SHEPHERDING GOD’S PEOPLE WITH HOPE

From Sunday evening, 7 September 2025, to Friday afternoon, 12 September 2025, I joined 35 brother Priests and Deacons from the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur and the Diocese of Melaka-Johor for our annual spiritual retreat at Majodi Centre in Plentong, Johor. It was guided by Rev Dr Henry D’Souza, SVD from Mumbai, India. Our six days together was a time of silent reflection, prayer, renewal, and rediscovering our call to be Priests for a Synodal Church.

A retreat is always a favourable time (2 Cor 6:2). It is when the Lord reshapes and moulds us, like clay in the potter’s hand (Jer 18:5-6). We are invited to surrender our Priestly lives entirely into His hands, with no resistance, trusting that God is doing something new in us (Is 43:19).

Fr Henry reminded us that a retreat is not just a break from our pastoral duties, but a grace-filled experience where Christ renews our hearts (Eph 3:16–19). To gain the most from this time, he encouraged us to adopt six dispositions: self-surrender, attentive listening, deep longing for God, seeking His will, hungering for His presence, and discovering His purpose for our lives and ministries.

One of the strongest invitations was to “put out into the deep” (Lk 5:4) – to leave behind shallow waters of comfort, routine and clericalism, and to venture courageously into deeper waters of faith, co-responsibility and listening. Just as Jesus met Peter in his exhaustion and disappointment, Christ meets us in our weaknesses and renews us for His mission.

We are also reminded that priestly identity is not found in titles, roles or positions, but in being beloved sons of God and living in Persona Christi. To be a priest is not a career, but a lifelong commitment to Christ and His Church. Our vocation calls us to walk with parishioners, to welcome them without judgment, to unite rather than divide, and to be shepherds who journey with the flock.

Fr Henry also identified the crises Priests face today: confusion of identity with roles, temptations of power, comfort or popularity, and the wounds to credibility and leadership. However, he reminded us of Jesus’ gaze upon Peter after his denial – a gaze of choice, forgiveness, and mission. Like Peter, every Priest is an imperfect human, yet we are loved, forgiven, and sent forth anew.

A Synodal Church is rooted in communion, participation and mission. As priests, we are called to promote communion, heal divisions and build trusting relationships. This involves cultivating a spirit of listening, humility and servant leadership. True leadership, as Jesus showed, is not about power, but service - not about distance, but closeness. A priest must “smell like the sheep” (Pope Francis), walking with his people and empowering them.

Finally, Fr Henry challenged us with inner transformation, by putting on the mind of Christ (Rom 12:2) – a mind of humility, self-emptying and openness to God’s Spirit. Only then can our priesthood radiate joy and hope to the people entrusted to us.