Lenten Retreat 2013

       This Lenten Season, join us for a day of prayer and reflection as we prepare ourselves for the Holy Week and joy of Easter.

Last Day of Registration:  11 March 2013

English-Speaking Youths To Spread the Good News

at the registration table

On 16^th November 2012, the English-speaking youth gathered at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Penang for the Opening Mass and Launching of the Penang Diocesan Youth Day 2 (PDYD2).  They were warmly welcomed by the members of the welcoming and protocol committee amidst a flurry of activities as busloads of participants arrived and volunteers made the final preparations. 

After a night of praise and worship led by the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Shalom group, the participants were divided into language groups for the briefing on the activities for the next three days and accommodation sites.  The 347 English-speaking youths were housed in different accommodation sites which included the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit which was also the main venue for their activities and sessions.  Some of the youths were also taken cared of by the foster families who provided them transportation and a home for 2 days.

 

         Fr. Jude Miranda, the parish priest of Taiping Catholic Church, was the first presenter on the second day, 17^th November 2012.  He gave the session on “Come and See” in relation to the year of faith.  In his talk, he encouraged the youths to discover themselves, to deepen their faith in Jesus and to go out into the world and to tell the Good News.  A mass was celebrated by Fr. Jude to close the morning session.

Talk on My Brother from Another Mother

        

In the afternoon, the participants gathered at the Parish Hall to choose the topics of their preference.  There were three topics to choose from namely: My Brother from Another Mother: Reaching Out to the Needy, Emerging Trends from Media; Facebook and Friends and Getting Down with God: Deepening Our Relationship with God.  The presenters for the topics are Mr. Francis Pragasam from SSVP-Penang, Fr. Elias Moses, OFM and Mr. Ramesh Victor, respectively.  Mr. Francis Pragasam focused his sharing on the four elements of reaching out to the needy such as our knowledge of the needy are in our society, our motivation, telling the story of Jesus and the different ways of reaching out. Participants said they found the sessions helpful and enlightening. 

For those who are not from Penang, a tour of the Churches and historical places was a welcome treat and an opportunity to visit the tourist attractions.

The day ended with a Talent Night where participants showcased their talents in various areas, singing, acting and playing musical instruments. Everyone had a good time in camaraderie with participants and volunteers alike.

Day 3 dawned bright and sunny, which the participants started with formation session on “Go and Tell” by Father Dominic Santhiyagu at the Church of the Assumption.  It was a gift to have Fr. Mark Michael as a presider for the Eucharistic celebration that followed.  The presence of the parishioners of the City parish during the mass made the celebration more significant.  Fr. Mark started his homily by saying that he saw before him future priests and nuns and highlighted the general observation that the current times are extremely challenging for the youth.  He urged and encouraged them to forge a close and deeper relationship with Jesus so as to stay on the right path always.

After lunch, the English-speaking youth joined all the other participants in a pilgrimage walking from the Church of the Assumption all the way to the Jetty.  The participants then took the ferry to cross to the mainland where they again walked until they reached the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Butterworth.  From there, the bus took them to the Church of St. Anne in Bukit Mertajam.

This significant event in the lives of the young people in the Diocese of Penang will not be realized without the hospitality and generosity of the families who took care of the participants, the Capuchin Fathers and the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Church of the Divine Mercy and Church of St. John Britto.  Our heartfelt gratitude to Msgr. Bernard Paul, Fr. Martin Arlando, Fr. Joe Matthews and Fr. Dominic Santhiyagu as well as the foster families for providing the participants a place they called home during the whole duration of PDYD 2.

By: Rebecca Santhanasamy

Tamil-Speaking Youth Rock PDYD 2

The Church of the Risen Christ in Air Itam, Penang burst with joy and activity when 214 Tamil-speaking youth arrived in the evening of 16^th November after a much-attended and well-celebrated Opening Mass and Launching of PDYD 2 at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. 

           


 The activities that followed gave the participants an opportunity to deepen on their understanding of the faith and their roles as members of the Church, to reflect on the different issues the young people are facing today as well as to visit the significant and historical places in the island.
 

           
         On Saturday, 16^th November 2012, Fr. Arulnathan Joseph gave a session on “Come and See” in relation to the year of faith.  In his talk, he emphasized the importance of the involvement of the youth in the Church as they are the Church of tomorrow.  The Church needs them, with the aid of the new technology, to make the Church a modern and vibrant community. He concluded by explaining the six disciplines of solitude, silence, prayer, reading the scriptures, sacraments and community which are the basis of a deep spiritual life with Jesus.  A mass was celebrated to close the morning session.

This was followed by two very relevant sessions on “Reaching Out to the Needy” and issues on youth suicide and addiction given by Mr. Selastin and Mr. Adaikalaraja, SSVP-Penang members, and Dr. Uma Sunthari Manickam, respectively. The sessions were aimed at helping the participants to recognize the issues that may affect them and how to handle these issues effectively.

