Going back to where, it all began … at Galilee

The Diocese of Malacca Johore (MJD) held a vocation promotion week April 29 to May 1. It aimed to promote the order and to help young men who are discerning and or desiring to journey towards a diocesan priesthood.

May 19, 2023

The aspirants, seminarians with Msgr Peter Ng and Fr Adrian Francis


By Bro Aaron Alammalay

The Diocese of Malacca Johore (MJD) held a vocation promotion week April 29 to May 1. It aimed to promote the order and to help young men who are discerning and or desiring to journey towards a diocesan priesthood. Thirteen aspirants, aged 17 to their mid-forties, from the three peninsular dioceses, attended the discernment weekend.

It was organised by priests of the Church of St Louis, Msgr Peter Ng and his assistant, Fr Adrian Francis, with the help of their parishioners, who managed the food and logistics. Two seminarians and the permanent deacons from MJD also took time to be present and share input.

The session kicked off with an introduction to the programme and the seminarians sharing their vocation stories. The aspirants also talked about their reasons for joining the programme.

The organisers were inspired to use the Galilee scene as the theme. To creatively bring the theme to life, the aspirants were placed in camping tents inside the parish hall to reflect the living conditions of the fishermen surrounding the sea of Galilee.

There was also a series of talks via You- Tube, on the life of a diocesan priest, their future formation and virtues and, most importantly, the life and spirituality of a diocesan priesthood and today’s expectations from their flock, presented and facilitated by Msgr Peter and Fr Adrian. On this topic, the permanent deacons shared their expectations of a diocesan priest from their experiences.

Throughout the weekend, the pair of seminarians headed regular prayer sessions on how to use and pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Apart from the spiritual activities of silence, community, and personal prayer, a physical spiritual walk was organised before Mass and breakfast on Sunday morning. Both priests, seminarians, and aspirants walked to the local recreational park which has a lake, reflecting the journey to Galilee.

On the last day of the programme, the aspirants were given the tools for vocation discernment and to pray for the seed planted in them to grow. They were encouraged to go back to where it all started, in the calling of the Apostles at the sea of Galilee, as it is a beautiful reminder that in times of doubt, we can always return to our first love, as Pope Francis once said

Total Comments:0

Name
Email
Comments