Category Archives: Mar 2018

KOTA KINABALU – The KK Archdiocese organised a pre-PAX gathering, the first of its kind in its history, on 1 May 2018 at the Sacred Heart Parish Centre here.

Organised by the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, the objective of the gathering was to give a voice to the people at the grassroots level before the PAX Assembly in June.

Some 800 delegates from 19 parishes across the archdiocese turned up for the historic event.

It commenced with the Enthronement of the Bible presided by Msgr Primus Jouil (providentially, his 38th priestly anniversary that day) at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, followed by the welcome address by Archbishop John Wong.

In his address, he explained the objective of the gathering.

“The objective of our coming together this morning is to listen carefully to what we have done as parish communities, and hopefully to prepare well for the coming PAX Assembly from 13 to 16 June,” the prelate said.

The delegates were divided into five clusters of four to five parishes based on language and demographic similarities.

Each parish reported on the suitable programmes they have organised to meet the three issues highlighted (apathy, secularisation, islamisation) at the 2015 PAX Assembly in line with the pastoral thrust of “going inward, going smaller, going outward.”

It was pointed out that in the period that followed none of the parishes contacted any of the three archdiocesan service teams formed to help at the parish level.

After lunch, five cluster committees of two delegates per parish (who will later be going to the June PAX Assembly as delegates) met to discuss how they will present a consolidated report of their clusters to the PAX Assembly as well as to elect the presenter of their respective reports.

The gathering ended with a closing Mass presided by Abp Wong, concelebrated with all the priests present, and assisted by the two deacons.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Article reproduced from Diocese of Keningau

Sandakan – Pada 16hb dan 17hb Mac 2018 lalu, Kerasulan Wanita Katolik Keuskupan Sandakan (KWKKS) telah mengadakan Rekoleksi Musim Pra-paska 2018 iaitu satu program untuk memperkasakan para wanita.  Rekoleksi ini diadakan di Dewan Persidangan Keuskupan Sandakan dengan dihadiri seramai lebih kurang 145 peserta wanita Katolik yang datang dari Paroki Katedral St. Mary Sandakan, Paroki Holy Trinity Tawau, Paroki St. Dominic Lahad Datu, Paroki St. Martin Telupid, Paroki Our Lady of Fatima, Beluran dan juga Misi Paitan. Tiga Religius  Sister (FSIC)  turut menyertai. Fasilitator adalah Sr. Maria Dipal, RGS (Sister Gembala Baik) dan turut hadir, Rev. Fr. Christopher Ireneus selaku Pembimbing Rohani kepada KWKKS.

       

Pendaftaran bermula pada jam 4:00 petang dan diikuti dengan Jalan Salib yang diadakan di Katedral St. Mary. Puan Cecelia D’Souza selaku Ketua Penyelaras KWKKS mengalu-alukan kehadiran para wanita dengan harapan semua dapat diperkasakan lagi sebagai seorang wanita dengan menimba ilmu melalui program ini.  Beliau juga berharap agar setiap yang hadir dapat mengalami perubahan, untuk lebih memahami hati sendiri dan memperteguhkan iman jauh lebih dalam lagi dengan semangat baru dan menjalani kehidupan dengan cara baru untuk melayani Tuhan serta sesama

Rev. Fr. Christopher dalam ucapannya, menyeru para wanita di keuskupan ini untuk berjalan bersama bagi memperkasakan pelayanan kerasulan wanita Katolik di gereja dan lebih utama lagi mereka haruslah bijaksana ketika melaksanakan tanggungjawab dalam keluarga bermula dari keluarga masing-masing. Fr. Christopher menegaskan bahawa pelayanan kerasulan wanita Katolik tidak semestinya hanya berfokus pada gereja. “Keluarga itu adalah Gereja (gereja kecil), di mana pelayanan wanita-wanita sebagai isteri, ibu, kakak sangat penting dan amat besar tanggungjawabnya”, katanya.

Beliau juga mengingatkan agar setiap yang hadir untuk merenungkan dalam diri masing-masing mengenai apakah yang mereka mahu dapatkan dan harapkan daripada program tersebut. Rev. Fr. mengatakan bahawa sebagai salah satu cara memproses apa yang telah mereka lalui dalam program itu, beliau ingin melihat bersama mereka hasilnya nanti secara realiti, sama ada apa yang mereka harapkan itu dapat perolehi untuk dipraktikkan atau diubah dan digunapakai dalam pelayanan mereka. Dengan itu, beliau berharap agar wanita-wanita ini benar-benar dapat diperkasakan dalam pelayanan di gereja dan sekaligus terhadap pelaksanaan tanggungjawab kepada keluarga juga.

