MJ Diocese aims to be a participative Church

Seventeen members of the Malacca Johore Pastoral Team (MJPT) met at the Church of St Louis on March 18 to discuss and strategise plans for the diocese.

Mar 31, 2023


KLUANG: Seventeen members of the Malacca Johore Pastoral Team (MJPT) met at the Church of St Louis on March 18 to discuss and strategise plans for the diocese.

The MJPT meet is organised twice annually, usually at the beginning and at the end of the year. It comprises the bishop’s delegate, directors, heads, assistant heads and directors, pastoral workers and lay leaders serving in Malacca Johore Diocese (MJD) ministries, united under the umbrella of Mission Pastoral Institute (MPI) of MJD.

Vicar of Pastoral Affairs, Fr James Rajendran, gave a welcoming address to start the meet, followed by Praise and Worship and a moment of silence to ponder on the Gospel reading for the day.

Head of MPI, Fr Paul Sia, presented an overview on maintaining continuity from the first five-year Pastoral Plan i.e., the 4E spirituality, the Communion of Families that seeks to be Creative, Inclusive, Bridge-Building, Visionary and Missionary. In order to achieve it, we must re-look the current pandemic situation, re-design strategies and action, and re-direct to become a light of Hope.

Ministries took turns presenting their proposed plans for 2023 and the challenges faced. The common challenges include meeting the cost of providing training, formation, and programmes (financial constraints), clashing of events, getting new and younger members and leaders, and weekend rest day issue (Malacca and Johore have different rest days and public holidays).

Bishop Bernard gave his input by emphasising on:

1) Pastoral priorities for all ministries
2) Principles of pastoral care
3) Being ministries in a Synodal Church
4) Needing a Synodal Conversion
5) Cultural image for the local Church
6) Communal discernment

In his closing address, Fr James thanked everyone present for the memorable and fruitful meet, highlighting the importance of being a participative Church with a renewed sense of mission that journeys together as one body of Christ without losing anyone along the way.

Together Building His Kingdom!

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