Category Archives: Apr 2018

SANDAKAN – Saint Mary’s Cathedral here welcomed 85 new members into its parish family this Easter.

Sixty of them were baptised during the Easter Vigil, 31 Mar 2018,  at the cathedral while 25 were baptised at St Mark’s Church, 20 km from Sandakan.

Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom presided at the Easter Vigil, concelebrated witb Father David Garaman.  It was attended by some 1500 parishioners.

In his homily, the prelate called on those to be baptised in the resurrection of Jesus to be filled with joy in their hearts, to step out from darkness into the light of Christ with bonds of love through baptism.

The prelate also addressed the faithful on the importance of renewing their Baptismal promises. It is a reminder that Christ has risen and lived among us, to celebrate the resurrection of our Saviour, who saves mankind through his unconditional love and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, in his homily at St Mark, Father Christopher Ireneus said:”In life, we have a big rock that weighs us down. What is that big rock? It’s our sins. The resurrection of Jesus has removed the rocks that weigh us down. Believe that even now, He is still able to roll away the stone that weighs us down in our lives.”

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

On 24 Apr 2018, the Malaysian Bishops’ Conference issued a pastoral letter to the People of God.   Below is the full text.

MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT
FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF OUR NATION

“All citizens should be mindful of the right and also the duty to use their vote freely to further the common good.”  (Gaudium et spes – Church in the Modern World, n.75).

Dear People of God,
The upcoming 14th General Election presents us, once again, with an opportunity to participate and
exercise our democratic right to vote and choose our leaders. Every General Election rekindles in each of us expectations, aspirations and a desire to help shape our nation not just for us but also for the generations to come.

DISCERN
The Church calls on her members to exercise conscientiously the right and duty to vote for the common
good of all. Therefore, as Christians, we have a civic and moral duty to engage and participate in the
democratic processes of our beloved country. As responsible stewards, there is no room for attitudes of
indifference or apathy towards the good governance of our country. Every vote helps set the direction of our country and society for the next five years and it is only proper that we ask for divine assistance and guidance in our choices in order to allow our nation to flourish and continue to prosper.

Every registered voter must ‘turn up and vote’ because it is here that we exercise our responsibility and, once again, stake our claim in securing the future of our country by choosing our leaders. We need to choose leaders who truly care for all the ‘rakyat’, promote justice and equality, stand up for principles with integrity and work for the common good of citizens and strive to build a cohesive, harmonious and prosperous nation.

REFLECT
Every election is also an opportunity for self-appraisal not only as a nation but more importantly for us as citizens of this country. Therefore, as citizens, we ought to desire the best possible political leaders who are free of corruption so as to help us achieve the common good, and we have a responsibility to participate in the political process by voting. We must cast our vote through prayerful consideration and in accordance with our conscience formed by the Catholic faith.

We, as Catholic citizens, must inform and form our consciences in accordance with the principles of Catholic social teaching. The first and most essential principle of our social teaching is the dignity of every human person and each one’s basic right to life from conception to natural death. Respect for human dignity is the basis for the fundamental right to life. This is a non-negotiable principle that is supported by our beliefs. Many non-Catholics, too, think a society dedicated to the common good
should protect its weakest members. Other principles include the call to community and participation, the centrality of the family, the dignity of work and rights of workers, the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity and the commitment to stewardship of the environment.

ACT
What can I do?
• Exercise my moral duty to vote according to my conscience.
• Encourage my family and friends to also vote.
• Educate myself on issues at hand and be informed of the track record of all candidates and political
parties.
• Ensure free and fair elections; volunteer to be a Polling and/or Counting Agent.
• Extend a helping hand — provide transportation to the polling station and whatever assistance
needed for the differently abled and other needful individuals, to ensure they have the opportunity
to exercise their votes.

PRAY
• Pray for a peaceful and clean election.
• Observe the Day of Prayer and Fasting for the GE14 as declared by the Bishops’ Conference of
Malaysia on the date/time as specified by your respective dioceses and parishes.
• Respond to and participate in the Call to Prayer being observed by our Christian brothers and sisters
of the denominational churches:
▪ NECF Malaysia: A Call for 21.21.21. Time of Prayer and Fasting for the Church and our Beloved
Nation (www.necf.org.my/newsmaster.cfm?&menuid=43&action=view&retrieveid=1675)
• Pray without ceasing throughout this Election period.
• Pray that all candidates/political parties/leaders will respect the outcome of the GE14.

