Seven MCC members attend Kerala catechetical seminar

KERALA, India –  Seven members of the  Malaysian Catechetical Commission (MCC)  attended a catechetical seminar in Kerala on 8-10 Feb 2017.

The members were Jesuit Father Alvin Ho sj of KL Archdiocese (MCC chairman), Father Mark Michael and Ms Mary Huang of Penang Diocese, Sister Christella Lim fsic of Keningau Diocese, Sister Martina James fsic of Sandakan Diocese, Sister Dariah Ajap fsic of KK Archdiocese, and Father Paul Shie of Brunei Vicariate.

The other 78 participants were from various provinces in Indian, comprising priests, religious, seminarians and lay catechists.

The seminar, held at the National Centre for Education, Spiritual and Theological Training (NESTT), Muvattupuzha, Pastoral Centre of the Diocese of Kothamangalam, Kerala, focused on catechism towards fostering communities.

Among the topics presented were:  Catechesis builds the Church; the Church builds Catechesis, Catechesis through Small Christian Community for Fostering Communities, Role of Docat in Learning and Living Faith-Communities, From Chaos to Community through Catechesis,  Laity Oriented Catechesis: Problems and Prospects and a Catechetical Demonstration.   

The participants took the opportunity to visit the Catechetical Formation Centre Vesvadeep  run by the Salesian Priests and the National Biblical Catechetical Liturgical Centre (NBCLC) in Bangalore run by the Conference of  Bishops of India.

The MCC is planning to establish a  National Malaysian Catechetical Institute in Malaysia.

On the local level, the KK  Catechetical Commission, together with PEKA (Persatuan Katekis),  will be organising a  three-stage formation course for catechists and those who interested to be catechists in June, July and September. – sr dariah ajap fsic