Mr. Selastin talked about reaching out to the needy based on the two Commandments, love God above all and love your neighbor as you love yourself.  He also reminded them that “the harvest is great but the laborers are few” (Lk 10:2).  He encouraged them to be more conscious of the needs of others and added that “the inspiration to reach out to the needy does not come in forth night.  However, it is developed through the experience and the spiritual life of each individual.”  Mr. Adaikalaraja, on the other hand, shared about the nature and mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Malaysia and in society in general. 

Dr. Uma, in her talk, gave the participants the complete information on suicide including the statistics of cases according to gender, ethnicity and employment status.  Her talk gave the participants the knowledge on the possible causes of suicide and the signs and symptoms that could help them help persons with suicidal tendencies.  Most importantly, she advised the youth to go on healthy diet, allot time for exercise and recreation as well as to seek professional help if needed. 

The sessions were interlaced with praise and worship which was conducted by the volunteers themselves.  After the afternoon sessions, the participants went for a tour of the Churches in Penang as well as the heritage sites in the town area.  In groups of six persons, they visited Churches in the island where a parishioner assigned to welcome them also shared to them the history of the Church as well as its significance in the faith life of the community.  The day ended with a Night of Praise which was facilitated by Vincent Amalaraj and his team.  It began with an opening dance and a prayer led by Simon Joseph.  The one-hour praise gave the participants the opportunity to express their gratitude and to worship God as a community of young people.

On the third day, participants welcomed Fr. Victor Louis who shared to them his reflections on the topic “Go and Tell”. He started with a prayer and Gospel reading, moving on to Q and A session with the participants. He also provided suggestions on how to execute the “Go and Tell” part, hoping the youths will live their lives according to the Bible and be the instrument to repent and return to God.

              After the sessions, participants attended mass and then were brought to Assumption Church to join the other language participants for the pilgrimage to the Church of St. Anne.

By Rebecca Santhanasamy

PDYD 2 Participant´s Guide

Please click on the photos to enlarge... thanks!

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Penang Diocesan Youth Network

A year after WYD - Michael Peter Foo

Time flies without me noticed. It been more than a year since I went for the first world youth day (WYD) in Madrid. I scanned through my old emails in my maibox and found my Itinerary to WYD last year. 

At first I am uncertain about going to WYD, no urge for me to go for it. However, with God grace I managed to pay up the expenses through numerous sponsors. Never ask never know is my motto that time. With you genuine appeal, some will respond to it. 

When the logistic preparation part settled, SPIRITUAL PREPARATION is another important part. WYD is a pilgrimage, spiritual journey, thus, I need to prepare myself spiritually through prayer and meditation. I had a combined spiritual preparation as Penang Team.

The day come when I am going to the real "battlefield". I says 'battlefield' because I am ought to face all kinds of adversities both physically and spiritually in a foreign-land. I was housed in a sports-centre in outskirts of Madrid, a serene countryside called Las Rosas. I started my pilgrimage officially in a small church with another congregation form Wales along with their Bishop. I have to rough out in the basketball court in the sports centre. Each of us were given pilgrimage bags which contains a "Magnificat"- our spiritual guide book, which contains Liturgy of Hours and Mass texts for all the days in WYD. I were also given food coupons and general guide books to inform us how and what's going on what time. 

They are temptations once I goes to the city of Madrid, SOL is among the famed places along the way to my spiritual destination. I am amazed, wherever I go, I see pilgrims from different continents, culture and language. All are friendly and shared the cramp Metro, shared laughters, language is never the boundary. 

I experience the universality of the Apostolic Church for the first time, I attended the Opening Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Madrid fully in Spanish. Amazingly, with the aid of Magnificat & impromptu translation via radio, we can follow through.  I take time off for some silent moment to reflect and meditate in front of the blessed sacrament after asian youth gathering separating from my companions that are rushing for Marian Fest. From that silent moment with our Lord, I found true peace and happiness.  

For the vigil in Cuantros Vientros a military air-field with Pope Benedict XIV, I was given a pass to sit in the front stretch facing the altar. It was an ultimate physical challenge for all the pilgrims, sit under the scouring hot summer sun and the vigil was greeted with  a thunderstorm which eventually stopped the prayer of Pope. The gigantic spotlights on top of me are swaying vigorously, it is really a test of faith to me. We were asked be quiet and pray for 10 minutes, then the thunderstorm just died out. For me, it is a prayer from God's Vicar answered.

 I have to sleep in the soaking wet ground, being pushed to the fence of my designated site. All the hardship actually is a blessing in disguise, I have the chance to see Pope so close that I can't imagine in my whole life. It is less than 50 metres away in his Pope Mobile. So close that I can capture a clear picture with my compact camera.

It's been a year after I got the great experience. I am thankful to all the benefactors that materialised this pilgrimage of mine. With that experience I had, I can proclaim in conviction of the Creed that: "I believe in one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church."I know that not all youths can have the chance to go for world youth day or Asian youth day. Many youths might just go for the same mass every week, seeing the same faces over and over again. 