May the Holy Spirit, grant us the wisdom and fortitude we need in choosing those who will represent and lead us in our national and state governments. Therefore, we urge you, stand up, uphold the common good of our nation, choose wisely, and your vote will be a blessing for our nation.

We place our country unto the hands of Mother Mary to always guide, protect and bring us abundant
graces. May God bless you all and our country, Malaysia.

Yours devotedly in Christ,
+ Most Reverend Julian Leow, Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia
24 April 2018

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

MEMBAKUT – Pauline Sister Laura Anggie returned to St Patrick here to share her vocation story on Vocation Sunday, 22 Apr 2018.  A year ago she was there to give a talk on media awareness.

Father Ronnie Luni presided over the Mass.  Immediately after Mass he invited the three sharers to tell their stories.  The sharers were Sr Laura from the Daughters of St Paul Kota Kinabalu; Sr Regina Tao from Betania Community Keningau, and Cylvie Andrew for Holy Trinity Missionaries Keningau.

One amusing feature was the dressing up of the children in the different habits of the religious institutes in the state such as the Daughters of St Paul (FSP), the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC), the Putri Karmel (PKarm), Carmelitae Sancti Elias Brothers, and the Order of Capuchin Friars Minor (OFMCap).  There was even one dressed as a bishop!

The purpose of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations is to publically fulfill the Lord’s instruction to, “Pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2). As a climax to a prayer that is continually offered throughout the Church, it affirms the primacy of faith and grace in all that concerns vocations to the priesthood and to the consecrated life.  While appreciating all vocations, the Church concentrates its attention this day on vocations to the ordained ministries (priesthood and diaconate), to the Religious life in all its forms (male and female, contemplative and apostolic), to societies of apostolic life, to secular institutes in their diversity of services and membership, and to the missionary life, in the particular sense of mission “ad gentes.” – www.usccb.org

2018 marks the 55th Anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Vocations.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU – Over a thousand people turned up to share the jubilee joy of six Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception at the Sacred Heart Cathedral here on 21 Apr 2018.

The six sisters were golden jubilarian Sister Cabrini Mobilik, 69; ruby jubilarian Sister Grace Deosing, 65;  silver jubilarians Calista Saliun, 49;  Dariah Ajap, 51;  Julita Joseph,  50;  and Mary How, 49.

The people comprising the jubilarians’ family members, fellow religious sisters, members of other religious institutes, friends and benefactors of the congregation from within and outside the archdiocese.

Archbishop John Wong presided at the jubilee Mass concelebrated with Abp Emeritus John Lee, Bishop Cornelius Piong of Keningau, Bishop Julius Gitom of Sandakan, Bishop Cornelius Sim of Brunei, and nine priests from both KK and Keningau.

In his message, Abp Wong said: “I believe the six jubilarians have in various ways tried to help their congregation fulfill this mission (Christ Known to All).  One thing is necessary, namely, to live in conformity to Christ.”

Speaking on behalf of her fellow jubilarians, Sr Dariah thanked all those who have helped in their journey of faith in the religious life.

In her message, Sister Frances Mani, superior general of the congregation, said: “Your spiritual journey has been long, winding, and a mixture of joys and anxieties.  You believe Jesus himself has inspired you to follow him and you have remained faithful to your religious call and to the mission entrusted to you.”

After the Mass, all adjourned to the parish hall for a fellowship lunch and entertainment programme.

Born in Kobusak-Nosoob, Florence Mobilik, the eldest girl born to KK Vincent Mobilik Ubuh Sadangkat and Christina Sipanggol (Joeman), entered the congregation in 1966 and became known as Sr Cabrini of the Blessed Trinity.  She took her first vows in 1968 and made her final profession in 1973.  She is the younger sister of Brother Justin, the first Sabahan La Salle Brother.

Born also in Kobusak-Nosoob, Lenoin Stephanie aka Sr Grace Deosing of Jesus,  is the fourth child of Petrus Deosing Masayuh and Boilin Molinjang, in a brood of five boys and two girls.  She entered the congregation in 1976, made her first profession in 1978 and took her final vows in 1983. She is the immediate past superior general of the congregation (2006-2017).

Born in Bundu Tuhan, Calista Saliun aka Sr Calista of the Holy Eucharist is the fourth child in a brood of 12 born to James Saliun and Easter Endam.  She entered the congregation in 1989, took her first vows in 1993 and made her final profession in 1998.  She is the immediate past directress of novices (2006-2017) and is now a general councillor.  Her younger sister, Juanah, is also a member of the same congregation and is now the directress of novices.

Hailing from Tambunan, Dariah Ajap or Sr Dariah of the Child Jesus is the fifth child in a brood of five boys and four girls born to Abraham Ajap Sasi and Beatrice Ibih Lagan.  She entered the Franciscan Order in 1990, made her first profession in 1993 and took her final vows in 1998.  She has headed the commission of catechetics since 2002 and is currently a member of the congregation’s general government (2017-2023).  She is related to Fr Rudolf Joannes, Fr Phillip Muji, and the two Anggie siblings, Sr Liza fsic, and Sr Laura fsp, and Sr Lucynia Jeprin fsic.

Sr Mary How of the Sacred Heart of Jesus hails from Bundusan Penampang.  She is the youngest in a brood of six boys and two girls born to Francis How and Catherine Ting.  She entered the convent in 1989, took her first vows in 1993 and made her final profession in 1998.  She has been stationed at the Terengganu-Pahang Mission since 2015.

Born in Tuaran, the fourth member of the silver quartet is Sr Julita Joseph of the Holy Eucharist, the third child in a brood of two boys and four girls born to Joseph Saindi and Martina Kunou..  Like Calista and Mary, she entered the congregation in 1989, made her first profession in 1993 and took her final vows in 1998.  She is currently assigned in Tawau.

Consecrated life is born and reborn of an encounter with Jesus as he is: poor. chaste and obedience.  We journey along a double track: on the one hand, God’s loving initiative, from which everything starts and to which we must always return.  On the other, our own response, which is truly loving when it has no ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’ when it imitates Jesus in his poverty, chastity and obedience. (Pope Francis, homily, 22nd World Day for Consecrated Life, 2 Feb 2018).

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

LIKAS: On Easter Vigil  31 Mar 2018, a 2000-crowd witnessed the baptism of nine adults, two teens, six children and three being received into full communion with the Catholic Church, presided by  Father Cosmas Lee, at the St Simon Catholic Church here.

These baptisms are an Easter story that tells of a new life, a new purpose, a new mission that can change the face of the earth.

How do we reconcile the meaning of Easter – the celebration of new life, new hope, new possibilities, new dreams and new mission – with the hopelessness caused by all the troubles in the world, and in our own backyard?  How are we called to see new possibilities in the midst of all these uncertainties?  What is hope saying to us?

This is a pertinent question for Christians as we enter the joyous liturgical season of Easter.

In our own backyard, many feel a sense of hopelessness through the deteriorating value of the Malaysian Ringgit.  We also have the elderly who, sadly, have to go back to work because of the rising cost of living.

Malaysians are also faced with the stark and unfortunate reality that this country, which was once a peaceful multiracial society, is now filled with bigotry and racial and religious polarisation in practically every sphere of life, among the old and even the young.

We are also besieged by a surge in corruption, which appears to be permeating every level of our governmental and administration system.  We can no longer identify just one “bad apple” as it were.  This one bad apple has affected the whole basket!

While there is so much trouble all around us, it also brings to the fore the interesting question of “hope.”

Every Easter, we hear a wonderful story from the Gospel of Luke about two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

During this journey back, they encountered the Risen Lord and were transformed.  He approached them, walked with them and talked about scripture, bringing up events that led to the breaking of bread and finally his death.  It was then that their eyes were opened – they recognised the Lord.  He had risen!  He was alive!

That very moment instead of walking towards Emmaus, they decided to walk back to Jerusalem.  They decided not to walk in the way of hopelessness but their steps were lightened with hope instead.

Many things happened to them on the road – the talking, the listening, the thinking, the change of heart, and the willingness to see old things in a new way.  This was what hope did for them and they shared the experience from hopelessness to hopefulness with the people.

Now this is exactly what our Christian journey is.  This is the transition, the new hope that we are invited to, we who are facing all kinds of hopeless situations in our nation/world, and perhaps troubles and despair in our life, in our marriage, in our family, our work and our parish.

So what exactly is this hope?

This hope calls us to be different; it is listening to the Risen Lord and it makes us get up and walk to Jerusalem, towards life and towards newness.  This is what the joyous Easter message is inviting us to do.

