Be the Light for all

May 31, 2019

By Hazel Marie Kugan
The Catholic Students’ Society of University Malaya (CSSUM) successfully organised their Annual Camp, May 10-12.

This yearly retreat is a great opportunity for CSSUM members to gather and reflect on our individual and collective experiences of the year.

“We wanted them to be enlightened and also be the light to people when they leave this camp,” noted Bernardine Francis, Camp Director. Thus, this year’s camp proudly bore the theme enLIGHTen. It was a weekend-long event of fun, learning, and spiritual contemplation. It was attended by over 60 CSSUM members, consisting of youths of various ethnicities, backgrounds, but all united in Christ.

With a more focused emphasis on self-exploration and deep reflection, this year’s camp explored (with the guidance of ASAYO Kuala Lumpur) crucial topics ranging from our friendship with God to the revolutionising power of vulnerability. The team also organised communitybuilding activities and games that focused on empowering unity among CSSUM members.

We also spent time early in the morning in contemplative reflection on the love of Christ by uniting with the quiet of nature. Overall, activities were all geared to prepare CSSUM members to know Christ more and in knowing Christ, learn to love Him and all of Creation.

CSSUM also celebrated Mass with ASAYO Director Fr Gregory Chan, who is also the parish priest of the Church of the Assumption, Petaling Jaya. He emphasised the importance of remaining true to the faith as a youth. Members, as brothers and sisters, also sang to the rhythm of our vibrant Praise and Worship team as we praised the name of the Lord. Described best by Zachary Alden, Vice President of CSSUM, “the warmth of the Holy Spirit was felt throughout the camp, especially during the praise and worship sessions.”

With this, the beautiful family of CSSUM grows even more close, invigorated by the Holy Spirit to journey together to spread the love of Christ. “Joining the CSSUM Annual Camp this year was a great experience for me,” noted Reavle Pang, a freshman, “I finally understand what the Holy Spirit is through this camp. I am blessed to be in this community.”

In short, this was a beautiful celebration of one truth: this, despite the challenges of daily living, is a family and a family in Christ’s merciful love. How beautiful it is to remain together in Him who knows all and loves all!