Marian Congress - May 15 & 16

Over 1,000 participants from various parishes in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur gathered in Wisma MCA for the Marian Congress. This two day event had as its theme, "Mary - Model Disciple for Mission." This Congress was intended to give the participants an insight into the spirituality and perfect discipleship of Mary and how they imitate her as a model disciple in Christ. The event was jointly organised by the Church of St Ignatius and the KL Archdiocese Regia of the Legion of Mary.

The speakers were Fr Robert Faricy SJ (USA), Cheryl Nguyen (USA), Sr Celia Chua MIC (Canada), and two Malaysians, Fr Bernard Paul,and Fr Michael Chua.


More videos on the Welcoming Parish youtube channel.

Bible in 100 Weeks - Training of Facilitators

Sunday (May 2) --- Msgr James Gnanapiragasam, the Chairman of the Archdiocesan Biblical Ministry, gave an introduction of the objectives and dynamics of the Bible in 100 Weeks course to several parishioners who had volunteered to be trained as small group facilitators. Msgr James explained that the course is a simple of way of reading the entire bible from cover to cover and gives the participant "a first glimpse of the entire bible."

"It's not mean to be an academic course but the course is meant to allow the participant to read the entire Bible over a period of time," he added. "The Bible is to be read with the correct perspective. It is first and foremost the Word of God, and so must be read with faith and within the heart of the Church."

The method of bible study that is introduced by this course is both personal and at group level. Participants are expected to read 1-2 chapters of the Bible every week according to a prescribed schedule. The weekly meetings are opportunities for the participants to share the fruits of their bible reading and reflection.

The Bible in 100 Weeks course will be commencing soon. Please look out for announcements in the bulletin.

For more information on the course and handbook, please contact: Doreen 017-3326007 & Jessie 019-2524290.

The Hour of the Laity - Formation on the Vocation of the Laity

Saturday, April 10 (Seremban) -- After the Second Vatican Council, there often seems to have been confusion among clergy, religious and laity in the Church on what the differences are in their vocations. As a result, we witness today unprecedented movements in the Church towards the gradual laicisation of the clergy and the clericalisation of the laity. A proper understanding of the roles of clergy, religious and laity needs to be restored. This need has become particularly pronounced among the laity as the lay faithful have been given more prominent emphasis in the Church since Vatican II.

In conjunction with the Year of the Priest, the Parish Pastoral Council of Visitation invited Dr. Sherman Kuek to speak on the role of the laity in exercising their common baptismal priesthood. The purpose of this formation is to help the lay faithful understand their role as collaborators of the ministerial (ordained) priesthood and share in the priestly, prophetic and kingly mission of Christ in the world. Dr. Kuek, being himself a married layperson and a theologian, shared with the participants as to how families, married couples, parents, single people, young people, lay leaders can live out their lay vocation and the roles and responsibilities proper to their vocation.

In the defining what it means to be 'laity,' Dr. Kuek outline the parameters set by church documents. In the negative, laity means "all the faithful except those in holy orders and those in consecrated life." However, the crux of the various sessions was outlining and then expounding what the laity 'are' in a positive way. The common priesthood of the laity is ultimately defined by the Sacraments of Initiation, namely that every baptised person is inserted and incorporated into the Body of Christ by baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation. Through incorporation into Christ at baptism, the laity share in His threeold office as prophet, priest and king.

In the various sessions, Dr. Kuek then expounded on the priestly, prophetic and kingly mission of the laity and highlighted how these were distinctively (ontologically) different from that of the ordained or ministerial priesthood. He constantly challenged the participants to see their mission as laity as being situated in the World. Acting as a kind of a leaven, the laity are called to "seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and ordering them according to God's will" (Lumen Gentium 31), that is to say, according to justice and charity, thereby cooperating with Christ in his saving, healing and transfiguring work.

Dr. Kuek is presently the director of the Pastoral Institute of Melaka Johor Diocese. He had also served in the Church of Visitation as Pastoral Associate for Formation and Youth Ministry. He blogs on http://www.shermankuek.net/

RCIA Retreat 2010

The Elect, candidates for the Sacraments of Initiation, from the various language groups will be participating in various retreats this weekend. This is a special time of grace for the candidates as they make their final spiritual preparation for Holy Week and the Easter Triduum.

