Sabah clergy meet at annual gathering

BUNDU TUHAN – Sabah clergy from three arch/dioceses came together for their annual gathering at the retreat centre here on 15-17 Jan 2018.

Turning up for the gathering were 43 priests, three bishops and 17 seminarians.

The timing for the gathering, always held in January, is fittingly appropriate as the seminarians are still in their year-end break, and the parishes schedules have not kicked in yet.

However, even though the gathering takes place after the hectic Advent and Christmas schedules, the main purpose of the gathering is to serve as a time to “get together” rather than a time to unwind or to relax.

The gathering is basically divided into two parts, namely the social so-called “sacramental brotherhood,” and the meeting proper.

As usual, the gathering began with a fellowship dinner on the first night. The informal time provided the priests and seminarians an opportunity to know one another better, as well as for those who have newly joined the seminary to get acquainted.

Apart from making or renewing friendships and catching up with each other, the priests also took this time to exchange some views on pastoral experiences in the parishes such as liturgical concerns and current church issues.

After breakfast, morning prayer and Holy Hour the next day, the Sandakan Diocese priests returned to their respective parishes, while the Keningau Diocese priests proceeded with their clergy meeting before making their way home.

The KK Archdiocese clergy also had their own clergy meeting in the afternoon, with the morning hours being made use of for Bible sharing, and concluding the day with an evening Mass.

The meeting resumed on the third morning and the gathering concluded with Mass before lunch, after which all returned to their respective parishes. – Fr Mattheus Luta