The experience that WYD and AYD can be brought to the diocesan level by bringing all the youths together to live, play and most importantly pray together as a universal church. Youthfulness is something money can't by, only come once in a life time. By offering the unique experience to the youths, only will they know that the Church is more than the same mass and crowd that they used to.

I hope that the youths will take this chance that comes 'once in their lifetime' because all are youths once. If there's another Diocesan Youth Day years ahead, they are no longer as youthful as they are now. I would like to end this sharing by the video that motivates me to go for my WYD. 

-Michael Peter Foo 17/9/2012

Northern Region Youth Gathered for PDYD 2 District Level Celebration

Two hundred eighty participants from the six parishes in the Northern District attended the Penang Diocesan Youth Day 2 Northern District Level Celebration which was held on August 25, Saturday, at the Church of Christ the King Hall in Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Young people from the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary  (Butterworth), Church of St. Anne (Bukit Mertajam), Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Kulim), Church of the Holy Name of Mary (Permatang Tinggi),  Church of Christ the King (Sungai Petani) and Church of St. Michael (Alor Setar) came by buses as early as 8 o´clock  in the morning  and enjoyed a day of fun, prayer, songs and various inputs given during the sessions.

Rev. Fr. Dominic Santhiyagu officially launched the celebration after the Enthronement of the Bible.  The participants, led by the Northern Region Music Band, sang the PDYD 2 themesong, “Come People of the Risen King”. The Getting-to-Know-You was done through the Baton Game facilitated by the young people from the Church of St. Anne.  As the baton was passed around, participants introduced themselves and shared their hobbies. The game ended with participants laughing and feeling comfortable with one another. 

The culmination of the morning session was celebrated with the mass at the Church of Christ the King.  Fr. Dominic, in his homily, invited the young people to “walk the talk”.  He explained that words do not really describe what we want.  Rather, our actions will make people understand what we really want.  He challenged those present to proclaim the Gospel by words and most importantly, by their actions.  Most of the time, leaders are capable of saying wise things but their actions speak otherwise.

The invitation to “Walk the Talk” was further explained during the session on the topic, Go and Tell.  The participants were divided into three language groups namely: English, Mandarin and Tamil with Martin Wong, Michael Peter Foo and P. Kevin Eruthayanathan as facilitators, respectively. 

The one-day Northern Region youth celebration ended with a “Talent Time“.  Representatives from each parish put up a show for everyone to enjoy and, at the same time, learn something from it. The St. Anne youth group performed a skit about Lazarus and his sisters entitled, “CSI:Operation Lazarus”.  The youth from the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus related the Bible story in a skit that left the participants silent yet inspired by the message that was conveyed by the presentation. The Church of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary performed a skit with a message that without God, Satan takes control of us and makes us lost in his world of benefits. The youth from the rest of the parishes entertained the participants with their well-applauded dance moves.

After having tea, the participants got on their buses and left with a smile on their faces, a sign that they are really looking forward to the big celebration that will be held at Penang Island on 16^th -19^th November 2012.

For more information on PDYD 2,  

VISIT: (PDYN Blog)           http://www.pdyn10.blogspot.com                  

LIKE:  (PDYD2 FB Page)   http://www.facebook.com/PDYD2

JOIN:  (PDYN FB Group)   Penang Diocesan Youth Network [PDYN] 

 -DARRIEN BRYAN DANKER

Church of the Divine Mercy Welcomes PDYD 2 Cross and Icon

On the 26^th August, 2012 the parish of the Church of Divine Mercy, Penang, welcomed two symbols of our faith that was currently being carried by Catholic Youth all around the Penang Diocese. Six youth of the parish carried five parts of a wooden cross and an icon of Our Lady up to the altar. They then assembled the cross and placed it and the icon beside the altar in full view of the congregation.

The cross was the symbol chosen at the end of the Holy Year of Redemption, in 1994 and entrusted to the youth to be carried out into the world. The Icon of Our Lady, ‘Salus Populi Romani’, is a copy of the sacred and ancient icon found in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. This icon was given to the youth by Blessed Pope John Paul II to accompany the world youth cross in 2003. Both these symbols were presented to the youth of the world not just to carry them for a few moments but in example of their daily lives. Thus, the Penang Diocese have adopted this concept where the cross and icon had been travelling all around the parishes in preparation for the PDYD2 which will be held from 16 – 19 November 2012.

The ceremony had begun at the end of the 9 am mass when a video clip was screened to introduce the activities of the Penang Diocese Youth Day 2 (PDYD2). The PDYD2 theme song entitled, Come People of the Risen King, was sung during the assembly of the wooden cross on the altar. The celebrant, Fr. Martin Arlando then invited all youth to come forward for a prayer and special blessing.

As an added joy to the celebration, there was a presentation of a basket of fruits to Fr. Martin to celebrate the first year anniversary of his sacerdotal ordination.

By

Dr. Ivan Filmer

29^th August, 2012