KL Archdiocese receives 16k responses to questionnaire

In light of the Pope’s invitation for the global Church to participate and question itself on synodality, last November, the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur invited its flock to log into its website and respond to one or more of the 10 Thematic Nuclei deemed appropriate.

Jan 14, 2022


KUALA LUMPUR:
In light of the Pope’s invitation for the global Church to participate and question itself on synodality, last November, the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur invited its flock to log into its website and respond to one or more of the 10 Thematic Nuclei deemed appropriate.

Up to Dec 31, 2021, the Secretariat received 16,055 responses (Number of Voices) from the 10 categories, with parishes topping the list at 14,000 responses. The deadline was extended for an additional two weeks until Jan 14, 2022, for more to participate.

The data gathered and collated is currently being analysed, both digitally and manually, for synthesising to fulfil the requirements on Appendix D from the Vademecum handbook for submission.

Leading to this, the Archdiocesan Secretariat, helmed by advisors Archbishop Julian Leow and Msgr Mitchel Joseph, and contact person Rita Krishnan, carried out multiple briefing sessions and synodal orientation workshops, both in-person and virtually, for parish and diocesan synod team representatives in the urban and rural communities.

The Guidelines for Synod Team Representatives, which contained the 10 Thematic Nuclei, presentation slides, interactive script, and a video clip with Archbishop Julian’s Synodal message, was prepared to assist the clergy and synod team representatives to continue the in-consultation process (in four languages) effectively. Numerous sessions were conducted to emphasise the importance of listening to Scripture before responding.

Migrants from Myanmar and Cambodian, along with Orang Asli, participated actively, voicing their concerns and issues courageously. The Secretariat monitored parishes, ministries and the various groups’ progress to ensure assistance was always available.

The in-person sessions were useful for communities with no proper facilities or access to gadgets, and senior citizens who are not technologically savvy. Although it was a great challenge to ensure no one was left out, everyone at the peripheries were engaged and attended to in one way or another, to make the synodal process fruitful.

The handbook and the preparatory document assisted the Secretariat to structure the questionnaire and formulate the framework for the 10 Thematic Nuclei. The questionnaire was based on three main areas:

A. Recall Experiences,
B. Re-read Experiences and
C. Gather the Fruits to Share in responding to the Fundamental Question: A synodal Church, in announcing the Gospel, “journeys together.”

How is this “journeying together” happening today in your parish/diocese? What steps does the Spirit invite us to take to grow in our “journeying together?” The purpose of this synodal process is to gather transparent and truthful responses for submission to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. At the same time, these authentic data will be used for the future planning of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

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