Malacca Johore Diocese News Update #180

Jul 12, 2024

Greetings dear friends of MJD,
Flash floods, by-elections, sedition reports and protests against subsidy cuts make the scene. Teachers are choosing to retire early. The JB Causeway celebrates its 100th birthday, while congestion remains a perennial problem. Melaka was packed for the Jom Heboh Weekend. There is no hike in electricity charges. The Ministry of Education “opened its doors” for the public to give their input on the next education development plan. The Pope calls for peace, for more peacemakers and the worldwide release of war prisoners.

“Dishonest” Times: Hide the smallest things. Or exploit it! It is difficult to know what or who is truthful. When truthfulness goes by the wayside so does veracity, sincerity, authenticity, credibility, trustworthiness, reality and frankness. It is a fact that the best way to destroy a nation is not by weapons of war but by spreading distrust among its citizens.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said “The simple step of the courageous individual is to not take part in the lie. Truthfulness begins at home with our wives, husbands, children, neighbours and fellow workers, to shut the door on untruthfulness in those environments.” Dishonesty and outright lying are now flooding our media and news outlets, conditioning us to get used to it. Why this onslaught on truth? Plato answered: A true lover of knowledge strives for truth. Thomas Aquinas said: lovers of truth desire to bring about peace, joy, benevolence and mercy; It is selflessness for the common good. Peacemakers desire to create order, unity, the joy it creates, and to possess a compassionate heart and practise generosity. But truth gets kicked around, twisted and ignored because it demands labour, reverence and respect. There are misled people, dishonest people and people with no moral compass. Shakespeare added “Truth teaches reality and requires integrity. We have many ostriches with their heads buried in the sand.

A Thought For The Week: Complains!
Maya Angelou’s grandma ran a general store and one thing that riled her was people complaining. They’d complain about the heat, the cold and a myriad of other issues Maya’s grandmother thought trivial. Whenever that occurred Maya’s grandmother would wait till the complainer left the store, call Maya over to her and say, “Sister, did you hear what Brother So-and-So or Sister Much-to-Do complained about? Sister, there are people who went to sleep all over the world last night, poor and rich and white and black, but they will never wake again. And those dead folks would give anything, anything at all, for just five minutes of this weather that person was grumbling about.

Lesson from the grandmother: Watch yourself about complaining. What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing, is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.

Announcements For The Week:
1. The diocese congratulates Msgr Peter Ng and Fr Thomas Chong who will be celebrating their Silver Jubilee (25 years) as priests; and Fr Anthony Ng and Fr Lucas Ho will be Golden Jubilarians (50 years) this year. More info next.

2. The Regional Pastoral Assembly 2024, popularly known as PMPC 5 draws near. Delegates from the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Diocese of Penang and the Diocese of Malacca Johore, numbering 500 are expected at MAJODI Centre from August 25- 27. It continues to be a time to listen, learn and be led by the Holy Spirit.

3. The Mangrove Planting Project initiated by Caritas-CJC MJD with the Nature Society, will see 49 participants sponsoring and planting 450 saplings at Kukup.

4. Healing Seminar: “By His wounds you have been healed”, 1 Pt 2:24 with Jude Antoine, is organised by the Charismatic Prayer Group of the Church of the Immaculate Conception, JB. Dates: July 20-21. Registration Fee is RM50. For more info, contact: Fidelis 019-7488389 or Magdalene 019-7541409

5. Spiritual Warfare in the Last Days organised by the Church of St Louis, Kluang, for young people to learn about new diabolic influences. The session in English is on Saturday, August 3. The contact person is Maria 016-7787992. The session in Mandarin is on Sunday August 4. The contact person is Annie 016-7703138.

6. In an initiative to raise funds for the new church, the youth of the Church of St Theresa, Masai upcycled the old pillars unto crucifixes. Priced at RM35, each crucifix bears witness to the enduring spirit of devotion. As you hold this relic in your hands, you’re holding a piece of the church’s legacy.

To purchase the crucifix, please contact: Benedict 017-8650559, Joanna Kate 012- 7886503 or Sharvinder 010-9282588

QnQ? Q asks: What is the leadership style of Jesus?
On May 5 and 6, the Leadership Conference promoted by Alpha took place in London. Pope Francis was present through a video message in which he explained leadership according to Jesus.

1) True leadership is centred on service.
2) It leads towards God the Father.
3) It is personal but not exclusive.
4) It is fruitful: it knows how to raise more leaders.
5) It works in a network.
6) It brings the tenderness and mercy of God.

See the Holy Spirit at work: “In the inner stillness where meditation leads, the Spirit secretly anoints the soul and heals our deepest wounds.” — St John of the Cross

Something to tickle you: God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfil His promises, leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Bishop Bernard Paul