Reported
by Dalius L. Lobinjang
Sandakan: A
delegation of 11 guests from Sabah paid a return visit to Heilbronn Germany
under the banner of Sabah Heilbronn Ecumenical Partnership (SHEP). This
partnership between Sabah and Heilbronn, Germany, aims at promoting awareness
and better understanding of ecumenism, ecumenical sharing of resources as well
as enhancing mission and theological education of both parties. Based on the agreement
signed on August 1990, includes: to experience fraternal unity and enrich each
other, in whatever possible way along Christian journey, and to experience and
share together the salvation of the Lord for all mankind.
One main activity of the partnership is the exchange of
cordial and mutual ecumenical visits, organised once in two years, between the
churches of both countries. This partnership consists of the Catholic churches
from Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, Diocese of Keningau and Diocese of Sandakan,
the Sabah Basel Council of Churches Malaysia (BCCM) and the Protestant Churches
of Sabah (PCS) with the Catholic and Protestant Churches of Heilbronn, Germany.
This partnership is a smaller movement towards a greater
Christian unity (which is called ecumenical); a movement to restore unity among
all Christians, and is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican
Council as stated in the Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegatio. The decree exhorts all Catholics to
participate in the work of Christian unity through conversation, dialogue, and
service with a complete honesty, gentle and mutual respect and trust with one
another. Even the present Pope too, has been vocal in promoting the movement
through dialogues, conversations and engagements with other Christian
denominations.
The delegation from Sabah was represented by 6 Catholics from
the three dioceses, 3 from the BCCM and 2 from the PCS. They arrived at 11am, Friday,
23rd September, in Stuttgart International Airport. Upon arrival, they were welcomed by Michael
Dieterle and Klaus Deicke from the SHEP German counterpart. They travelled a
one and a half hour drive to Heilbronn; there to meet up with their host
families over a Germanic luncheon fellowship. The Sabah SHEP 2016 delegates headed
by Fr. Thomas Yip from the Catholic Archdiocese Kota Kinabalu gave a brief
introduction of the Sabah SHEP mission to Germany and followed by self-introduction
of the guests and host families. Their 3 weeks in Heilbronn will indeed be a
great experience; staying with 3 different host families and enjoying the
coolness of the country.
Staying with the host families helped the delegates to observe
and broaden their perspective living in a different house, culture, language, habits, food, spiritual
life and et-cetera. It was very heart-warming to see the host putting an effort
in making their guests comfortable and in doing their best to incorporate them
to their family life despite the cultural and language differences. On Sunday, the
delegates attended Sunday mass or service with their host families in their
respective churches. It was a privilege to the SHEP delegates as on the first Sunday,
two priests (Fr. Thomas Yip and Fr. Stanley Matakim) had the opportunity to
con-celebrate mass at St. Agustinus Catholic Church, Heilbronn. Although the
mass was in German, a language they did not understand, yet, the language of
the Spirit of Christ made it possible. The first notable sign of ecumenism
practice was when the delegate stayed with host families with ecumenical
marriages (a
Catholic married to a baptized non-Catholic), which is a non-issue for them. The
couple has the understanding and respect of each other’s commitment to remain
true to his or her religious practice. They compromise to which church they
will attend on Sunday. Both take the role in the religious education of their
children but the choice is determined by their children themselves as to which
Christian faith they will embrace.
The relationship
with the host families was close as they did their best to include the guests
in any family events, celebrations or feast days. One such memorable event is
the official opening of Vine Harvest season celebration in Wartburg, whereby
the guests had the opportunity to visit the vineyard and gain the knowledge of the
wine making process. Heilbronn is one of a well-known wine region; the surrounding
hills are covered in grape vines. Other notable feasts are the blessing of seasonal
crops harvested before winter season in churches during the second Sunday and
visiting the Tamu-like market where farmers display and sell their freshly
harvested crops, by-products and their traditional foods. The inclusions of
their guests in these local events have made a closer family-like bonding that
will definitely strengthen the partnership ties in a long run and has already
been in-relationship for some 25 years. Probably some of the delegates’
only regret was that they didn't get to stay longer and build their
relationship better with each of their 3 assigned hosts.
Paying
a courtesy call to the local authority of Heilbronn was a polite gesture as
visitors from Sabah SHEP mission to Germany. These eleven delegates visited the
Town Hall office on 26th September, where at hand to receive them
was the Deputy Mayor of Heilbronn. Heilbronn is a municipality in the State of Baden-Württemberg, with Stuttgart as the Capital
City. He briefed them by power-point presentation on the aspects of geography,
governance, historical background, and economy and tourist attractions of
Heilbronn and at the end of the session; he presented small packs of salt to
everyone, which Heilbronn is popularly known as a salt producing underground
mine in the country. In response, Fr. Yip thanked him for the warm-welcome and
presented him a memento to mark the long standing SHEP relationship with this
City. The importance of SHEP visit to the municipality of Heilbronn has also
been publicised in their local newspaper.
On
ecumenical program, the delegates called upon the offices of both Protestant
and Catholic Deaneries. A Deanery is a group of parishes within a diocese; and is a strategic mission unit in the
diocese. Their first deanery visit was a Protestant Deanery (Wihelmstrasse) where
they were briefed by the Dean Otto Friedrich on the aspects of their pastoral
works in Heilbronn. One highpoint of deaneries visited were their kindergarten schools
wherein one such school (Schillerstrasse)
caters to children from as young as 4 months to 12 years of age. These
kindergartens are owned by deaneries as part of their pastoral work; manned by
employees irrespective of their Christian denomination and caters to children
of all races, background and religion.
In a
Catholic deanery, the delegates also participated in a session with the
refugees over a high tea in Heilbronn. The deanery office has allocated an
afternoon, every Wednesday, in their hall, where refugees and immigrants get to
socialise together through fellowship. Likewise, they meet up with their German
Christian ecumenical brothers and sisters who volunteer in the refugee ministry
of the Roman Catholic Church. These volunteers assist them with documentation
as long as it is stipulated by laws, helping them in finding works and supporting
the government policy in integrating them in the society. Surprisingly during
the session, the refugees who came were mostly Syrians and they are Muslims.
They left their war-torn country and chose Germany because of their open-door
policy. Generally, the Germans are staunch supporter of human rights policy
irrespective of their culture, background or belief. The Deanery, in a way, shows
its support to this advocacy through their human right programs and activities.
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