Papar-Limbahau BEC leaders attend recollection

LIMBAHAU – One hundred and fifty-three Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) or Komuniti Kristian Dasar (KKD) leaders of Papar and Limbahau parishes attended a recollection at Holy Rosary Church here on 18 Mar 2017.

The programme began  with  Holy Hour and Benediction presided by Father Thomas Yip and Father Thomas Madanan, followed by Bible sharing in groups.

After a short tea break, the groups had a 30-minute workshop on how to make their BECs/KKD active. Their resolutions were then presented to the assembly and later collated by the organising committee for documentation purposes.

These resolutions include regular visits to the village communities, Bible sharing, informal meetings with villagers in a non-Catholic environment, and others.

This is part of the parishes’ efforts to tackle the three challenges of Islamisation, secularisation and apathy highlighted by the 2015 PAX Assembly, and the adoption of the threefold movement of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Thrust of going inward, going smaller and going outward in meeting these challenges.

Prior to the establishment of the BEC formation team by both parishes early this year, these grassroots communities were not properly documented, regularised and monitored in terms of their pastoral-related activities.

In his summary, Fr Madanan likened the BECs to the first Christian community as recorded in Acts 2:42 and the foundation of community based on God’s merciful love (cf Lk 15:11-32).  He encouraged the participants to persevere in their commitment.

The participants were blessed and commissioned by Fr  Yip at the Sunset Mass and adjourned to the parish hall for a fellowship meal. – William Charles Mindus, SOCCOM Papar Limbahau