KK Archdiocese organises inaugural pre-PAX gathering

KOTA KINABALU – The KK Archdiocese organised a pre-PAX gathering, the first of its kind in its history, on 1 May 2018 at the Sacred Heart Parish Centre here.

Organised by the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, the objective of the gathering was to give a voice to the people at the grassroots level before the PAX Assembly in June.

Some 800 delegates from 19 parishes across the archdiocese turned up for the historic event.

It commenced with the Enthronement of the Bible presided by Msgr Primus Jouil (providentially, his 38th priestly anniversary that day) at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, followed by the welcome address by Archbishop John Wong.

In his address, he explained the objective of the gathering.

“The objective of our coming together this morning is to listen carefully to what we have done as parish communities, and hopefully to prepare well for the coming PAX Assembly from 13 to 16 June,” the prelate said.

The delegates were divided into five clusters of four to five parishes based on language and demographic similarities.

Each parish reported on the suitable programmes they have organised to meet the three issues highlighted (apathy, secularisation, islamisation) at the 2015 PAX Assembly in line with the pastoral thrust of “going inward, going smaller, going outward.”

It was pointed out that in the period that followed none of the parishes contacted any of the three archdiocesan service teams formed to help at the parish level.

After lunch, five cluster committees of two delegates per parish (who will later be going to the June PAX Assembly as delegates) met to discuss how they will present a consolidated report of their clusters to the PAX Assembly as well as to elect the presenter of their respective reports.

The gathering ended with a closing Mass presided by Abp Wong, concelebrated with all the priests present, and assisted by the two deacons.