Author Archives: Ken Wong

KUCHING: Kuching Archdiocese welcomed a new priest to its presbyterium on 22 Sept 2017.

Archbishop Simon Poh of Kuching ordained Deacon Galvin Richard Ngumbang, 34, to the priesthood at St Joseph’s Cathedral here.

Poh said this would be the beginning of Galvin’s ministry to serve and walk humbly with the people placed under his pastoral care.

“Parishioners will begin to call you ‘Father,’ but always keep in your heart that ‘Father’ is not a title, but a relationship with the people of God,” he said.

The service, witnessed by Galvin’s immediate family members and fellow Catholics, began with a traditional Orang Ulu dance.

In the ordination booklet, Galvin revealed that his journey to serve God began after Form 3 when he prayed to pass the Penilaian Menengah Rendah in 1998.

“I was very surprised that I passed the exam and questioned myself as to whether I was special and that God heard my prayer,” he said.

Galvin stated that his true call to serve God was after he attended Holy Hour at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Sibu, when he found his mind at peace and the will to serve God prevailed.

He began seminary studies in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah in 2010 after resigning as assistant science officer with the Pepper Marketing Board Sibu.

Galvin obtained his Bachelor of Theology from Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome, on 25 Nov  2016 and graduated from St Peter’s College Major Seminary Kuching on 16 Dec 2016.

He was admitted to the candidacy for Holy Orders by Poh on 3 April 2017 and was ordained as deacon at St Jude’s Church, Bunan Gega Tebedu on April 23.

KUALA LUMPUR – Msgr Anthony Thomas of Kuala Lumpur had been called to eternal life on 24 Sept 2017.

In a chancery notice ref (chan/MC/02/2017) dated Sept 24, it said that Msgr Thomas, 80, died peacefully on Sunday at 2:30 pm at the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged Cheras where he had been residing since his retirement in 2005.

Among the deceased’s many qualities was his giftedness and proficiency in music which has contributed greatly to the repertoire of hymns, responsorial psalm musical settings and Mass Ordinaries widely used in the local Church.

He is well remembered by the parishioners of St Joseph Sentul, Visitation Church Seremban and Sacred Heart Church Peel Road where he had served as parish priest.  He was instrumental in the building of the respective parish community centres.

Wake Masses:
Mon Sept 25, 7 am Little Sisters of the Poor Cheras; 8 pm Sacred Heart Peel Road
Tue Sept 26, 8 pm Sacred Heart Peel Road

The funeral will be on Wed Sept 27 at 11 am at Sacred Heart Peel Road and burial at Kajang cemetery.

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

BUNDU TUHAN – Sixty-four catechists attended the third module of the BM catechists training course at the retreat centre here on 8-24 Sept 2017.

The course was organised jointly by the Archdiocesan Catechetical Commission and the Persatuan Katekis (PEKA) with the first module on June 12-July 7 and the second module on July 9-21.

Topics covered were human development (Sr Lucy Embayan fsic), psychology and counselling (Sr Lucy Embayan fsic), Pauline Letters (Fr Paul Lo), ecclesiology – Vatican II (Fr Mattheus Luta), Differences between RC, Orthodox & Protestant  Churches (Sr Dariah Ajap fsic & team),  bioethics/morality (Fr Michael Modoit), and i-chat seminar (Fr Larry Tan sj).

Other topics included team building by Terence Dolinting, homiletics by catechist Justin Dinsin, pedagogy by Mdm Lynette Justin, and adminstration by Dominic Lim.

Father Nicholas Stephen, organising team head, presided at the opening Mass Sept 8 while Msgr Primus Jouil celebrated the closing Mass Sept 22 and gave out the certificates of attendance to the participants.

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

PENAMPANG – St Theresa Tambunan held its first fundraising concert dinner for its building project at the KadazanDusun Cultural Association Centre here on 23 Sept 2017.