During the period of Purification and Enlightenment (Season of Lent) that immediately precedes the celebration of the Easter Mysteries, there is already a shift in the atmosphere from formal teaching to a time of inner quiet, reflection, and more spiritual growth. It is a time of ‘going into the desert’ and seeking the Lord, listening in one’s heart for his call, and learning to respond to him. Lent becomes a time for quieting the daily noise, a time of deeper reflection on the Scriptures, and a time to recognise how the candidates/elect are being led by the Spirit. The elect are challenged to reflect upon their own conversion journey – how they have already changed and where they are called to continual change.

This 2-day retreat (1 day for some of the language groups) is the climax of the entire ‘retreat’ experience of Lent. This intense retreat is a time away from the daily world and its distractions for the purpose of being with God and listening for His will.

The theme for Day I of the Retreat is built around the symbol of the cross. It is hope that meditations, prayer exercises and reflections will lead the candidates to commit themselves more firmly to the cross of Christ. For it is in the cross, that they will encounter the God who loves them and wishes to free them from slavery to darkness and sin. It is the cross, that Jesus promises us new life.



On the Day 2 of the Retreat, the Elect will be led to recall the steps of the journey that have brought them here and they take a further step into the unknown, ongoing journey of faith in resurrected life. This retreat is based on the unusually long Liturgy of the Word for the Easter Vigil. The nine readings of the Liturgy of the Word remind elect and sponsors alike that they are indeed pilgrims on the way, a people with a story that is ongoing.

As a parish community waiting to receive them as new members, as brothers and sisters in Christ on the night of the Easter Vigil, let us keep them in prayer during this weekend as they make this journey with and into the very mystery of God.

Bible Camp - Stds 4 - 6

By Juliana Cantius


The Bible camp for the children in Stds 4-6, was held on Tuesday the 16th of March 2010. The theme for the Camp was "PREFERENTIAL LOVE FOR THE POOR". Our Energetic team of Cathecist and Y2Y youths made it a Fun Event for the Kids. The Y2Y Team organized the Icebreakers & action songs for the children which was a Blast!!

The Camp Started with the Bible Enthronement. The first session on the Theme was conducted by Spencer & Amanda Sequerah, starting with a touching video presentation of a Short film called " Chicken Ala carte" that touched the children to think about the poor & hungry children and how to appreciate what they have.

After the a break, the children had fun with More Games and songs also Art work. Next was a Bible story, from the book of Luke 16 vs19-31 'The Rich Man & Lazarus' by Catechist Ann, Samantha, Amy, Angeline & Julie. This story taught the children that it is not a Sin to be Rich, but it is a sin to Turn Away and choose to ignore, those who are dying without - food, clothes, care or a home which are The Basic needs for every living being.

Finally when it was time for group dynamics, we were amazed, at how much the children had learnt from the Camp in sharing with us as groups with their written testimonies. After the Final Blessing by Father George, we dismissed the children.

A big Thank You to the Team That put this camp together:- Y2Y - Jamie, Cassy, John, Jaqueline, Melsilla & Audrey.

The Catechist :-Sr. Theresa, Elizabeth, Patricia, Magaret, Rosaline, Thresa, Amy, Amanda, Spencer, Samantha, Angeline & Juliana.
Also Father George & Eddy Joseph.
The Parents for their cooperation & the Children!!!!

More photos on Facebook.

Tamil Charismatic Rally - Leadership, Proclaimers of the Word, and Messengers

March 21 (Seremban) - As part of the Lenten preparation for the Tamil speaking community of the Church of Visitation, Seremban, the Tamil Charismatic Service Team of Visitation had invited the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocesan Tamil Charismatic Service Team to conduct this rally. Three talks were given on the themes of leadership, proclamation of the Word, and the mission of messengers.

Last Friday, March 19, the Tamil speaking community also listened to a talk on the significance of Lent given by Fr. Octavius, a priest from India.

