CARITAS MALACCA JOHORE DIOCESE

Towards a Community of Love & Hope

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“A CHURCH WITHOUT CHARITY DOES NOT EXIST” - POPE FRANCIS

What is our Main Objective

Bahasa Malaysia Apostolate (BMA) corporate with St Vincent De Paul Society (SSVP) to feed the hungry at Pengerang, Johore.

Strengthen Our Social Mission

The Catholic Bishops of Malaysia, altogether, aspire to strengthen the social mission of the church by enabling every member of the Church to be active and caring towards all creation - particularly the poor, the marginalised.

Simply put, the Social Mission of the Church is the expression of how a Christian should be living out a life of holiness as witness through acts of love (Caritas); put another way, Caritas is the expresion of Gods love through his people" - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:34-35

Jesus said to him, “'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. ' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ' - Matthew 22:37-39

Thus, is the genesis of the "Caritas Movement" in Malaysia, where all are encouraged and helped to act on the second commandment - 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. '

The Diocesan Office for Human Development has been renamed to reflect its commitment to this movement and the sentiments of the bishops.. It is now renamed to Caritas Malacca Johore Diocese (Caritas MJD). The this diocese the function of Cartias MJD is as the promoter of the the Caritas Movements objective i.e to help everyone do charity, with a focus on:

A) Supporting and deepening the scope of the existing charity efforts of partners and affiliates such as SSVP and POHD.

By Providing:

Consultancy -Providing know-how support to standardize operating culture and systems, as well as introducing best practices.
Training and Formation Development
Awareness and Campaigns, and
Research and Programme Development

B) Expanding on the number and type charity activity in the diocese through partnerships, affiliations as well as the empowerment of the laity in general to organise and participate in such works.

By providing the supporting infrastructure to encourage and enable as many laity as possible to live out their faith through acts of love (Caritas).

Every Catholic is part of the Caritas Movement and is thus supported by the organisation "Caritas MJD".

Partnership with CARITAS

To help implement this vision, to develop the faithful, the Bishops have partnered with "Caritas Internationalis" a confederation of 165 Catholic relief, development and social service organizations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.

This partnership will help provide charitable works of the Church in Malaysia with one common identity and a treasure trove of know-how towards building participatory communities.

Caritas In Malaysia, within the larger mission of the Malaysian Church, will function as the instrument of communion and witness in matters pertaining to the promotion of charity and relief, integral human development, and ecological justice.

This is done thru the diocesan offices for human development of each diocese.

The Organisation Caritas Malaysia is set up to

i) assist the 9 diocesan offices for human development in their pursuit of their diocese social mission goals and needs

ii) represent the 9 dioceses of Malaysia on international platforms.

More about Caritas Malaysia (Click here)

More about Caritas Internationalis (Click here)

SOCIAL MISSION INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENT

MALACCA JOHORE DIOCESE

How will it work in the diocese

At the Malacca Johore Diocese level, the Diocesan Office for Human Development (MJDOHD) {which is the confederation of organisations involved in efforts of charitable works including POHD, SSVP, Children Homes, Aru Bumi and Migrants} is re-organised to reflect the focus on wider participation by all the faithful in the social mission of the Church.

Restructuring and rebranding

Malacca Johore Diocesan Office for Human Development (MJDOHD) "is renamed "Caritas MJD" . It now includes a Secretariat:

to co-ordinate activities,
to strengthen the capacity of the existing efforts as well as develop the capacity of the laity to do more,
to introduce a systematic approach in the research and support of charity,
to encourage collaboration both within the church and with non catholic organisations.

The goal is to increase the participation of the laity in the work of charity, where leadership should be community led and be the responsibility of each individual.

Enabling and catalytic role of Caritas MJD

Caritas MJDOHD thus acts as an enabler & catalyst to the Catholic community as a group and as individuals to be animators and be co-responsible in living the faith.

Key Activities of Caritas MJD

Consultancy -Providing know-how support to standardize operating culture and systems, as well as introducing best practices.
Training and Formation Development
Awareness and Campaigns, and
Research and Programme Development

Existing efforts supporting single mothers, homes for disadvantaged children, urban and rural poor, orang asli, homeless, destitute, migrants, refugees, vocational education, prisoners and ecology, just to name a few, will continue as before with the added support of Caritas MJD to do and achieve more, while developing new areas of charity as explored and championed by individuals or new communities of special interest.

Caritas MJD will provide the following support services to church organisation involved in works of charity and mission.

Networking
Coordination / Cooperation
Capacity Building
Fund Raising
Coaching
Collaboration

"CARITAS MALACCA JOHORE DIOCESE" - A WAY FORWARD

Diocese Social Mission Priority

To create awareness of the roles everyone plays in Integral Human Development,
To encourage and make room for everyone to get involved.

Change of Mindset

It requires the clergy, religious and lay leaders to give leadership to the communities and animate their potential and dreams. The People must become co-responsible, not dependent. They must participate in envisioning and working for their future.

The Community, especially through the BECs must recognise and embrace its core role as the face of Church in the world, reaching out to show God's love to all.

How can this be achieved?

From the pulpit - Build up awareness of the two spheres of holiness, our personal relationship with God (our spirituality) and our relationship with the creation of God as a group and as individuals.
Build a culture of service to others.
Provide platforms where laity with different interests can participate actively.
Develop systems to build up the capacity of individuals and the community to contribute effectively.

What is the Belief of Caritas?

Caritas strives for a world where the voices of the poor are heard and acted upon, where each person is free to flourish and live in peace and dignity and where our natural environment, given by God, is managed responsibly and sustainably in the interests of the entire human family.

Caritas shares the mission of the Catholic Church to serve the poor and to promote charity and justice throughout the world.

Animates Catholic communities and all people of goodwill in solidarity with the suffering of their brothers and sisters around the world and promotes integral human development so that people in the worst off and most disadvantaged communities are free to flourish and live in peace and dignity. We work to ensure that our natural environment is managed responsibly and sustainably in the interests of the entire human family.

How can you get involved?

As the coordinating arm of the Diocese's charitable efforts Caritas MJD can introduce you to relevant movements or even help you start your own project.

Email: caritasmj@mjdiocese.my

Diocese Strategic Direction

Assembly January 2022

CMJDOHD Assembly 2022 final.pptx

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