It is absolutely wonderful to see hope in action, such as in parishes across the diocese which give birth to new Church members to walk their catechumenal journey in order to be baptised.  This is an excellent example of hope that is active and reaches out to make things happen.

Gabriella Chong, baptised on Easter Vigil alongside eight other adults at St Simon’s, speaks of a powerful experience of her sin being broken and experiencing new life as she relates her baptismal experience to Romans 6:4 “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”

Speaking of her imminent marriage to a Catholic, she exudes confidence in her newfound Catholic faith “I am certain now that we can live a Catholic married life, and to pass our Catholic values to our children.”

While another newly baptised, Susanna Su values the concept of “community” taught by her catechumenal journey.  “We should be supporting and caring for each other, and not judging people but accepting them. I have learned to accept and love myself more, just as Jesus first loved us,” said Susanna.

Neophyte Aaron Arulnanthi, like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, is enthusiastic about learning from the catecheses which taught him to look for and to recognise the presence of God in his life.

Comparing his life in 2013, the newly baptised marvelled:  “Many aspects of my life and thinking have changed! It is not about me anymore, but all about the Lord Jesus Christ!  He is the very reason I wake up every day!”

Evangeline Chong, another neophyte, admitted that life prior to baptism was hard with all its ups and downs.  Familiar story, but after encountering hope through the Risen Christ, Evangeline felt like she has been transformed to a person with changed personality, as was her transformed friend who introduced her to RCIA.  She sensed the precious changes in her being humbler in outlook and a yearning for simplicity in living.

Meanwhile Clare Wong declared that she finds peace each time she walks into the Church, a fact which she acknowledged as what the RCIA programme has blessed her with.  “I know this is where I belong,” said Clare.

On the night of her initiation, Clare recalled: “I felt at home and grateful to be part of my new Catholic family with whom I now can walk and grow in my faith, and to pass on to others.”

As one who experienced hope arising from a hopeless situation, neophyte Emmanuel Lisius testified how, against every odd in his life of brokenness and neglect since his teen years, the Risen Christ let him see that there is hope in hopelessness when he allowed Christ to touch him.

The experience of the “closeness” of the Risen Christ in his catechumenal journey has given him the warm assurance that baptism and becoming a member of the Catholic family is indeed part of what God has in store for him.

Similar stories of hope are born this Easter as the parishes across the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu received 1060 new Catholics on this most solemn night of all nights, Easter Vigil.

The same Good News is echoed in the Dioceses of Keningau and Sandakan as they too received hundreds of new members into the Catholic Church.

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

Leader: Let us proclaim the name of the Lord;

and ascribe greatness to our God!

All: Lord your work is perfect. And all your ways are just.
Let your voice be heard today by all the nations!

O God, Judge of the nations, put fear into our hearts,
So that we may know that we are only human.

Father, the whole of creation groans and labours
to be delivered from the bondage of corruption,
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Lord Jesus, send forth Your Spirit of Truth
and let this Spirit prove to ‘the powers that be’
how wrong they are about sin, righteousness and judgment.

O Lord, declare the power of your works to Your peoples
and let us be filled with the knowledge of Your glory
as the waters cover the sea.

Gather us, O Lord, in Your name
and may all worship the One True God.

Amen

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

We continue our sharings from those who have received the Initiation Sacraments during the Easter Vigil on March 31, 2018.

Cannot cope without Christ
“It has been two years since I have become a follower of Jesus. I have gone through many storms, but my life has slowly changed. All my bad habits have faded away.

“As I read the Bible and pray, an unexplainable peace comes over me every day and, at every circumstance, I feel Jesus’ presence — his comfort, love and support. He guides me throughout the day, and I definitely feel his spirit showing me what to do every single event of every day.

“Today, faced with life’s struggles, I cannot imagine trying to cope alone, without the assurance that Jesus is in control. I can honestly say that I have a new life. Jesus gave me my new beginning. My heart was opened at baptism. — Jessica Banu, St Peter’s Church, Melaka

Learnt to put logic aside and let faith take the lead
“I have been a non-believer for the longest time. I needed everything to be explained logically before anything could be accepted. For a long time, I had been waiting for a sign from God till the day I met this person through a faith sharing session. From the person’s sharing, I understood and learnt a lot about faith and how close we are to God despite His being “invisible.” The person advised that I should just go and see for myself. At that point, I decided to join the RCIA.

