GEORGETOWN: On 12th November 2024, the Church of the Assumption, Diocese of Penang was host to an ASEAN delegation of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue Training officials from Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines and Malaysia. The visit was to allow participants to engage with religious diversity directly, fostering mutual respect and understanding.
Rev. Fr. Desmond Jansen of City Parish gave a historical insight of the early Catholic community in Penang and the founding of the 3rd oldest Catholic church in Malaysia, the Assumption Church, beginning in 1861 and the various changes and restorations done to the present-day building, giving a description of the altar, stained glass, church bell, windpipe organ and the old pews. The delegation also visited the Roman Catholic Penang Diocesan Museum, next to the church.
In the spirit of engagement, the Indonesian delegateenquired about the intercultural aspects of the religious service, given Malaysia’s multiracial and multicultural community. Rev. Fr. Desmond responded that the Catholic Church embraces the inculturation of the faithby accepting cultural practices and values and integrating with the theology and teachings of the Gospel. The Church has multi-lingual masses, and have Chinese Lunar New Year Eve Thanksgiving Mass, celebrate the Tamil Ponggol and East Malaysian Hari Gawai and Pesta Kaamatan harvest festivals and the Church also celebrated the Filipino Santo Nino Feast Day.
The visit was organized by the ASEAN Institute for Peace & Reconciliation (ASEAN-IPR) and the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID). The officials attending play a key role in regional policy and community engagement and this visit will greatly benefit in promoting inclusivity, cultural awareness and interfaith understanding in their respective countries.
By Christopher Kushi
