New KL Archbishop has heavy cross to carry

Francis Paul Siah

On July 3, I joined my fellow Catholics in welcoming news of the appointment of Rev Father Julian Leow as the new Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur.

The post has been vacant following the retirement of Archbishop Emeritus Murphy Pakiam eight months ago. Pakiam is required by canon law to step down as head of an archdiocese upon reaching 75.

Julian’s appointment by Pope Francis was announced by the Apostolic Nuncio to Malaysia, Archbishop Joseph Marino. The embargoed July 3 press release carried a Vatican City dateline, attesting to its importance and supreme hierarchy of the Catholic Church.

The episcopal ordination of Julian will take place in September, after which he will officially become the leader of 180,000 Catholics in the archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

I do not know Julian personally but from the reports I’ve read about him since the announcement of his appointment, he reminds me of Archbishop John Ha of Kuching, my home parish.

John

Both are almost the same age when ordained as bishops. Julian is 50 this year and John became Auxiliary Bishop of Kuching in 1998 when he was 51. He became Archbishop of Kuching in 2003 at 56.

I’ve known my Kuching archbishop since I was a teenager. John was ordained a priest in 1972 when I was in secondary school. I had the privilege to serve as an altar boy at the many masses he offered in St Joseph’s Cathedral, our common parish.

It’s true that young Catholic boys, certainly those of my generation, look up to priests for guidance and inspiration and we accord them the highest reverence.

John has struck me as a very pious person and a learned theologian. He is academically qualified, patient, humble and possesses a calm demeanour. These qualities of his were probably why he was chosen ahead of many more senior priests to lead the Kuching archdiocese 11 years ago.

In bishop-elect Julian, I see John’s attributes. And I must also add that both are young and dashing too, joke aside.

Without doubt, Julian is a holy person and it must be this holiness that gave him the calling to be a priest in 2002 at a ripe age of 38. Late vocation is always something special where the passion and desire to be in the service of the Lord and His Church totally is at its genuine best.

Like John, Julian is also academically qualified. Born in Seremban in 1964, Julian studied at St Paul’s Institution before leaving for New South Wales University, where he obtained a degree in building. He then worked for six years in the construction line around the region before becoming a priest.

Julian also holds a licentiate in ecclesiastical history from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.

According to reports, Julian is seen as “centre” in terms of his theology and ecclesiology. He has taught a course on Vatican II, the watershed council, convened by Pope John XXIII in the early 1960s, that thrust open the church doors to reform.

Julian has also taught courses on New Way of Being Church, Mission History and Western Philosophy rather than the more esoteric theology subjects, according to a fellow lecturer at the major seminary in Penang where Julian was once attached to.

The bishop-elect’s sermons have been described as “soothing, about loving God”, not anything too profound. Not surprisingly, he does not seem overly fixated with church rules and regulations.

Like Kuching’s John, Kuala Lumpur’s Julian is also known as a patient, calm and collected person. These traits should put him in good stead as very soon, he would have to grapple with a host of controversies affecting the Catholic Church in the country in recent times.

Few would envy the tasks that lie ahead for the new archbishop. The Allah, bible seizure and conversion issues are still burning hot with no solution in sight yet.

Indeed, Julian has a heavy cross to carry. By accepting the Holy Father’s appointment, Julian has consented to shoulder these heavyweight issues which have threatened the fabric of religious tolerance in the country.

But Julian seemed to strike the right note even before he officially took over as KL Archbishop.

“I hope the media will be trustworthy and report the truth. Be part of nation building, not nation breaking,” Malaysiakini quoted him as saying at a press conference to announce his appointment on July 3.

Julian also said that he would reserve comments about the Allah issue for a later date.

“I have just been announced, and I have my views on the matter. But I will reserve my comments until I have met with the team of lawyers, which I have not done,” he said, when asked about the church’s next step under his leadership.

He, however, said that having dialogues is important for nation building, including on the Allah issue.

“I am happy that this archdiocese finally has an archbishop, but I am sad that it is me,” Julian joked, saying that he had “mixed feelings” in being appointed.

A report in a blog has a fellow priest describing Julian as an unassuming and diplomatic person, smart and mature. “I see him as a uniting factor … a humble chap, who would be good for the local church, especially KL.”

A religious sister in her seventies who knew Julian as a boy in Seremban expressed delight: “I think he will be a very good and promising bishop. He is open, approachable and humble.” Her fellow sisters were pleased as well as they regarded Julian as “a great friend of the religious (orders).”

Julian is also the first Malaysian Chinese to become the archbishop as all his three predecessors were of Malaysian Indian descent. They were the late Archbishop Emeritus Dominic Vendargon, Archbishop Emeritus Soter Fernandez and Murphy Pakiam.

But for the Catholic Church, race has never been a consideration in the selection of bishops.

Finally, I’m sure all my fellow Catholics will gladly join me in praying for the new KL shepherd that in these trying times.

May the good Lord grant him the holiness of life to lead the flock of this biggest archdiocese in the country with great strength, courage and wisdom.