“At times, logical thoughts set in, but I have been blessed to always have someone to pull me back. I still recall that someone reminded me that we can’t find God through logic nor through 0s and 1s. It is through faith that we will find God. That was the point I decided to put all logic aside and let faith take the lead.

“I set out on a physical journey to find God and had a very personal and peaceful encounter with Him. The journey was the longest time I ever spent with God and felt God in my life. That’s the time I prayed the most and had all my little conversations with God.

“Taking baby steps, day by day I said my prayers diligently. And He slowly answered my prayers, one after another to show to me He’s just beside me, listening to me all the while. A lot of unexplainable and impossible things happened during the RCIA journey to show His presence to me.

“Nonetheless, I experienced a lot of challenges too during the journey. I shared with Him all the hurt I had and all the pain I felt throughout the days and weeks. But from His words and through prayers, He calmed all the “storms” that I encountered.

“Through His blessings, His mercy and His love which I felt the last few months, I just want to say, “Thank you Father. You are one awesome and loving Dad!” — Raphael Kioay Kwang Tien, Church of the Divine Mercy, Penang

Always felt that something was missing
“Having been educated in the Methodist Girls’ School in Malacca, I had learnt about Jesus but that was as far as I went. I attended a few “churches” at shoplots, the Calvary Church, even the Trinity Methodist Church, but I still felt that something was missing.

“My eldest sister, on the other hand, was educated in the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus and is a staunch and devoted Catholic. She has been influential in my wanting to become a Catholic. She gave me a book A Brief Catechism for Adults and, after reading it, I then decided to become a Catholic.

“My RCIA journey actually came by chance when my good friend told me that St Ignatius Church would be starting new RCIA classes in July 2017 and she even offered to be my sponsor. I felt that God had heard my prayers. He opened the door for me and I should not refuse His invitation, so I went for it.

“My first lesson started with much anxiety but after a couple more lessons, there was no turning back. There is a team of dedicated and committed facilitators to guide and teach me about Jesus. I found myself looking forward to each lesson and wanting to learn more. I learned about Mass, the Eucharist and the sacraments. I am really grateful to this team of facilitators for their time, teachings and guidance.

“Personally, the defining moment for me was during the Recollection weekend. I was touched for the first time. I was so overwhelmed I even cried. I felt closer to God. I was very prepared and happy to receive the Lord during the Easter Vigil.” — Joyce Lee Choon Lan, St Ignatius Church, Kelana Jaya

All things possible with God’s love
For John Choong Ah Kow, 76, from Ipoh, coming into the Catholic Church was something so wonderful, he prepared himself well for the event.

He stood out among the 23 candidates for baptism and confirmation at the Church of St Michael, Ipoh, dressed in jacket, bow-tie and a crisp white shirt and pants. He said he was looking forward to being baptised.

He kept a low profile but he took pride in saying his son was celebrating Mass, when asked.

His son was none other than Fr Choong Chun Yean, a Polish-trained priest who had come to baptise him and Stephanie (his daughter) with her two girls, Sarah, 8, and Isabella, 6.

“He will sing in Latin at this Mass, as he is fluent in the language, and can also speak Polish.

“He has served in Poland and Rome, and is now in Sri Lanka, but will be transferred soon,” he said.

John made sure the special night was remembered as he took photographs with his son Fr Choong, Fr Dario of Croatia and his sponsor, Joseph Lin.

He also took photographs with his three good friends who had come all the way from Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur to witness his baptism.

The three friends were Teresa Siaw, Theresa Chin and Teresa Chin, who sat in the front pew in one wing of the church.

Bringing bouquets of flowers for John Choong, they recounted how the Easter miracle had come about.

“Six years ago, Fr Choong came to Sarawak on holiday with Fr Paul Lo, from Kota Kinabalu, during a break in his studies in Rome.

“He mentioned his wish that he wanted his father to convert to Catholicism, and we promised to pray for his conversion. We also said we would attend his baptism, wherever that was,” said Teresa Siaw.

“Imagine our feelings of joy when Fr Choong told us his father would be baptised this Easter Vigil.

“All this is possible because of God’s love,” she added.

Hope to grow in spiritual maturity in Christ
“I was very fortunate to be raised in a Christian home. From my childhood, I attended church services and Bible studies regularly. I loved the Lord Jesus and strived to live according to the teachings of the Bible.