Over 800 people turned up in support of the event.  Among them were Father Anthony Mikat, the current pastor, Father William Poilis, former pastor, and several religious sisters.

The event organising committee was headed by Pontius Otigil.

In his speech, Building Committe head Daniel Kinsik explained that the inaugural fundraiser is to help build a new RM4.5m church as the existing church cannot be extended anymore to accommodate increasing members.  The target date for completion is 2019 in time for the centenary of the parish.  Once the building is completed, the existing church will be renovated to become the parish hall.

The Tambunan choir – past and present – gave many stirring performances in English, BM and Kadazan.  There were also performances from the Labuan youths.

Fr Mikat did his bit too with his rendition of “How Great Thou Art” to the delight of the diners.

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU – The Couples for Christ – Handmaids of the Lord (CFC-HOLD)’s 8th echo conference focused on faith journey was held at the Sacred Heart Parish Centre on 23 Sept 2017.

An Echo Conference is a local duplication of the annual HOLD International Conference (ICON) held in April in Manila attended by some of the key members.  These members then return to their respective countries and organise similar conferences.

This year’s theme was My Heart in Your Hands (1 Cor 16:13-14).  The conference began with rosary recitation and Holy Mass at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel presided by Father Paul Lo, CFC Spiritual Adviser.

In the conference, divided into five sessions comprising talks, testimonies and creative expressions, the 160-strong participants were brought to awareness the different stages in the faith journey.

In Session 1: Journey of Faith, Teresa Michael-Majanil presented the different stages in the journey of faith using Thomas Cole’s four paintings entitled The Voyage of Life.

In the second session, Crisis in Faith, Wendy Chin elaborated on the many challenges faced by the Church in Corinth and in society today such as division, lax morality, power struggle, desire for self-aggrandisement, secularism, moral relativism, materialism, and rationalisation as well the reality of the culture of death and killing.

The third session, Staying the Course, Ivy Henry Majanil touched on spiritual warfare and the tactics used by Satan: deception, division, diversion, and discouragement.  She said the CFC theme of standing firm in faith points out the ways to counter the devilish tactics through understanding well the catechism lived and learnt through the basic prayers, sacraments, church and family traditions.

In the fourth session, Warriors on Our Knees, Karen Sigawal spelt out the vocation of the laity to holiness lived out in daily life.  She pointed out that courage/endurance is needed to do God’s will and to receive what He has promised.  The obstacles to courage are excessive fear, sloth or laziness, fatigue and loneliness and their antidotes are magnanimity, patience, humility and determination.

In the fifth and final session, My Heart in Your Hands, Anne Labadin-Majanil showed the participants how love is the weapon in God’s plan of attack in spiritual warfare – love for God and for others in concrete actions – as depicted in Joshua 6.  It was Joshua’s love for God that won the battle of Jericho – a love that trusted, did not question but simply obeyed.  She led the participants to place their hearts in God’s loving hands – wounded hands that will hold their hearts close to His own heart, entailing a deep prayer life, total obedience to Him, union with Him in Holy Communion, and a life of service to Him and others.

The one-day conference ended with a praise fest.

The Handmaids of the Lord (HOLD) target mature women, regardless of status, or situation, from ages forty-one (41) and above. The ministry has a three-fold mission: personal transformation, evangelisation to bring her family and others especially women to a renewed life in the Lord, and wholehearted service to bring glad tidings to the poor. It provides a strong teaching track, special teachings for women in different states of life, and a leadership programme to equip leaders to be more effective and better servants. The mission promotes the missionary spirit among leaders to realise its vision.

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Congratulations to our newly ordained priest, Rev. Fr. Galvin Richard Ngumbang on your sacerdotal ordination earlier this morning. To God be the Glory!

PENANG: Beautiful voices rang out at the Church of the Immaculate Conception on July 30. Those who attended the concert by the Magnificat Choir from Medan, Indonesia, were given a rare treat of songs and dances for nearly two hours. This amazing choir of more than 80 members from Paroki Santo Antonius, Medan is under the directorship of Pastor Redemptus Simamora, OFM (Capuchin), assisted by Kristin Ratnasari.