Bible Formation (English and Mandarin)

Today, March 20, parishioners from both the English speaking (136 participants) and Mandarin speaking (30 over participants) communities underwent a formation which introduced them on the basic principles of studying and praying the bible. Fr. Clement Lim from the Church of Immaculate Conception, PD spoke at the Mandarin session whereas, Fr. Michael Chua, the parish priest of Visitation delivered the English formation. Here are some basic tips which the participants had learned during the session:

• Note Geographical, Historical and Cultural Background.
• Know the Circumstances of Writing: Audience, Time, Place and Other Factors.
• Interpret According to the Purpose of the Writer.
• Recognise the Form of Literature.
• Interpret According to the Grammar of the Passage.
• Get at the Meaning of Single Words, But always study them in their setting.
• Interpret a Passage in the Light of its Context.
• Interpret any Passage in the Light of the Whole Bible Teaching & Analogy of Faith
• Interpret it within the Church – the light of Tradition guided by Magisterium

More photos on Facebook.

Bible Formation (Tamil): How to Study the Bible?

In line with the Parish theme, "The Bible, A Guide for our Steps, A Light for the World", the Parish Pastoral Council and the priests have decided to provide a basic formation that introduces lay persons to the art of studying and praying the bible. The formation will be conducted in 3 languages, with the first formation in Tamil conducted this afternoon by Fr. George Packiasamy. Over 70 participants attended this afternoon's Tamil formation.

At last year's Parish Pastoral Assembly, the following focus for the year 2010 was affirmed:

Focus: To make the Bible, the Word of God the centre of our lives, and the basis of:
1. Community and Unity
2. Discipleship
3. Prayer
4. Service
5. Witnessing

Method:
a) ACTM focus on training and introducing leaders to Lectio Divina (Spiritual Reading).
b) To provide modules for Lectio Divina based on Lectionary Readings
c) Formations on Bible (including 100 Weeks Bible, 44 week Bible Course etc.)
d) Formations on Evangelisation/ Witnessing/ Discipleship/ Spirituality
e) Retreat on Lectio Divina
f) Catechetical Emphasis on Bible
g) Ensure that every family or member should have a bible (cheap Bibles or sponsored bibles to be made available to poorer families; audio CDs for those who are illiterate)

More photos on Facebook.

IFFAsia Mission Intership - Mission as Witness and Dialogue

12 interns of the Institute of Formation, Fondacio Asia, hailing from China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Philippines, Japan and Malaysia attended a 3 day workshop-cum-course (from February 25 - 27) on theology of religions and interreligious dialogue conducted by Fr. Michael Chua, Ecclesiastical Assistant of the Archdiocesan Ministry of Ecumenical and Interreligous Affairs (AMEIA) and parish priest of the Church of Visitation, Seremban. They were hosted by families living in Bukit Rasah area of Seremban.

The course introduced the interns to the Catholic theology of religions,i.e. the way in which the Catholic Church perceives and relates with other religions. On the second day of the programme, they were also invited to reflect on the relationship between proclamation and dialogue within the larger context of evangelisation. This was followed by a session which helped them explore personal ethnocentrism and obstacles to dialogue. The last day of the programme introduced the students to the four fold typology of dialogue and challenged them to find ways of meaningfully applying the principles they had learned during the course in their own respective home environment.

Apart from the various talks and workshops, they were also brought on a study tour of a Sikh Gurdwara and a Hindu Temple. Upon their return, Fr. Chua helped them to develop a methodology of observation, reflection and analysis which could be used for future visits.

On the second day of the programme, Dr. Patricia Martinez, the first non-Muslim Malaysian to have received a PhD in Islam, gave them a brief summary of the religion of Islam, its main pillars, and shared her own personal experience of studying Islam as a non-Muslim.

The interns will remain in Seremban until Sunday, February 28. On the last day of their stay, they will be assigned to several upper secondary classes of the Sunday School to allow them to share their own personal experiences and to interact with the students.

Singapore Landings Team Visits Seremban

A small delegation of the Landing Team from the Church of Holy Spirit, Singapore, led by Fr. Andrew Wong, visited the Church of Visitation, Seremban this afternoon. The Singapore team had an informal discussion over lunch with Fr. Michael Chua, Fr. Clement Lim, Mr. John Lim (PPC Chairman) and Mr. Benedict Chan (PFC Chairman)over the possibilities of expanding the Landings programme in Seremban and both parishes explored opportunities for future mutual cooperation.

