2021: THE YEAR OF HOPEFUL DEVASTATION

As many of you know, I tend to be rather busy and have little time to write about myself. Even when I can find time to write, I'd much rather write on matters that relate to the teachings of the Church than about myself. But it's usually a custom for me, as we approach the end of each year, to write something on the year that has been. The purpose of this exercise is to evaluate the extent to which I have lived my life responsibly and fruitfully in service of God and neighbour; to discern if I have loved well with my life.

We are approaching the third year of a raging pandemic that has affected people in many different ways, good and bad. These past two years, despite the halt in my routine travels around the region and beyond, have been eventful, to say the least. To express my thoughts and feelings about my experiences in totality this past year would be to attempt the impossible. It might be best to just highlight some important milestones from various parts of the year leading to this Christmas season.

1) SYSTEMATIC WRITING ON THE CATHOLIC FAITH
In January and February of this year, I very quickly realised that this pandemic wasn't going to end as soon as we hoped it would. I was painfully aware of how many Catholics in our parishes were longing to be in touch with the practice of the faith, and for those who were accustomed to receiving faith formation, to continue receiving it. Many parents had their children confined in their homes with little or no resources to educate their children in their faith knowledge.

Knowing that I would get properly busy as we entered further into the year, I resolved to glue myself to my writing table and to produce a comprehensive tome of catechism lessons that could be used for both catechism students and RCIA candidates. But beyond that, I wanted to write out how the Catholic faith was structured in my mind all these years in a way that was most systematic and comprehensive. Besides, this had always been something I wanted to make sure I left behind for the People of God when I departed from this world one day.

As a result of two whole months (day and night) of writing - with a ridiculously little amount of sleep in between - I completed writing a series of 63 lessons on the Catholic faith. This comprehensive series can be used by parents to catechise themselves and their children in their homes, and also for catechists to teach students and RCIA candidates. It is accessible online to all people for downloading and use (click HERE).

Deacon Dr Sherman's book is excellent for your reference: for your own use or for your catechetical usage.

Nihil obstat

​+ Right Reverend Paul Tan Chee Ing, SJ
Bishop Emeritus, Diocese of Melaka Johor
December 2021

This is not the end of the writing project. I'm currently in the midst of expanding and further elaborating this series into a properly published book that will consist of three volumes. I hope to complete the writing by the end of 2022, and I hope that it will be my magnum opus. I haven't yet decided on the title of the book.

2) TRAINING OF PARISH CATECHISTS
Throughout March and April, I kept busy with meeting the various groups of catechists in my parish (either online or in person) to orientate them in this new series of catechism lessons that I'd written and which was now available for their catechetical use as well as self-learning.

I'm proud of the catechists of my parish: their commitment to learning and serving inspires me to keep on being better. Their resilience of life and faith throughout this pandemic has been a great witness.

3) DEMISE OF MY SPIRITUAL FATHER
On the morning of May 29, I received a telephone call from a priest in Brunei: "Deacon, your spiritual father, our Cardinal, has passed away this morning".

I was in a state of shock. Cardinal Cornelius Sim had left for Taiwan together with his brother Fred several months prior to that to receive treatment for his cancer, and we were expecting his return to Brunei within about seven months. Only his remains returned.

His death has left an unspeakably gaping void in my life. The missing, the longing to talk to him again, has not stopped. If I could only have just one more hour to sit with him to have a casual chat the way we always did, a chat that would seem so ordinary and yet transform me so deeply.

For 100 days immediately following the demise of the late Cardinal, my companions and I mourned. We prayed every day for his repose and cried painfully. But we were aware that the late Cardinal wouldn't have wanted our mission to come to a halt because of his departure. Because of that, we resolved to continue with our mission and not stop on his account.

Dear Cardi, thank you for teaching me what it means to live and to love in the way of Christ. May everything that you have strived to be and do find its extension in my life. I look forward to the day when we will once again eat together; until then, I will continue to meet you at the altar of the Eucharist.

On September 16, in tribute to Cardinal Sim (on what would have been his 70th birthday), I was installed as the Cornelius Cardinal Sim Professor of Theology and Dialogue at the Christian Institute for Theological Engagement (CHRISTE), an ecumenical and cross-disciplinary theological research institute chartered by way of a United Nations treaty. This professorial chair comes with a substantial endowment that is used to award research grants in the name of the late Cardinal each year to fund research on theology and dialogue. I also operate academically in the name of this professorial chair by delivering private and public academic lectures as well as writing academically.

The academic stole specially designed and tailored ​for this professorial chair

4) EDITING AND PUBLISHING OF AN E-BOOK
On October 19, after months of working on a second book project with my colleagues at CHRISTE, we launched the electronic book online via a well-attended Zoom event. The book, edited by me, was entitled The Digital Continent: Responsible Communication in a Pandemicised World. During the said event, the authors of the book briefly presented the contents of each of their contributions and took questions from some 50 participants attending the event.

My colleagues and I at CHRISTE have had very meaningful collaborations thus far, and we are excited as we witness the fruits of our scholarly labours unfold. The year to come will be even more exciting as greater collaborations are in the pipeline with other institutions at an ecumenical level.

For more information on CHRISTE, visit www.christeonline.org. The book can also be downloaded free of charge from there.

5) TEACHING SPIRITUALITY AND THEOLOGY
In the months of July, October, and November, I was visiting lecturer for Saint Paul's Theological College (SPTC), an Anglican theological college in Kuala Lumpur that is affiliated to Saint Mellitus College in England. I taught modules on Christian Spirituality and Ecclesiology. In view of the pandemic, lectures took place online.

I've found the ethos of teaching and learning by way of conversation at SPTC to be amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed every lesson with the students of the college. They're mature adults who've had plenty of experience in life, secular work, and ministry. As a result, I found myself deeply enriched by our conversations.

6) BRINGING JESUS TO THE HOMES
From August to November, a good number of Catholics expressed to me their longing for the Eucharist, rightly reminding me that participating in televised Masses was inadequate. Upon discussion with the priest in charge of my parish, I began making visits to homes of families who could not attend Masses physically because they still had family members who were not yet fully vaccinated.

Outside each home, I exposed the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance for several minutes as family members knelt in worship before Christ in the Eucharist. After that, I would lead the families in prayer and give Holy Communion to those who requested for it. Blessings of sacred objects were also given upon request.

These are just some highlights that roughly reflect how my year has been spent. The year is just about over. In the person of the late Cardinal Sim, I have shared in the devastations of those who have experienced loss in various forms throughout the year.

We are on the verge of stepping into 2022, another year of struggling with realities of the pandemic. I am pensive: grateful to the Lord for bringing me and my family and companions through a fruitful year, and for ensuring that our needs were provided for sufficiently. I'm also thankful to the Lord for the companions He has brought into my life to help, strengthen, and enable me to do what He invites me to do for His People. At the same time, I'm concerned (albeit not worried) if we will witness the end of the ongoing pandemic in the coming year. Whatever the case may be, there must be confidence that He never leaves us unaided.

The Lord has brought us through these past two pandemicised years, and He will faithfully bring us through the next year. Our work remains to be faithful to the little portions He has set aside for us to do. My plans for 2022 have been laid out as I prayed and reflected contemplatively in the past week: and I am ready to begin the new year. But first, I need a short break after this long post.