Pastor Redemptus shared, “After studying sacred music, vocals, instruments, composing and arrangement in Rome for five years, I returned to Medan, formed a parish based choir and was with it for 20 years. Since I had the knowledge and experience, I thought I would put together Magnificat. It was challenging as I had to travel to the surrounding Catholic schools to recruit the singers and carry out auditioning. The choir members need to be disciplined as we have practices on Saturdays and Sundays from 2.00pm to 6.00pm. With generous donors, we have been able to perform not only within Medan, but have ventured out to Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Singapore and now Penang. Our dream is to be given the opportunity to sing in front of the Pope!”–By Stephanie Cheong

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

PENANG: The Penang State Government, Stonyhurst College, and LAPIS announced on September 17 the development of Stonyhurst Penang International School in Seri Tanjung Pinang, Tanjong Tokong, Penang. It will attract both international and Malaysian students from the region to study in Malaysia, in line with the Penang State Government’s vision to develop Penang as an Education Hub.

The school, which will accommodate up to 1,200 local and international pupils aged 3 to 18, will be operated by Stonyhurst College upon completion in 2019. The school will offer both a British curriculum to prepare students for entry into the best UK and international universities and some Malaysian subjects for local students.

The Chief Minister of Penang, Mr Lim Guan Eng, witnessed the signing of the key agreements on this landmark collaboration involving the Penang State Government, LAPIS, and Stonyhurst.

Head Teacher of Stonyhurst, Mr John Browne commented, “Stonyhurst College was founded in 1593 and has a proud Jesuit heritage and culture. I am honoured and moved to be part of a new chapter in its history, by signing this agreement with Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. The opening of Stonyhurst College in Malaysia is an historic milestone for the school and one which I sincerely hope will benefit both the community of the school and the wider community around it.”

Chairman of the Board of Governors of Stonyhurst College, Mr John Cowdall said, “As Chair of the Board of Governors, it gives me the most enormous pleasure to witness the signing of the agreement which will allow Stonyhurst College to have a presence in Malaysia. The Board of Governors has given this historic development a great deal of consideration and we are delighted to have reached this significant stage. We are all committed to seeing this extraordinary project come to fruition.”

Director of LAPIS, Mr Michael Sng added: “LAPIS is proud to build on its success with St Joseph’s Institution International School in Kuala Lumpur to form a partnership with Stonyhurst in Penang. This has tremendous potential as the Penang State Government continues to successfully attract high quality foreign investment.”

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

PETALING JAYA: More than 100 Catechists and RE (Religious Education) Coordinators from various parishes in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur gathered at the Assumption Church on September 9 to attend a Formation on “Classroom Management” organised by the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese Catechetical Commission (KLACC) and presented by the Ecclesiastical Assistant, Fr Alvin Ho, SJ.

Fr Ho first asked all present what their understanding of the phrase “Classroom Management” was. Many responses were given, including disciplining the students, preparing clear lesson plans and positive two-way communication between teacher and student. Fr Ho then explained that Classroom Management is the process by which teachers and schools create and maintain appropriate behaviour of students in classroom settings. The purpose is to enhance prosocial behaviour and increase student academic engagement. However, he stressed that more intensive programmes may be needed by some students.

Fr Ho encouraged the Catechists to establish and sustain an orderly environment in the classroom. Some methods of doing this would be to treat all students equally and consistently and to use technology by creating interesting material (especially for the younger students). He also suggested that students not be given homework but that their class time should be utilised to the fullest.

In order to prevent future discipline problems and to deal with current ones, Catechists should set Class Rules at the beginning of the year and make sure that these rules are strictly adhered to by the students, the parents and the Catechists. A Catechist must “walk the talk” before expecting the same from their students.