Program memperkasakan wanita ini adalah satu inisiatif KWKS yang mahu membantu wanita-wanita di keuskupan untuk bertumbuh dan melayani sesama dengan cintakasih sesuai dengan Visi dan Misi Keuskupan Sandakan.

Dalam sesi pertama, Sr. Maria mengajak para peserta untuk menyiapkan diri dan merenungkan beberapa persoalan:- 1) Dimanakah engkau? 2) Mengapa anda di sini? 3) Apa yang anda cari? 4) Apakah yang anda minta/harapkan?  Beliau memetik firman Tuhan, ‘Segala sesuatu ada waktunya’ (Pengkotbah 3:1).  Mengimbas kembali peristiwa Kejadian, di mana Tuhan menciptakan dunia ini dan segala isinya sesuai dengan waktunya dan semua baik dan indah.

Sesi kedua adalah mengenai Perjalanan Batin di mana para peserta diminta untuk mendengarkan dengan lebih dekat dan teliti akan hikmat kebijaksanaan setiap musim kehidupan dengan menggunakan refleksi, doa dan meditasi. Musim kehidupan merangkumi kitaran hidup yang membawa pertumbuhan, pengalaman dari segi spiritual dan menyedari kehadiran Tuhan di dalam diri.

Sesi ketiga membawa semua wanita Memahami Krisis Kehidupan Manusia yang mempunyai 4 Peringkat Perkembangan iaitu Fizikal, Kognitif/Pemikiran, Sosial/Personaliti dan Teori. Dalam sesi ini, Sr. Maria membicarakan krisis-krisis kehidupan wanita. Para wanita memerlukan satu semangat yang utuh, mentaliti yang bijaksana dan kematangan sikap di mana semua ini dapat diperoleh apabila mereka percaya, bertumbuh, berbuah dalam Yesus Kristus.

Memasuki sesi keempat iaitu Bangkit dari Kegelapan di Hati dan Memilih Terang Hidup.  Dalam sesi ini menerangkan tentang seseorang akan mula pulih di saat mereka didengari dan sangat penting untuk mendengar luahan seseorang yang menghadapi krisis.  Bina perhubungan yang mesra dan selesa untuk menyelesaikan krisis.

Sesi kelima ialah tentang Mewujudkan Ruang Kudus.  Untuk membina sistem sokongan, Kerasulan Wanita Katolik haruslah mewujudkan ruang kudus dalam persahabatan dan hidup berkomuniti.  Program ini merupakan program belajar bersama, berkongsi kebijaksanaan, mencari dan mendalami makna dan erti, memberi dan menerima sokongan serta memupuk proses transformasi (perubahan).

Di dalam sesi terakhir, para wanita diajak untuk ‘Menjadi pembawa damai.’  Setiap wanita yang hadir diminta untuk menyedari dan mengakui bahawa semua peribadi diri tidaklah sempurna tetapi mempunyai semangat untuk bangkit dan bertumbuh semula.

Program memperkasakan wanita ini berakhir dengan semangat baru dan diharapkan dapat dikongsikan bersama dengan para wanita di paroki masing-masing.  Dengan iringan doa dari Rev. Fr. Christopher Ireneus sebagai penutup tirai program ini, semua wanita yang hadir membawa harapan untuk bertumbuh dan berbuah dalam Kristus.

 

Article reproduced from Dicoese of Sandakan

In his Easter message, Archbishop Julian Leow writes on the power of Easter — the Risen Lord — who grants us the graces to experience faith, hope and love. He urges us to be an Easter people, bringing renewal and transformation to all we meet.

See below for full text of his message

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, “We are an Easter people and ‘Alleluia’ is our song!” The great St Augustine of Hippo wrote these words more than 1700 years ago and these words have resonated to people through the ages down to our own time and remains as relevant today as ever.

Being an Easter people means that resurrection is part of our life experience. Easter is about life, new life, about Jesus risen from the dead, giving us hope when things feel hopeless, courage when we want to run away, confidence when we are vulnerable and strength in the face of adversity. Easter calls us to look for life among the living with grateful and joyful hearts. Easter calls us to move beyond the tomb and to share the good news of the Resurrection with one another. Easter calls us to courageously follow Jesus Christ, the risen one, and to boldly proclaim that out of darkness and suffering comes new life.

The power of Easter is the power of the Risen Lord, who grants us the graces to know and experience faith, hope, love, forgiveness, unity, peace, glory, and ultimately God Himself. The Resurrection of Jesus is the very foundation of our faith and it is like a lighthouse, beaming forth the light of hope. Hope is one of the three pivotal virtues we live by — faith, hope and love. Faith is what enables us to believe in our God; Love is the bond which keeps us close to God, but it is Hope that helps us to keep believing and keep loving when darkness descends or the cross becomes too heavy.

Whatever the circumstances — there is unfathomable hope. There is hope for those on the peripheries of society; hope for governments and leaders; hope for the Church; hope for you and for me striving to lead a holy life (cf. Jeremiah 29.11). The message of Easter is equally relevant to us as a nation. It should give us the assurance that we are able to overcome the adversities that we face in our country. As a nation, we must and can eradicate poverty. We must and can put an end to the destruction of our environment. The message of Easter must encourage us to put an end to all moral ills; it is time to turn our backs on dishonesty, bribery and corruption, violence and vengeance.

The message of Easter must help us to turn our efforts to healing the wounds of division, reconciling broken families and reuniting communities.

This year, Easter comes in the midst of the general election campaign where many politicians, old and new, are encouraging us to trust them. Easter, politics and trust — can they go together? Yes! Because the Resurrection of Jesus, amazing as it seems to be, is about our human transformation that leads us to the fullness of life in God. It is about healing that which is wounded; it is about forgiving that which is wrong; it is about upholding justice and uplifting the oppressed and downtrodden and above all, it is about trusting that there is a better way for us to live together as Malaysians.

The resurrection of Jesus is God’s response to polarity, divisiveness, racial and religious enmity. As the Easter people of today, let us continue to trust the message that changes lives. Let us work for understanding, dialogue and mutual respect between people of different faiths and in our own communities. Let us pray for our nation and for our politicians that they would be guided towards working for a fair, just and harmonious society in which the gifts and contributions of all people can flourish, and the tares of alienation and extremism find no soil in which to take root.

May we all be renewed and transformed this Easter. May we in turn renew and transform others. May we bring light in the darkness and hope where there is none. May we be the Easter people and proclaim that ‘Alleluia is our song’.

May you — in your families, in your religious communities, in parishes and throughout the archdiocese, find joy and peace this Easter. May the joy and light of the Risen Christ fill your lives and families with many spiritual blessings and graces. Blessed Easter.

Yours affectionately,

+ Most Rev Julian Leow Beng Kim, D.D. 
Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

Happy Easter!

Whenever we say this greeting to someone or a group of people, are we really convinced that Jesus is alive, present and with us?

Easter is not merely a recollection of what Jesus had gone through — his suffering, death and resurrection — it is an opportunity for us to renew and affirm our confidence in God’s constant love which has saved us from the power of sin.

For the Apostles and the disciples of Jesus who met Him after His resurrection from death, the experience of joy rejuvenated their lives. Before the resurrection, they were afraid but the encounter with the Risen Jesus made them joyful and they fearlessly spoke about Jesus everywhere and in whatever the situation. It was because of their confidence and faith in the risen Jesus that the apostles and disciples could live a life marked by love, community, and witnessing (Acts.2: 42-47; 4: 32-36).

As disciples and followers of Jesus in the present time, how can we live a lifestyle that reflects love (John 13:35), community and witnessing? In my reflection on the celebration of Easter, I remember Jesus’ Prayer to God the Father at the Last Supper. Jesus prayed for three important areas of life for His followers and disciples before He left them. I believe that this is Jesus’ desire for us which we need to use as our guide in our daily lives.

The first thing Jesus prayed for was the unity between us, which is like his union with the Father so that the world would believe that He is the messenger of the Father (John 17: 11,21,23). But the spirit of unity will not be upon us if we do not have a personal union with Jesus. The willingness and desire to unite can only grow from our union with Jesus (John 15: 4-5). He is the only source of our unity and faithfulness in our families and communities.

The second thing Jesus prayed for was that His disciples be protected from evil (John 17:15). We are fully aware that in our desire to follow and live faithfully to Jesus and His words we are constantly experiencing temporal and misleading pleasures such as taking drugs, watching pornographic images and drinking alcohol excessively. There are times when we fall into the devil’s trap. It is not enough that we are baptised, ordained to the Priesthood, living a vow in marriage or religious life. We need to build a consistent relationship with Jesus, our source of strength and wisdom. We need to be on constant guard, so that we do not become a victim of sin and be deceived by the evil one, (John 8:44).

The third thing Jesus prayed for us was that we should live in holiness by His word (Jn.17: 17). We will live in holiness if we believe and are faithful to Jesus, the Word of God who becomes human and lives among us (John 1:14).

The important thing in our daily journey of faith is our unity with the Risen Jesus. We need to learn from the experiences of the two followers of Jesus who, on their journey to Emmaus, learnt to know and experience the Risen Jesus through the Word of God, the breaking of the bread and the Community life (Luke 24: 13-36). Let us use these channels to get to know, love and serve the Risen Jesus in our daily lives.

May we continue to be enlightened by the presence and wisdom of the Risen Jesus, so that we live in unity, faithfulness and holiness. The lifestyle which Jesus prayed for us is paramount, so that the world would believe that Jesus is the saviour, the messenger of God the Father (John 17:21).

Happy Easter!

+ Rt Rev Datuk Cornelius Piong 
Bishop of Keningau

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

He is in touch with the grassroots
“He is a Pope who is closely in touch with the grassroots, knowing the struggles and realities of the people. There is no simple solution to the troubles of the world. The world has pushed God so far away that we have become indifferent to the Church and her teachings.

“So, our Pope can only push his bishops and priests to go further in reaching out to the people, to go out into the market place to meet and care for the lost and lonely. Even then he has met with lots of resistance within. And as did Jesus, has created some controversies.” — Angila Yong, Johor Bahru

One of the most riveting and remarkable world leader
“From the election of the relatively unknown Cardinal Bergoglio, of Argentina, to the Chair of St Peter — Pope Francis has gone on to become one of the most riveting, intriguing and remarkable world leaders of our time.

“Since his election, Pope Francis has not only rejuvenated the Catholic Church but has single handily refreshed the way the secular world traditionally sees the message of Christ.

“He has been speaking about mercy since the moment of his election and has called on all Catholics to remember God’s loving mercy and to carry that message out into the wider world. For example: He speaks of mercy on every trip, especially when meeting with the poor and the suffering. And he proclaimed the Jubilee Year of Mercy in the hope that it would be a moment of powerful reflection on God’s mercy for the entire Church. I wish him continued success in leading the Catholic Church to make a better world for all.” — James Collin, Catholic Lawyer, Kuching

He has re-introduced us to the tenderness of God
“From his first public moment, when he stood on the balcony of St Peter’s in Rome and asked the half-million people crowded into the square below to pray for him, I already knew that he is not an ordinary leader. For me, the Church has been going through a really dark time with the economic downturn, war, unemployment, Church’s leaders scandal etc.

But now, with the presence of Pope Francis, many in the Chruch are proud to be Catholic again, and that’s a major shift. Pope Francis emphasis is really about encountering people, like Jesus. He has set out to place a priority on pastoral care, modelling humility and openness. It is Francis’ humanity, goodness, joy, kindness and mercy that introduce us to the tenderness of our God.

Everything the Holy Father is doing now is not just an imitation of his patron St Francis Assisi who loved the poor, embraced lepers, made peace and protected nature but his mission truly comes from his heart through the intimacy with Christ and the Church.” — Bro Aldrin, Diocese of Keningau

Reaches out to peoples
“Pope Francis is a person who reaches out to all kinds of people. What I admire most about him when he addressed the Rohingyas, ‘the presence of God is also called Rohingya’.” –Msgr Henry Rajoo, parish priest St Anne’s Church Bukit ertajam

He is a simple and inspiring shepherd
“Pope Francis has shown himself to be a simple yet inspiring shepherd to all. As a young person myself, many of his words have really caused a positive impact. In particular the “make a mess” quote, His Holiness has always been motivating youths to spread the Good News and be courageous.

“As the Holy Father speaks of discernment this month, we, as the faithful, ought to think more deeply of what the Lord calls us to do in life’s situations. And with that, we can never go wrong. I have faith that the Synod this year focusing on young people will be a defining moment in reaching out to guide the faith of youths, and draw them back closer to the “Mother” – that is the Church.” — Aaron Lim, Church of the Assumption, Penang

A man who leads with love
“Pope Francis is one of the riveting, intriguing and remarkable world leaders of our time. Since his election, Pope Francis has not only rejuvenated the Catholic Church but has refreshed the way the modern people to see the message of Christ. As a health worker, I am inspired by His Holiness who embraced a man with facial tumours and hear stories of him hosting homeless men to a dinner on his own birthday and handing out phone cards so that refugees might call loved ones and family.

Francis, it seems, is a man who leads with love. It is what we should all want, together, filled with the love of Christ, extending our hands and our hearts to our suffering brothers and sisters and accompanying them.” — By Nancy ak Mineh, Catholic Nurses’ Guild, Kuch

Shown a simpler and less formal approach
“Throughout his life, Pope Francis has been known for his humility, concern for the poor and his commitment to dialogue as a way to bring people together despite their beliefs, backgrounds and faiths.

Ever since he was elected Pope, Francis has shown a simpler and less formal approach to the office. He opposes consumerism, irresponsible development, and supports taking action on climate change, a focus of his papacy with the promulgation of Laudato Si.

In international diplomacy, he helped to restore full diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba. Even the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Egypt, referred him as “the man of peace, a man who follows the teaching of Christianity, which is a religion of love and peace!” — John Tan, St Charles, Selangau

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

During the Easter vigil, more than 3,000 new Catholics in Malaysia received the Initiation Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist). The celebration that takes place during the night of Holy Saturday to Easter Sunday is “a vigil in honour of the Lord” during which Catholics celebrate Easter. It is the passage from darkness to light and marks Christ’s victory over death.

In the sharings below, we can see how the newly baptised have found the peace and joy of Christ.

Do continue to keep them in your prayers.

God has a plan for us

“Throughout my life, I always believed that although we may not know in advance, God has a plan for all of us. Part of His plan was for me to become Catholic. I am so thankful that I listened. I have been eagerly attending each week’s RCIA classes and somewhere along the process, something began to change in me. The lessons gave me a sense of peace that I have never felt before. It gave me the desire to pray the rosary. I began to realise that the something was the Holy Spirit calling me. I would like to thank specifically Christina and my sponsor for guiding and bringing me closer to Him and His glory.” — Esther Lau Huey Yee, Church of St Mary of Divine Mercy, Sibu

Our Lord is always present
“I was seven years old when I was taught to pray by my neighbour. By the time I was 13, during a Sunday service in Christchurch, I felt a strong presence that affected me. The inexpressible feeling of peace and serenity touched me, leaving me tearing non-stop. I knew that was God! That moment has since been imprinted in my heart. Although I was not allowed to be baptised by my free thinker parents then, I continued to search for the answers.

In Singapore, I struggled to understand the incidents I had seen and encountered. The commercialism put a stop to my churching altogether.

“Years went by. My prayers, however, never stopped.It was not until I needed God’s help to comfort a depressed friend that I was brought back to church in Kuching.

“I hadn’t understood the Mass but only heard the words RCIA twice. That was God’s message for me. Our Lord is always present, always knocking! Amen!” — Janice Catalina Soon, St Joseph Cathedral, Kuching

My questions were finally answer

“First of all, I come from a mixed religion family. My father is a Buddhist and my mother is a Roman Catholic. Every Sunday, since I was a little boy, I used to follow my mother to Church. I understood the flow of the Mass. However, the significance and importance of every Eucharistic celebration were not really clear to me.

“Every time I went to church, I felt like someone was calling me to attend Mass. I always felt calm and at peace. I could sense the presence of God but always felt incomplete, like there was something else missing in me. Finally last year, I decided to become a Catholic myself and joined the RCIA class.

“Before the lessons, there were a lot of unanswered questions. I now feel that the way to Christ is clearer, the teachings have even changed my way of thinking, decision making and interacting with people around me.

“Another reason why I have decided to become a Catholic is because I know, deep down, it is the one true divine religion that has been founded by Jesus Christ and all his apostles.

“Now I am feeling anxious and excited because after being baptised, I am a complete and true Catholic, receiving the Holy Spirit and on my way to salvation.

“Life is a never ending learning process, and there are still a lot of things about the religion I have not known, I will do my best to continuously learn as much as I can throughout my life as a Catholic and follow the way of Christ.” –Zachary Harris Josel, Sacred Heart Church, KLed

Feel welcomed
“I feel welcomed into the big family of the Catholic Church. I am learning: prayers, the sacraments, the Eucharist, the Catholic faith, the Bible and yet feel so inadequate and need to learn and discover more.

“At the Rite of Election at St Michael’s Church, Ipoh, I was so impressed to see so many others like me in search of God and His Church. The Bishop’s homily on discernment to move forward was inspiring, relevant and a challenge to me. “I am still discovering my role and mission in the Church.

I am looking forward to the Sacrament of Confirmation, to be sealed with the Holy Spirit and to take a bigger step forward towards mission to others, the Church, the youth and fellow students.

“Let us continue praying for one another.” — Ilyeonna Allissa James, Most Holy Redeemer Church, Tg.Malim.

Church organist was the catalyst in my search for God

“When I was abroad, I met a church organist who was very kind towards me. He used to play sacred music for me, knowing that I am passionate about sacred music. He would ask me which hymns I liked and gave me the music scores for them.

“Then, I came across an article about him saying that he chose to be a musician because of spiritual and religious reasons. I was so touched and inspired by him. It was like an awakening. I knew immediately that I wanted to be a good person like him. I want to give up everything in my life to do God’s will like him.

“After I returned to Malaysia, I immediately went online to research about how to be a Catholic. That was how I got to know about the RCIA programme. The RCIA programme has taught me a lot about the Catholic faith and the bible. I got to know more about God and I hope to know him more. I believe that God is truly present in this organist who opened my eyes.” — Cavannah Yap, St Peter’s Church, Melaka

We felt a sense of peace and joy

“I had my first experience of God’s inflow of grace when I witnessed my friend Matthew Yip’s baptism, one year ago at the Easter vigil.

“Having been brought up in the Taoist faith, I had never attended Mass, and never experienced the healing power of Jesus Christ.

“I work as a construction engineer in Kuala Lumpur but come home on weekends. I was always fraught with worries and work-related stress, yet I felt a great sense of peace at Mass.

“I attended two more Masses with my friend who then invited me to join the RCIA programme.

“I agreed because I had never felt such an experience of God anywhere else and the deep sense of peace has remained with me ever since.

“During the first scrutiny when Fr Liew laid his hands over me, I felt such great peace and joy inside my heart.

“The RCIA facilitators taught me well, and were very patient and open. It wasn’t as strict or regimented as I feared at first,” he said.

My wife, Beverly, comes from a Buddhist family. She followed me to Mass and joined in the RCIA as well.

“I felt great joy in my heart after coming to know about Jesus Christ in the RCIA.

“Mass was a healing place for me. At Lent, I discovered that although I had less in life (materially), through sacrifice, I had minimal demands. I am happier when I have less.

“I experienced a touching moment during my first scrutiny, when I felt a deep sense of joy that can only come from the divine love of God.

“I intend to learn more about Jesus Christ, with my husband, through a Bible course.” — Gabriel Liew Yih Yang & Beverly Anne Lok, St Michael’s Church, Ipoh

Proud to be Catholic

“I am feeling proud to be a Roman Catholic. I was touched when I received the ‘Our Father’ prayer card from Fr Francis Sundarajan during the Third Scrutiny. I feel that I am on my way to getting closer to God.” — Mary Ngo Pei Ling, Church of St Mary of the Divine Mercy, Sibu

Trials easily faced with Christ by my side

“The life I lived prior to my RCIA journey had always been filled with many hurdles and challenges. As a daughter, student and employee, striving for survival meant educating myself for a better future. Several times a feeling of despair weakened me.

“At some point, the yearning towards religion pushed me to persevere until my curiosity was answered. Having been raised in the midst of worshipping multiple deities, confusing prayer chants and superstition, my curiosity could not be satisfied.

“Fast-forward a year into this magnificent journey, I realise the hurdles and challenges I face in life are the same, but with the Lord by my side, I find solutions through prayer. Meditating on the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ makes my trials seem petty and easy to face. The Lord is building my faith and trust in him.

“I am gifted with inspiring RCIA facilitators and my Godmother, Mrs Priscilla Gregory, who has been guiding me towards Our Lord.

“I look forward to my baptism, knowing the Bible verse “The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want” – Psalm 23:1. I implore the Lord to keep me on the right path.” — Amelia Narmatha d/o Kalimuthu, Church of St Joseph, Kuala Lumpur

St Anne drew me to the Catholic Church

“I have been helping out as a volunteer with a small group of friends during the Feast of St Anne since 1974. Ten years later, I was offered a job in the government sector. I also noticed that my friends who served in the feast had good jobs too. I truly believe that St Anne has blessed us all.

“Everytime, I step into the church compound, I feel so peaceful and the people at the church always made me feel so welcome.

“I wanted to know more about Christ, but it took me some years to finally make this decision to be baptised.

“My wife supported my decision and encouraged me to join this programme. My two Catholic friends, Sinappan and James Michael, whom I have known for over 40 years, helped me to enrol in the RCIA programme.”–Gunaseelam, Church of St Anne, Bukit Mertajam

Family is so much closer now

“My husband and I joined the RCIA class at the Church of Divine Mercy (CDM) in 2017. It has been a great journey to learn about Christ and to experience Him in this holy church.

We also send our two girls (6 years old and 8 years old) to catechism. So we are all learning about Christ together, even though it’s in different classes. “We also have family prayer together and it’s amazing that through daily family prayer, our family stays so much closer than before.

“I pray that we will continue to grow our faith in God and stay closer to God day by day. God bless!” — Elisa Tan Yean Chet, CDM, Penang

Grateful to have taken this chance

“I am married to a Catholic. My husband and his family have never influenced me to become a Christian, but last year, I made a decision to pursue the Catholic faith and enrolled in the RCIA class. It was not an easy decision as my husband and I work almost seven days a week. It was hard for me to commit to a one year journey of attending RCIA classes every Sunday. I asked myself, how do we reciprocate God’s blessing and protection? I am not even a “full fledged” Catholic to receive holy communion, neither am I qualified to enter the Christian cemetery after death.

“Most human beings are selfish. We all want God’s blessings without making any sacrifices in life. There are only a few chosen ones who would dedicate their whole life to serve God faithfully, without chasing material wealth. There is always a feeling of emptiness and guilt in my heart that we always pray hard only when we hope our earnest wish will be granted by our merciful God.

“I believe that at some point of time, we need to listen and respond to the inner voice of our heart telling us that God is calling us to find out the true meaning of life.

“A few years ago, when I suffered an infection and needed to undergo an emergency operation, I was not fearful. I knew God would watch over me; truly everything went smoothly.

“When I joined RCIA, I realised that there was so much to learn about our God and the Catholic faith. During the recent retreat, one of the RCIA coordinators, Richard Chia, gave a really good example. If a patient was told by his doctor that he only has three months to live, he would most probably pray to God everyday to ease his suffering and ask God to grant a miracle to continue to live…. Do we only seek God when we need favours or intervention from our merciful and forgiving God?

“In our sharing, we all agreed that God has granted us more peace and opened our eyes to see right from wrong, to be more forgiving, patient. I am truly grateful and blessed to have undergone this amazing journey of faith.

“Throughout this one year, I am thankful to all the RCIA coordinators and facilitators for sacrificing their family time on Sundays just to journey with us. I truly appreciate those who are involved in the Church, especially our priest, Msgr Leonard Lexson. I am so grateful that I have taken the first step to embrace the Catholic faith and be able to enjoy the sacrament of baptism and finally participate fully in the Eucharist for the years to come. Praise God for the wonderful blessings showered upon us daily. Amen” — Clare Chong Siew Fong, St John Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur

I now realise that God has always been with me

“Im a g i n e you are forced to enter a darkened maze because of your disobedience and the long way out is your salvation.

You enter blindly, crawl around frantically and feel your way through the dark. You have heard about heaven, you have had a glimpse of it in the distance and you know God is cheering you on but the maze is never straight and fraught with danger. Knowing God without RCIA is like being in that darkened maze without a torchlight. Where once I stumbled in utter confusion hoping for clarity, RCIA gave me an enlightened path.

“I have never regretted my time with the Seventh Day Adventist Church, though being in that maze without a torchlight, God has always been with me but I was too confused to acknowledge Him. Having gone through RCIA, my life as a true Christian has finally begun. Salvation is no longer blurry, distant and obscured, it is now a clear definite. I just needed the conviction to traverse it. Pray for me, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.” –John Edwards Chung, St Peter’s Church, Kuchin

My journey will continue

“My journey through RCIA in learning about Catholicism was rather short but interesting. I learnt about Jesus, the Bible and certain doctrines about the Catholic Church, its Sacraments, Mother Mary, the Mass and more.

“I am excited and looking forward to my forthcoming Baptism to be a Catholic this Easter Vigil.