Landings reaches out to inactive Catholics and empowers laity to welcome them home. In parishes, groups of six to eight active Catholics join together with two or three who are returning. Over the course of 10 weeks, group members listen to one another tell their faith stories. The course then culminates in a retreat where the Sacrament of Penance/ Reconciliation is celebrated. The key to Landings is compassionate listening. And more than just words, Landings offers the example of lived faith.

The Church of Visitation ran its inaugural Landings course which started in May this year. Participants have shared how they have experienced healing through the compassionate listening of fellow pilgrims.

Landings IS:

• A safe harbor or landing place for returning Catholics to explore their faith and future with the Church.
• A group of six to eight active Catolics joined together to welcome two or three returning Catholics to share and explore faith together.
• People in solidarity with the returning, who in their own lives have "returned," and continue to "return."
• Founded on the belief that we do not have to be trained theologians to share what we believe, and to speak honestly about our faith, trusting in the Holy Spirit.

Monthly ACTM Formation

You may have heard of the monthly ACTM Formations being announced at mass and in the parish bulletins but have remained clueless with regards to its meaning and purpose.

What does ACTM mean? Area Core Team Members!

The ensuing question follows: "Who are the Area Core Team Members?" The Area Core Team Members form the core leadership of every B.E.C (Basic Ecclesial Community). They are usually made up of the following persons, the Chief Coordinator, the Assistant Coordinator, the Messenger, the Youth Representative, the Liturgical Representative and the IHD Representative (apart from the main coordinator, the other roles may not be filled in some BECs). The ACT Members are of primary importance because they are responsible for animating the other members of the BEC and form the crucial link between the parish and the grass roots.

Every month, the parish offers a systematic formation for the ACTM, thus the ACTM formation, which usually falls on the last Wednesday of each month. The ACTM formations are conducted in 3 languages (the Orang Asli pastoral workers meet with the Orang Asli BECs separately at the different villages). The monthly ACTM formation is an opportunity to foster a “sense of Church” among the various BECs, cooperation and harmony among the 3 language groups, simulation and training for the conducting monthly reflections at area BEC level.

The formation sessions are conducted by the members of the Parish BEC Animating Team (BECAT). Apart from this role, the members of the BECAT's main responsibilities are to give clear understanding of the importance, identity and functioning of BECs at both ACTM formations and at periodic visits to BECs. They also collaborate with the Priests of the Pairsh in the formation, motivation and dissemination of orientation of Parish Pastoral Plan with regards to BECs.

For the past two years, the BECs of the Church of Visitation have been using the parish reflection papers which are targeted to help BEC members reflect on the themes and focus set by the Parish Pastoral Assembly based on the stages of the New Image of the Parish (NIP) 9 years parish renewal plan.

Pastoral Visit To Zone / BEC Leaders

Since last year, the priests of the parish together with the Parish BEC Animating Team (BECAT) members have been visiting the various zones in the parish. The reason for such a visit is certainly the sincere intention of the priests and the BECAT to listen to the problems and difficulties faced by our BEC and Zone leaders and to encourage them in their important ministry in helping build this parish into an authentic Communion of Communities. After a break of a few months due to Lent, and the months leading up to the Parish Feast and thereafter, the pastoral visits have been resumed.

Each visit begins with a time of prayer and reflection, leading the leadership of the zone to reflect on the nature of their pastoral ministry and commitment towards it. The BEC leaders, thereafter, will give their respective report of the state of affairs in each BEC. A dialogue with the priests and the BECAT team follows, as suggestions on how to face or resolve some of the problems highlighted are discussed and fine-tuned. At the end of the end of the visit, the priests and the BECAT Team members pray over the Zone and BEC leaders as a sign of recommissioning.

Let us join together to pray for our BEC and Zone leaders that will be men and women committed to their special vocation in this pastoral ministry of building small communities:

Heavenly Father,
We gather today in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ
and the by power of the Spirit
that we may commend these Zone and BEC leaders into your loving care.
May they be enthusiastic in their ministry and proclaim your presence through word and deed.
May the Word of God find a home in their hearts
May it connect with their lives and nourish and encourage them
May your Word give them meaning and direction
so that they may serve those placed under their pastoral care
and leadership with humility and commitment
We pray that empowered by the Spirit,
they may bring joy to people who are sad,
And hope to people who are desolate
and courage to people who are afraid.
We make this prayer in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.