“It wasn’t until I pursued my tertiary education overseas that I was exposed to the different denominations, like Anglican and Lutheran. It was an eye opener and it became apparent to me, that despite having the same Bible, different denominations disagreed on doctrines. I remembered pondering to myself, “How could this be, that the same scriptures were interpreted in different ways?”

“In 2016, my fiance, who was then an Anglican, decided to join the Catholic Church. Having prior misconceptions about the Catholic Church, I was determined to prove Catholicism wrong. This triggered me to research on the teachings of the Early Fathers. I realised that God had given the authority of interpretation of the scriptures to the apostles and their successors. This encouraged me to find out more.

“So I followed my fiance to Mass. I witnessed the transformation of bread and wine into the real presence of Christ in the form of the Eucharist. I was both amazed and overwhelmed.

“I shared my interest in the Catholic faith with the priest and was introduced to the RCIA programme. I journeyed together with my fellow catechumens for more than a year. We explored a new topic every week. I liked how we were encouraged by our facilitators to ask questions regarding the faith and share our views freely.

“Eventually, my decision to get baptised was faced by objections from my family as they did not agree with some teachings of the Catholic Church. But I had made up my mind. When I was down, I was very grateful to have the prayers and support of the RCIA facilitators, BEC members and friends.

“I looked forward to the Easter Vigil, where I was received into the Church and the beginning of a new life where I hope I will grow in spiritual maturity in Christ.”

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

This May, citizens across the country will gather in schools, civic centres, and city halls to cast their votes. They will stand in line and slip into voting booths, where they will help choose our next line of leaders at the national and state levels.

For many trying to live out our Catholic faith, discerning for whom to vote can be challenging. To help Catholics better form their consciences during this election year, they should know what the Church teaches — and why — regarding our civic responsibility.

Why should I vote?
Voting: It is one of our most important responsibilities as citizens. Indeed, the Church teaches (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 2240) that there are three primary responsibilities of all citizens:
–to pay taxes
–to defend their country
–to vote

Each of these responsibilities asks us to put the good of society and our fellow citizens above our individual desires and needs. Thus, a primary question we must answer as Catholic voters is whether the needs of the weakest and most defenceless among us are being addressed. In the voting booth, we have a privileged opportunity to contribute to our nation and promote the common good by bringing the values and teachings of our faith to bear on the issues facing our society.

Does the Church tell me whom I should vote for?
No. The Church does not tell us whom to vote for when we enter the voting booth. It does not endorse an official list of candidates or tell us which party Catholics should join. Instead, Catholics are to use their judgment and follow their consciences as they apply the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ and the core faith values to the choices they make in the voting booth.

As Catholics, following the challenging path of discipleship, we need to evaluate the issues and candidates in the light of our Catholic faith. Then, we are challenged to live out our faith by getting actively involved — by voting and engaging in other civic activities.

How does my Catholic faith help me to make these choices?
We are taught from an early age to form our consciences in the light of our Catholic teaching. “To follow one’s conscience” is often misunderstood as something that allows us to do whatever we want, following the “feeling” we have that something is right or wrong.

But our faith teaches us that “conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognises the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed. In all he says and does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and right. It is by the judgment of his conscience that the person perceives and recognises the prescriptions of the divine law’. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1178)

It is our responsibility as Catholics to form our consciences by developing the virtue of prudence to discern true good in circumstances and to choose the right means of achieving it by maintaining a willingness and openness to seek what is right through studying Scripture and Church teaching, using our reason to study key issues in light of this teaching, and by prayerfully seeking to understand the will of God.

What about the separation of Church and state? Can the Church ask me to vote according to my Catholic principles?
Four principles of Catholic social doctrine are key to making practical judgments to do good and avoid evil in voting:

1. Promoting and defending the dignity of the human person
2. Supporting the family and subsidiarity in local, state and national institutions
3. Working for the common good where human rights are protected and basic responsibilities are met
4. Acting in solidarity with concern for all as our brothers and sisters, especially the poor and most vulnerable (Faithful Citizenship, Nos. 40-52 and also EG).

If all of these are priorities, what is most important?
All of these issues are important, but they are not all morally or ethically equivalent. “Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.” (CCC, No. 2258).

At the same time, issues such as war, the death penalty, racism and care for the poor and the immigrant are enormously important. “These are not optional concerns which can be dismissed” (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, No. 29).