“However, my journey will still continue as I embark on the learning process as a ‘baptised Catholic’
“I wish to thank all the people involved in my journey, namely the hard working facilitators and the guest speakers, my Godmother and others. God bless you.”–Rovena Anne, St Peter’s Church, Melaka

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

More than 60 priests of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur renewed their ordination vows in the presence of their Archbishop at this year’s Chrism Mass at St Ignatius Church (SIC) on Wednesday, March 21. The Chrism Mass, according to Blessed Paul VI, is one of the principal expressions of the fullness of the bishop’s priesthood and signifies the closeness of the priests with him. Churches in the archdiocese take turns to host this annual Eucharistic celebration which is one of the most solemn and important liturgies of the liturgical year.

The main celebrant at the Mass, which started at 7.00pm, was His Grace Archbishop Julian Leow who blessed three oils – Oil of Catechumens, Oil of the Sick and Oil of Chrism – then breathed over and consecrated the Chrism Oil.

In his homily, Archbishop Leow asked Catholics to pray for priests. He shared the thoughts of St John Vianney who is the patron saint of priests: “O how great is the priest! If he realised what he is, he would be awed… God obeys him: he utters a few words and the Lord descends from Heaven at his voice, to be contained within a small host. Without the Sacrament of Holy Orders, we would not have the Lord. Who put him there in the tabernacle? The priest. Who welcomed your soul at the beginning of life? The priest. Who feeds your soul and gives it strength for the journey? The priest.

Who will prepare it to appear before God, bathing it one last time in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest – always the priest. And if the soul should happen to die (as a result of sin), who will raise it up, who will restore its calm and peace? Again, the priest. After God, the priest is everything. Only in heaven will he fully realise what he is.”

Archbishop Leow thanked the organisers and the hospitality of SIC parishioners as hosts. He also announced that three deacons – Simon Lau, Dominic Tan and Xavier Andrew – will be ordained to the priesthood on May 1, 2018 at Holy Family Church, Kajang.

Apart from priests and religious, the congregation comprises parishioners from SIC and other churches. Sign language was used during the Mass for the benefit of the hearing impaired. A cake was wheeled in to celebrate this Priests’ Day, after which priests, religious and attendees joined for fellowship after Mass.

The event was streamed ‘live’ to the first floor of Constantini Community Centre and the Internet. A video of the event can be viewed at ArchKL.

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

Priest, Fr Arul Mariadass, OFM, expressed his joy saying, “We are indeed happy that we have been given this privilege to have the Chrism Mass in our parish as this year is the 50th Anniversary of the Parish. This is an honour for us, indeed.”

Bishop Sebastian Francis, in his homily, specifically referred to the Letter to the Hebrews, saying that it is the most important testament to the priesthood. He further reiterated that obedience to Christ and prayers are important in the priests’ lives as they are sent to sanctify and serve God’s people entrusted to them. They are to intercede for all God’s people without being exclusive or selective. “We are nothing without Jesus’ sharing His priesthood with us,” added Bishop Sebastian.

After the homily, priests from the Penang Diocese renewed their Priestly Promises before the Bishop. The holy oils, Oil of Catechumenate, Oil of the Sick and Holy Chrism were then brought forward to be blessed. The blessing of the Holy Chrism was different from that of the other oils. Here the bishop breathed over the vessel of chrism, a gesture which symbolised both the Holy Spirit coming down to consecrate this oil, and the life-giving, sanctifying nature of the character of the sacraments for which it is used. The three holy oils were then bottled to be distributed to the different parishes throughout the diocese.

Friar John Soh, OFM shared that what touched him most was being reminded of the priesthood as God’s grace for all of us. Bro George Vaithynathan, seminarian at College-General Penang echoed the thoughts of Friar John Soh, emphasising that priesthood is indeed a gift of grace from God. Eileen Kung, who led the choir for the evening, said that being part of the celebration was an eye-opening experience for her as this is the first time that she has seen such a big gathering of priests coming together for a Mass.

The celebration ended with light refreshments and fellowship among the priests and the people.

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

BEC St Anthony of Good Shepherd Church organised a hill cleaning project at Bukit TM, Wangsa Maju. This is the second consecutive year such an initiative was undertaken.

BEC members came together for a morning hike along the hill’s trail on March 17. The trail was littered with trash, some non-biodegradable.

Littering is a social menace that has taken a toll on our environment. Through education and awareness, we need to strike a chord with litter bugs who may not be fully aware of the systemic effect of disposing litter at inappropriate places.

The BEC members hope that through this simple act, people may be conscious of their environment and have the desire to protect it for our future generations.

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online