Five spend 20 days in Parish Discipleship Formation

Mar 03, 2016

KOTA KINABALU:  Five participants dedicated 20 days of their time in the Parish Discipleship Formation (PDF) organised by LiFE Community, 8-27 Jan 2016. The objective of the PDF is to respond to the call of forming young people to be equipped in making decisions for their future. It is the desire to see young Catholics enter into adulthood with a comprehensive knowledge of who God is, who they are, what the church is all about and what God is calling them towards. The theme for the PDF was taken from the Jubilee Year of Mercy – Be Merciful Like the Father.

The first part of the PDF took place at The Annex, Montfort Youth Training Centre in Kinarut. The eight-day live-in phase was a safe haven for the participants to explore in knowledge and experience of who God is and to come to a deeper understanding of their issues as they discover their identity in God as his beloved children.

The second part of the PDF, the outreach preparation phase, was run at Sacred Heart Parish Centre. This had equipped the participants in sharing their faith stories through creative ways such as a skit, dance and song in schools, parishes and youth groups as well as a migrant learning centre.

The third part of the PDF was the closure which included a retreat and a day of planning for their future. Follow-up meetings are offered to them on a monthly basis starting Feb 15.

The discipleship formation has its focus on community living with a holistic approach as it includes not only times of prayer and teachings but also times of meal preparation, sports and fun evenings. Most of the sessions are run in the form of a workshop where everyone is actively involved in responding to questions that are practical to their lives.

The Work of Transformation

It was a privilege to see the participants returning to the heart of God the Father through a deep experience of His love. Their decisions were expressed in times of worship and communal prayer. A place of trust and acceptance had helped them in taking the step to repentance and forgiveness.

The element of community living was essential in living out the truth of what was shared in the teachings and prayer times. A roster for meal preparation, table set up, wash up and preparation of the little altar as the focus of the day helped everyone in serving one another. The expression of gratitude and encouragement was always present among the community.

Living out their identity

Each participant was encouraged to tell a story of their life’s transformation through the PDF. They were guided in their presentations so that it would be relevant to those they meet. All the participants shared that they were awakened to their true identity and were working through relationships or situations they struggle with.--kkdiocese.net