The moral teaching of our Church is about more than prohibitions. We Catholics are encouraged to respond to the basic needs of human beings — food, shelter, healthcare, education and employment. We are called to welcome refugees and immigrants, defend religious freedom, support marriage and family and protect the environment.

Four steps before voting

— Inform yourself about the Church’s teachings. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great place to start.
— Inform yourself about the issues. Listen to the candidates. See where the candidates stand on critical moral and social issues.
— Seek input from Catholics you respect.
— Pray. Take your hopes, concerns and worries to the Lord and ask for his guidance.

This seems hard
In today’s political environment, voting as a Catholic is hard work. It takes serious reflection, knowledge of Church teaching and awareness of who the candidates are and where they stand on the issues.

The Church challenges us to vote for what is best for society and all of its members, particularly those least able to speak up for or defend themselves.

The great privilege of democracy is that we, as citizens and religious believers, can have a voice in the direction of our country by voting for the common good; this is both a right and a responsibility. The great privilege of being Catholic is that we have a community of faith and a body of teaching, going back to Christ himself, that can help us make good decisions in the voting booth.

Where can I find out more?
— Our bishops have issued a detailed reflection on Catholic teaching and political life, called Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: www.faithfulcitizenship.org.
— Catechism of the Catholic Church
— United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCB Publishing)
— Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
— Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, by Pope Francis

Check your voter polling station online now
PETALING JAYA: Malaysians eligible to vote can now find out where they can cast their ballots during GE14.

Information on voters’ polling stations and channels were placed online Monday (April 16). The information is available via the following channels:

the Election Commission website at www.spr.gov.my the MySPR Semak mobile app (available on the Apple App Store and Google Play) call 03-8892 7018 send an SMS to 15888.

The polling date for GE14 on is May 9, nomination date is on April 28, while early voting is on May 5.

May 9 has been declared a public holiday for the whole country in conjunction with polling day to enable Malaysians to exercise their right to vote.

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

For the 3rd consecutive year, the Visitation Parish Integral Human Development Ministry (PIHDM) organised a blood donation and health screening campaign on March 18. The campaign was part of the ongoing celebration of the 170 years of the church.

A 14-member team of doctors, nurses and medical laboratory technicians from the Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar, Seremban (HTJS) participated in the campaign. A team of five Catholic doctors from Kuala Lumpur also came to offer their services.

Registration counters were opened outside the hall and nine blood donor beds were prepared by the HTJS staff. Inside the hall, family members gave moral support to their loved ones donating blood. At the close of the campaign, 103 pints of blood were collected, 17 short of the targeted 120 pints. The figure was much lower compared to last year when 151 pints were collected. The low number was largely attributed to some 40 hopeful donors who were rejected due to various medical reasons.

At the health screening section, the poor and the migrants were given priority to check their blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and random blood glucose. Also benefitting from the health screening were eight children from the Bidara orphanage home.

Donating blood is an act of selfless giving and a good way to give back to the community. The 103 pints collected on that day could help save some 309 lives! (One pint can help save up to three people).

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord was celebrated at the Church of the Divine Mercy (CDM) on April 9 with a special 8.30pm Mass.

Parish priest of CDM, Fr Gerard Theraviam was the celebrant, with Fr Augustine Lee concelebrating. Before the Mass, Fr Gerard explained why the Universal Church celebrates this feast, the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity, Jesus, who came down from heaven and became human, for the salvation of all mankind.

Fr Lee, the Parish priest of the Sacred Heart Church in Bentong, also said that his other parish, the Annunciation Church in Raub, will be celebrating this feast on April 14. He said the annunciation of the Lord means Mary receiving the message from the angel.

In this context, Fr Lee said, we usually think or worry too much about everything and cannot sleep. But, rather, we should leave our worries, like Mary, to the Lord. “Mary listened and also heard that her cousin, Elizabeth, in her old age, who was called barren, had also conceived a son. Mary put aside all her worries and left it to the Lord, for nothing is impossible for God.”

He invited the assembly to also respond to God, ‘Let it be done unto me, according to Your will’.

“Ask ourselves whether we, as disciples of Christ, as followers of Christ, do God’s will or are we still struggling? If we do God’s will, turn to God and focus on His blessing to give us peace in our hearts.”

The feast of the Annunciation of the Lord is usually celebrated on March 25. It is moved in the Catholic Church calendar when that date falls during Holy Week, Easter Week or a Sunday.

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online