CATHOLICISM Study Programme & KAYC Christmas Celebration
On 6th September 2023, YAST building witnessed the first of many gatherings; a group of young adults from different backgrounds with the same purpose – to dive deeper into the faith and encounter the living God. Greeted eagerly by the Kuching Archdiocesan Youth Commission Team, we quickly warmed up after a round of ice-breaking and opening prayer then dived into our first session of The
Catholicism Study Programme: Amazed and Afraid. We kicked off by watching an amazing video by Bishop Robert Barron who took us around the world and made our minds spin at the same time. This was followed by meaningful dialogue where each of us got a chance to share our thoughts and insights. At the end of the night, we continued our sharing over hot drinks and a delightful variety of pastries.
Over the next three months, we had 10 sessions in total. As time went on, our friendship grew and so did the depth of our discussions, led patiently and joyfully by our facilitators under the guidance of Fr Ramon. We looked forward to those nights where we could come together as a body of Christ to immerse ourselves in the teachings of the church and share openly knowing that it was a safe space where there was no judgement, only acceptance. With each session our hearts became lighter, recognizing that it was truly the Holy Spirit who had led each of us to this gathering, with a purpose unique to each individual yet all for His divine purpose.
We learned to appreciate the different facets of our rich Catholic faith through the eyes of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It was a humbling experience to sit and unravel the spiritual and intellectual aspects of the Catholic faith with regards to church history, liturgy, the saints, evangelisation and so much more. Quoting Bishop Robert Barron “God is so high you can’t get above Him, so low you can’t get below Him, so wide you can’t get around Him.”
We had our last session on 20th December 2023, during which we also celebrated our Pre-Christmas Party. It was a delightful evening of happiness and sharing where we had a hearty dinner with plenty of sweet treats, singing and dancing, exchanging of gifts, and reminded each other of the many spiritual blessings there is to be found in God-centred friendships. Not wanting to waste the fading year, we organised a hiking trip to Silabur Cave on 30th December 2023, enjoying nature and camaraderie – God’s sweet blessings as said by Fr Ramon.
It is our hope and desire that the Catholicism Study Group may continue its journey in seeking His face. By God’s grace and blessings, we will organise more gatherings and outings in 2024 to provide a platform for youths and young adults who are serious about pursuing God, to learn from and encourage each other. In the words of Bishop Robert Barron “We’re not meant to be hunkered down behind the walls of the church, rather we’re meant to go out and transform the world. Let what you have learnt invade the society.”
Written by Eva Simrenjit Kaur.