Category Archives: June 2017

LABUAN – The parish of Blessed Sacrament Church here celebrated its feast day with a Eucharistic procession on 18 June 2017.

The procession took place after Communion from the church to the multipurpose hall where benediction was given.

It was also the time when Archbishop John Wong made his annual two-day (June 17-18) pastoral visit to the parish.

Ninty Sunday School students received the Sacrament of Confirmation during the Sunset Mass June 17.

The prelate spent the first evening mingling with the coordinators of the various ministries and community groups over a fellowship dinner when he was given a belated birthday surprise.

After listening to the feedback, he expressed his satisfaction at the commitment and unity among the groups and ministries.  He pointed out that the parish must take up the responsibility to look into the pastoral needs of the Catholic students from the higher learning institutes in Labuan.

Abp Wong urged the married couples of the parish community to have more children so that the church will grow.

In his homily at Mass the next day, the prelate called on the faithful to love one another as Jesus loves.

For the Presentation, the various groups presented individually a symbolic love offering.

The celebration concluded with a fellowship meal for some 1200 faithful.  The food was sponsored by the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC).

PPC Chairman Ambrose Steven Tati expressed gratitude on behalf of the parish, to the prelate for his pastoral visit in conjunction with their feast day.

At the fellowship, the archbishop shared his RROP way of living the faith: 1) Read the Word of God, 2) Receive the Sacraments, 3) Obey God’s Commandments, and 4) Proclaim the Good News.

Performances from various groups lent a festive air to the parish event.- Gerard Lean

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU – This year’s Children’s Holy Spirit Day Camp drew 117 participants from Primary 2 to 6.

Organised by the Royal Ambassadors Children’s Ministry of the Light of Jesus Christ Covenant Community (LJCCC), it was held on 6-8 June 2017 at the Sacred Heart Parish Centre here with the theme Lights, Camera, Action!

The camp started with a time of lively Praise & Worship and an introduction to the camp theme. It was followed by a fun-filled and exciting Transformer Mission Race. The first day of camp ended with a  camp fire.

Day two of the camp began with a lively & spirit-filled praise & worship led by the RA Youth. Then the children broke into different groups for sharings & workshops on God’s love, Holy Spirit and New Life in Christ. In the evening, there was a special session for the parents while the children had a prayer and healing prayer session

The final day of the camp also commenced with a lively Praise & Worship led by the RA Youth. After that, the children were led into repentance through prayer stations and praying over for empowerment of the Holy Spirit. To give thanks for God’s blessings throughout the camp, a Mass was celebrated by  Archbishop John Wong. The camp concluded with a concert of dance and songs performed by the camp participants. – Bernard Liew

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

 

RCIA facilitator Charles Tibok sits with some of his students, SHPC, 11 June 2017.

 

KOTA KINABALU – All the newly baptised (Easter) and confirmed at the Sacred Heart Cathedral here were encouraged to join any of the parish groups, ministries or communities for their ongoing faith formation, Bible study/reading, and receiving the sacraments frequently.

Both Archbishop John Wong and Parish Pastoral Council chairman Jason Joenoi gave this encouragement in their respective speeches at the fellowship night on 11 June 2017 at the parish centre.

The 196 newly baptised (adults and children) received their certificates while the 300 confirmands (adolescents) received their gifts – the latter will receive their certificates at yearend.

The function was also graced by Abp Emeritus John Lee and all the assistant pastors were present to help distribute the certificates and gifts.

The new members were accompanied by their family members, sponsors and godparents.

Earlier in the day, Abp Wong and his assistants administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to the 300 candidates who came from their respective language classes (Chinese, English, BM), including 13 from CMI.

Aside from receiving the gifts and certificates, the new members responded by giving three presentations in skits and choral singing.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Participants pose for remembrance, ACCPC Kuching, 14 June 2017.

 

KUCHING – Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese led the sharing of online resources among the dioceses during the Regional Commission on Social Communications (RCSC) meeting on 12-14 June 2017.

Participants came from Kuala Lumpur (KL), Kota Kinabalu (KK), Kuching Archdioceses and from the dioceses of Sandakan, Miri, Melaka-Johor, Penang and from the Brunei Vicariate.  There were no representatives from Keningau, Sibu and Singapore.

Before the opening Mass, Archbishop Simon Poh welcomed the participants to Kuching for their annual meeting and then left for another function.

Bishop Cornelius Sim, the episcopal president, presided over the opening Mass at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre.  Joining him at the altar were Fathers Thomas Madanan (KK), Robert Leong (Brunei), Felix Au (Kuching), and Peter Anthoney (KL).

In his keynote address based on the pope’s World Day of Communications message (Communicating Hope and Trust in Our Time), Bishop Sim called on the members to use the Jesus lens to see peoples and events as “compassion is colour blind,” and to have more human-interest stories in their media reports and posts.