Formation for Parents of Confirmation Class

September 13- The parents of students preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation attended a formation conducted by Fr. Michael. The formation covered two major topics: an understanding of the Sacrament of Confirmation within the sacramental economy of the Church, and the understanding the generation gap between parents and their teens.

In the first part of the formation, Fr. Michael debunked the popular belief which often portrays or understands the Sacrament of Confirmation as a Sacrament of Christian maturity. This misconception has often led to the consequent erroneous view of seeing Confirmation as a form of graduation at the end of Catechetical studies. He stressed that Confirmation to be properly understood must always be examined in the light of its essential and intimate link with the Sacrament of Baptism. To put it colloquially, Confirmation is the "more" of Baptism. Confirmation strengthens the graces received at Baptism, i.e. divine adoption, the gift of the Holy spirit, the vocation to mission. Confirmation strengthens the graces of baptism in order that the newly confirmed will give witness to his faith in the world. As one of the suggestions offered to parents, Fr. Michael stressed the need for parents and all Catholics to undertake a paradigm change from one which purely maintains presents structures to one in which the Church is defined by its mission to the world.

In the second half of the session, Fr. Michael explained the 3 major psychological tasks which the teenager/ adolescent experiences as part of his psycho-social development, namely, a search for identity, establishing relationships, and finally, preparing for a life long vocation. He also shared about the different ways both teenagers and their parents deal with stress, sometimes holding them in, at other times acting them out. He proposed that the healthy way of dealing with stress would be to work them through. This entails naming the problem, owning it, recognising one's inability to solve every problem and therefore the need for referral and dependence on others and God.

Alpha Course (Mandarin)

The Chinese Apostolate of Visitation has introduced the Alpha Course for Catholics for the Mandarin speaking community. This is the first time the Alpha Course has been conducted in Mandarin in this parish. Previously, the Alpha Course had been conducted in English for two years consecutively.

The Alpha course is a course on the basics of the Christian faith, described as "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life," currently running in churches, homes, workplaces, prisons, universities and a wide variety of other locations. The course is being run around the world by all major Christian denominations.

Alpha was started by the Revd Charles Marnham, a curate at Holy Trinity, Brompton, a Church of England parish in London. The name 'Alpha' was suggested by Tricia Marnham, Charles' wife. It started as a course for church members on the basics of the Christian faith but then began to be used as an introduction for those interested in the faith. In 1990 the Revd Nicky Gumbel, at that time a curate at Holy Trinity, took over the running of the course at the invitation of the Revd Sandy Millar, the then vicar, and oversaw its revision and expansion.

In 2008, over 33,500 courses were offered in 163 countries by Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, British New Church Movement and Orthodox [2] denominations. By 2009 proponents claimed over 13 million people worldwide had attended an Alpha course (two million in the UK).

This Mandarin version of the course was made possible through the dedication and enthusiasm of a group of young working adults from Kuala Lumpur, under the leadership of Mark Tan. They have been travelling to Seremban every week for the last two months in order to share with the parishioners and friends of the Church of Visitation.

Forum on Freedom of Information

A forum/workshop on Freedom of Information entitled "Right to Information" was held in Visitation Hall today. This event was jointly organised by Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) and Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ).

What is freedom of information? Why is it important? One of the United Nation's earliest resolutions asserts, "Freedom of Information is a fundamental human right and ... the touchstone of all freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated." The Universal Declaration of Human Rights defines it as, "the freedom to hold opinions without interference, and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

Information is power. If disseminated, shared and made accessible to others, it empowers them. On the other hand, information or rather the withholding or distortion of information cripples persons and the society in general.

The objective of this workshop was to create awareness among the public of this basic right to information and to propose a way forward to facilitate the promotion of this right, namely through the promulgation of a Freedom of Information legislation.

The speakers/ trainers who spoke to the participants were Claudia Theophilus, who is a journalist working with Al-Jazeera, and Noel Dass a researcher at CPPS, ASLI.

Media Youth Camp 2009

The Catechetical Ministry under the direction of Sr. Theresa Chua, IJ, Pastoral Associate for Catechetics organised it annual media youth camp for the pre-confirmation class, numbering over 40 students. This year's media camp was held on the grounds of the Church of Visitation for the first time from the 21st to 23rd of August, after having been organised in Seminari Teologi Malaysia (STM) for past several years.

The camp was animated and facilitated by the team from the Cahayasuara Communications Centre, which comes under the Social Communications Commission of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. Over the last 20 years, Cahayasuara Communications Centre, has been conducting the Media Education Camp called "ReFOCUS" in several parishes and locations, including the Church of Visitation. The camps actively engages young people in producing Public Service Advertisement videos.

The results of the ReFOCUS Media Camp will be posted on Youtube after some editing has been done to the productions.

Call to Be Human, Call to be Holy, Call to Solidarity

Recollection for IHD Ministry Members, August 22


“Ministry can be for us a great source of blessing as well as a great source of temptation,” said Rev. Fr. Michael Chua, as he spoke to the members of the Integral Human Development (IHD) Ministry of the Church of Visitation, Seremban in a one day recollection that took place on August 22nd. During the sessions, time of prayer and small group discussions, the 40 over members of the various ministries under the IHD umbrella were led to reflect on their vocation and the challenges thereto.

The story of Jesus’ baptism and the ensuing narrative on his temptations in the desert were used to highlight the central point that our call is not defined primarily by what we do but by our relationship with God. Being “called” and being “chosen” is synonymous to being named “the Beloved of God,” our truest identity. The temptations of Jesus are invariably temptations that lead one to believe that our identity and self-worth are defined by possessions, popularity and power, the three fundamental temptations which all others can be collapsed into. In contrast to the temptations of the devil that may accompany every ministry, Jesus calls us to humility, powerlessness, vulnerability and poverty. This is practically embodied by the Church in its promotion of the evangelical counsels of obedience, poverty and chastity.

The call to ministry is ultimately a call to be human, for “to be fully human is to be fully divine.” Therefore, the ministry of IHD is a crucial reminder that any ministry in order to be holistic must address every aspect of a human person that is integral to him, be it spiritual, physical, social, psychological, material etc. The call to ministry is also a call to Christian holiness. In the OT, we have the idea that in order to effect a relationship with the divine, it was necessary to isolate things and persons from their ordinary use. But the mystery of the Incarnation in the New Testament gave an entirely new perspective to this understanding of holiness. And so in Christianity and the NT, the sacred is realized not by isolation but by communion between God and man effected by the initiative of God reaching out to man in order to share His life with him. Such an incarnational model of a life of holiness will then result in a paradigm shift that views itself as a life that embraces freedom rather than mere obligation; a life that immerses itself in the world rather than one that withdraws from it; it affirms life rather than negates it; it is dynamic rather than static; its about being (the Beloved of God) rather than doing something in order to earn that accolade. This sacred action ultimately leads and even compels man to communion, the third aspect of ministry. Ministry is a call to communion, solidarity, compassion, vulnerability, collaboration and finally to community.

At the end of the day, the members of the IHD ministry were invited to recommit themselves to the goals of IHD process, namely, a ministry that promotes the good of every person and of the whole person, especially of the poorest and most neglected in the community, where every person meets their basic human needs and where all persons are empowered to free themselves from everything that is dehumanising. In order to do this, they need to undergo several paradigmatic shifts, from viewing the human person in a fragmented way to one that recognizes the unity of his whole being; from seeing ministry as mere maintenance to one of mission; from individualism to solidarity; from regarding the objective of their work as mere hand-outs to one which will engender holistic change; and finally from viewing their ministry as social work to one which genuinely promotes integral human development.

The IHD Commission of the Church of Visitation is made up of the following ministries, Society of St. Vincent De Paul, Tuesday Meals, Urban Poor Ministry, Migrant Ministry, Orang Asli Ministry, Human Resource Ministry, Prison Ministry. Emmaus Visitation Counselling Centre, and Parish Ministry of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.