CDM Penang holds parish assembly to plan for 2018

The Church of the Divine Mercy (CDM) held its 4th Parish Assembly on Nov 26. The meeting started with a hymn and a prayer.

Dec 08, 2017

By Ng Wai Queen
The Church of the Divine Mercy (CDM) held its 4th Parish Assembly on Nov 26. The meeting started with a hymn and a prayer.

This was followed by a breakout session during which the attendees were organised into groups to discuss two questions. A representative from each group then presented what they had discussed. In discussing the first question on how the parish’s year focusing on Prayer had impacted them as a community and as individuals, all the groups commented on how the daily 8.05 pm prayer, which is the practice of pausing activity at that time to say a short prayer, had a significant impact on them.

Many said that this daily prayer had helped bring them closer to their families and to God, with some even claiming that their day felt incomplete if they had not said the 8.05 pm prayer. The Wall of Prayer, which had been set up for parishioners and visitors to post their petitions, also got the thumbs up, and it was the consensus that the Wall should be retained for the year to come.

Regarding the second question, “How can we be rooted in the Word of God in our homes and in our parish?” the suggestions given included coming to church for daily Mass and Holy Hour on the first Fridays of the month, reflecting upon the daily readings, participating during BEC gatherings and making known God’s working in our lives through works of Mercy.

In delivering his welcome speech, Parish Pastoral Council chairman, Rodney Gomez, presented the financial report, taking the assembly through the income and expenditure of the parish. He also explained the meaning and purpose of a solidarity fund.

Next was the parish report card by Mark Stephen which reminded them that they were now moving into the second year of the parish’s three-year liturgical plan (i.e. first, focusing on Prayer, then on the Word of God and, lastly, the Family). The assembly was updated on the status of the planned events/activities announced at the last assembly.

The status of the proposed new building housing the Free Learning Centre was also given, including a clear illustration on how to achieve the fundraising target of RM10 million through planned giving, projects and donations.

Since the parish focus in 2018 will be on the Word of God, the assembly was shown a video in which Pope Francis called on Catholics to consult the Bible with the same frequency as we might consult our cellphones for messages. The Bible, His Holiness explained, contains the Word of God, the most effective tool in fighting evil and keeping us close to God.

Fr Martin revealed that 2017, the parish’s Year of Focus on Prayer, had been an “intense journey” for him. He explained that prayer time was a non-negotiable part of daily life at the seminary and strictly enforced, so there was never any question of missing it. He went on to outline his plans for the parish in 2018 which included organising pilgrimages to not-so-famous churches, five formations, hosting the fourth AACOM (Asian Apostolic Congress on Mercy), and the introduction of Lectio Divina as a method of prayer. He also informed the assembly that, in the coming year, he would not be celebrating Masses at BEC level but will instead visit BECs during their gatherings to participate in their sharing sessions. Furthermore, all BECs would be encouraged to organise outreach activities to minister to the migrants, the poor and the needy living in their area.

The last item on the agenda was a Q & A session during which those present wrote down their questions and submitted them to be answered regarding their concerns about the affairs of the parish. The questions covered a wide range of topics .

The assembly ended with Fr Martin giving a reflective quote from Job 23:10-12 asking the parishioners to pray for him. This was followed by a closing prayer with everyone joining in to sing Michael W. Smith’s hymn, Ancient Words.

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