The participants listened to three talks pertaining to Islamisation Strategies and Media Usage (Father Felix Au), Youth and Social Media (Ralph Balan), and Laudato Si (Margaret Chan), with group discussion on the last two topics.

Of interest was the visit to the Archdiocesan Gallery on the history of Christianity in Sarawak with Fr Au as guide before the talks on youth and social media and on Laudato Si.

The first day ended with the viewing of “Wonder Woman” at Viva City Mall, with its many Christian themes relevant to the communications ministry.

On the second day, Karen Arukesamy shared on Signis Malaysia Journalism Desk and encouraged the representatives to apply for Signis funding.  The groups then presented the summary of their discussions and plans of action.

The election of office bearers 2017-2019 took place before lunch.  The assembly unanimously retained Father Madanan as chairman, elected Sister Anna Yap fsp (KK) as deputy chairperson, Ignatius Krishnan (KL) as secretary, and Joyce Ting (Kuching) as assistant secretary.

After lunch, each arch/diocese/organisation presented its report on the various activities carried out.

After presenting his report, Krishnan offered his expertise and online resources to the other participants so that together they can harness the communications media for evangelisation.

In his closing remarks, Bishop Sim proposed the icon of the Samaritan Woman representing those looking for living water which has been entrusted to the Church.  He said Catholic media can bring seekers to the font of the living water in the digital world.

The bishop also thanked the participants for their presentations and said this year’s meeting was an eye-opening event, enabling them to move forward to the next level.  He called on the new office bearers to find ways to meet together (either through video conferencing or another way) to plan for the next meeting.

He then thanked the outgoing office bearers – Fr Madanan, Frank Saing and Clement Josos- for their services and welcomed the new office bearers.

The Brunei prelate also expressed his thanks to Kuching SOCCOM headed by Stella Chin for hosting the event.

The meeting ended with a closing Mass presided by Abp Poh and a fellowship dinner at the Sarawak Club.

The next meeting will be hosted by Keningau Diocese on 18-21 June 2018.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Fr Mojolou carries the monstrance as the procession moves from the cathedral to the parish centre, Corpus Christi, 17 June 2017, SHC.

 

KOTA KINABALU –  Sacred Heart Cathedral here celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) with a candlelight procession on 17 June 2017.

The procession started after the post-Communion prayer from the cathedral to the parish centre via the back lane through the two kindergartens.  Benediction was given by Father Rhobby Mojolou after a period of silent adoration.

Joining Fr Mojolou were Father Max Hontor, the extraordinary ministers of holy Communion (EMCs) who have just renewed their commitment to serve for another year after the homily, the LJCCC choir, and all the faithful present for the Sunset Mass.

Of the 32 EMCs, 13 serve during the cathedral’s Sunset Mass, 13 the Sunday Morning Mass, and six at the Morning Mass at the Carmelite Chapel.  Those serving in the Chinese and BM Masses would renew their commitment the next day at the 7 am Chinese Mass and 10:45 am BM Mass respectively.  Those serving in Church of Mary Immaculate Bukit Padang would renew their commitment at the 9 am Mass.

Before Second World War (1939-1945), the Corpus Christi Procession was a grand annual affair and an open witness of the faith in many mission stations.  Everyone took part in it.  The religious, nurses, boy scouts and girl guides, students, groups, each dressed in their uniforms, would take part in the solemn procession.  This was replicated in the 1950s and 1960s.

Now in most churches, the procession is confined only to church premises.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Family members join Fr Max to pose for the camera, SH canteen, 18 June 2017.

 

KOTA KINABALU – Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish marked its assistant pastor’s priestly anniversary with a simple dinner per request of the honouree on 18 June 2017.

Over 200 people turned up for Father Maxmillianno Hontor’s third priestly anniversary dinner at the parish canteen including members of his family.

It was organised by the social committee of the parish pastoral council.

In his welcoming remarks, Jason Joenoi, PPC chairman, explained that the event was held at the canteen at the request of Fr Max himself.

The occasion was graced by Archbishop John Wong and the other three assistant pastors – Fathers Rhobby Mojolou, Mitchelly Kiun and Joshua Liew.

In his brief speech, Fr Max thanked the organising committee and all those present for commemorating his anniversary.  He asked them to continue praying for him as they journey together as a parish family.

Born in 1977, the honouree was ordained priest on 15 June 2014 in Inanam by Abp Wong.  He is the second priest from Inanam; the first is Fr Patrick Erik Jerome who is serving at St Peter’s College Kuching.  In September this year, another son of Inanam, Deacon Leslie Bingkasan will be ordained a Jesuit priest at St Catherine Inanam.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu