SIC dedicates March as BEC Month

Mar 28, 2025

PETALING JAYA: The Church of St Ignatius, (SIC) has dedicated March as a BEC Month to bring awareness to the importance of the Basic Ecclesial Community.

Parish priest Fr Thomas Koo, CDD, initiated the one-month a programme filled with activities organised by the BEC Coordinating Team (BECCOT) and BEC Animating Team (BECAT). He reminded everyone the importance of BEC, living in community to support each other and grow in spirituality together.

A series of 15 sharings by BEC leaders – themed What is BEC? Why join the BEC? and Experiencing BEC – was held at weekend Masses. There was also a one-day formation for BEC coordinators and core teams entitled Pastoral Dynamics Towards Communion of Communities by Fr Mitchel Joseph, the Ecclesiastic Assistant of the Archdiocesan Basic Ecclesial Communities Animating Team with his team.

Fr Mitchel emphasised the importance of knowing the origin and theology of BEC as crucial in the development of the communities.

BECAT coordinator Rita Krishnan led the first five sharings. giving her insight on What Is BEC? Rita called the BEC the expression of the Catholic faith in her smallest units. Together they are the heart of the church vital for the laity to be active participants in ministries and evangelisation, she said.

Why BEC? was covered by coordinators Francis Rasiah (St Valentine), Vikram Pio Martin (St Joachim), Reneboy Bautista (St Emmanuel), Thomas Lee (BEC Coodinator of Mandarin group) and Susie Lim (St Helena).

Experiencing BEC began with Bernie Wong (St Faustina). He shared the joy of transition from virtual meeting over zoom to physical gathering “where we pray together, share God’s word, listen to one another and lend support in the hour of need”. He felt that having a potluck united the community through the sharing of meals. Joshua Lee (St Luke/St Matthew) advised the congregation not to take the BEC for granted. “Yes, the BEC will always be there for you in good times and bad ... but if you find it boring, do take the initiative to revitalise it by introducing new and creative activities”. Afterall, he quipped, the BEC did not belong solely to one person but to everyone.

Mary Elizabeth Cheng, the Asst Coordinator of St Mother Teresa, aptly described the BEC as “a calling to journey together as a family in faith walking together with Christ”. She encouraged everyone: “The Lord has given us His love. Let’s come together to share and to love one another in our BEC.” She added that the BEC was a reminder that she was not alone in her journey.

Jesus too was not alone, taking Peter, John and James up to mountain to pray, said assistant parish priest Fr Martin Then in his homily on the Transfiguration (Luke 9: 28-36) at the 6.45am Mass on March 16. He urged the parishioners to keep striving to be a community of Christ and participate in transforming each other to be more Christ like.

BECCOT coordinator Lelia Chan was happy BEC leaders and members stepped forward to help man the info desk at every weekend Masses and to share with the congregation about their respective BECs. She said: “We are also getting encouraging response from parishioners wanting to know more.

Indeed the awareness month is a timely effort to nip in the bud the waning interest in BEC.” A fellowship and potluck by BECCOT and BECAT for all parishioners was held after Mass on the Third Sunday of Lent. Bob Ho