Ad Limina Visit of the Episcopal Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei

On Tuesday, 19 May 2026, a meeting was held at the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments with the Bishops of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei on the occasion of their “ad limina Apostolorum” visit.

During the meeting, the Dicastery presented the process of translating liturgical books into vernacular languages, in accordance with the provisions of the Decree Postquam Summus Pontifex. Particular attention was given to the challenges involved in translating liturgical texts within contexts marked by ethnic diversity and tribal cultures, highlighting the need to safeguard the unity of the faith and of the liturgical celebration of the Roman Rite.

The discussion also emphasized the importance of a sound theological reflection accompanying the processes of translation and adaptation, in order to avoid parallel approaches or secondary solutions that diverge from the orientations established by the Second Vatican Council and by the Church’s liturgical reform.

Considerable attention was likewise devoted to the liturgical calendar and evening Masses, especially in places characterized by a strong multiethnic and multicultural presence. The Bishops shared the pastoral difficulties connected with the participation of different linguistic and cultural communities in the same Eucharistic celebration, reflecting on ways to foster ecclesial communion while respecting the diversity of traditions.

The meeting also addressed the theme of liturgical inculturation, recalling its theological foundation in the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God and the need to follow the guidelines set forth in the Instruction Varietates legitimae.

Particular importance was also given to Sunday, as indicated in the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, emphasizing the need to safeguard the Lord’s Day from pastoral initiatives that risk altering its proper nature.

Finally, the pastoral discussion highlighted the difficulties encountered in the preparation for the Sacraments of Matrimony and Confirmation. The importance of adequate formation programs was therefore reaffirmed, also in collaboration with neighboring Episcopal Conferences, in order to accompany the faithful toward a fuller understanding of and participation in the sacramental life of the Church.