Another tool that Catechists can use is “Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)”. Catechists should not use negative words such as “Do not do…” but, instead, use positive terms like “I would like you to do…”. Students should also play a role in developing what is expected of them so that they can be involved in the process and are invested in the classroom environment.

Fr Ho continued with recommendations for the Catechists to set and follow basic classroom management principles and also reminded the Catechists that their success is in their students’ “Spiritual Growth”.

The first thing that a Catechist should do is to introduce themselves to the class by writing their name on the board so that the students can clearly identify them. Students should learn from Level 1 onwards that everything they learn in class is focused on Jesus Christ as the Malaysian Catechetical Series (MCS) is very Christo-centric. The more the students learn about Jesus Christ, the more they will grow in their own personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Rules, procedures and routines should be developed from the beginning. Students should also be informed of tasks/activities ahead of time so that they can adequately prepare, participate and contribute effectively.

The Catechists’ job is also to train their students to be leaders, both for the Church and also the Civil Service. Catechists should plan class activities that encourage their students to develop leadership skills. Camps should also be organised for all levels so that potential leaders can be identified and nurtured. Every student has the potential to be a Priest, a Religious or a Church/Civil Service leader provided they receive the proper instructions from a young age.–By Genevieve Bois

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

JOHOR BAHRU: “The Church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity and the joy that is so characteristic of you.” These words of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, were used to begin the talks in the Diocese of Malacca Johore recently.

From September 6-10, 2017, the Malacca Johore School of Witness (MJSOW) accompanied a specially invited speaker on a diocese- wide formation tour. The invited speaker, Fr Terence Wee CSsR, who was a Melaka boy albeit having been based in Singapore in recent years for his religious and pastoral ministry, shared on the above topic. These talks were delivered in English and Mandarin in Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat and Melaka.

Having defined evangelisation as the sharing of the Good News, Fr Terence identified JOY as a crucial element in one’s witnessing of the Gospel. He explained that this joy is not an absence of challenges in life but, rather, one that could not be diminished by suffering.

He also identified LOVE as another element in evangelisation. Love, according to the speaker, is not a feeling but a choice. Part of the Christian challenge is to love others, despite how we may feel in our relationships with others.

The other important element in Christian witness is HOPE. Living in a context that capitalises negative news most of the time, Christians should be people who are able to see hope in seemingly bleak situations.

One other element not to missed in evangelisation is MERCY. This means acknowledging the godliness and beauty of people and inviting them to grow in this beauty, instead of condemning them. It means affirming the dignity of people whom we encounter.

Fr Terence thereafter moved on to share three crucial principles for creative evangelisation.

The first principle is SIMPLICITY. He explained that creative evangelisation does not mean attempting to use complex ways to evangelise, or using means that are beyond our reach. Rather, our focus should be on the most simple ways, through a simple offer of friendliness, the simple sharing of life experiences and, sometimes, by simply being present to someone who needs our company. In relation to this, simplicity also means being authentic and real in embracing our imperfections and limitations.

The second principle in creative evangelisation is CONNECTION with people. The core of the Christian faith, according to the speaker, is relationship. Relating with people means knowing ourselves well and presenting ourselves as we really are, without putting on a false front. Being sincerely interested in people — being present to them — is an important quality in our Christian witness.

The third principle in creative evangelisation is IMAGINATION. The participants were invited to imagine how the Good News could be shared differently. The speaker mentioned various platforms such as the creative arts, technology, and sports as effective means for this purpose. Creativity requires us to see new possibilities in our routineness and in how we share the Good News in our daily life.

Participants shared that they found the talks simple, practical and rather heartwarming. The sincerity and honesty of the speaker drew them into the message that was shared, hence they found themselves inspired to simplify, connect, and imagine!

The Malacca Johore School of Witness (MJSOW) aims to invite Christians into a deeper life of discipleship so that they emerge as effective witnesses of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To this end, it runs annual formation modules to inspire the lay faithful of the diocese to live a missionary way of life.

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online