

“All-Powerful, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit, you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life. Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their helper and guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgement and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence...” (CCC #1299, cf. Isaiah 11: 1-3)

 

During Anointing, the Archbishop anoints the confirmands with Chrism Oil and says the words, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit,” which represents the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and signifies their consecration to God’s service. Chrism represents the strength and healing of the confirmands being confirmed.

My dear Confirmands, be proud and grateful to be living ambassadors of Christ through the Sacrament of Confirmation. Give thanks to God and to your faith community - especially to your family, teachers, friends, sponsors, godparents, parishioners and priests - who have worked tirelessly in helping you complete this important milestone. Remember your faith community plays a significant role in shaping you into the person you are today, and as you progress forward, don’t forget to live your life in service to God and the Church.