Ashes and urn of the late Rev Fr Terry Burke MHM was brought back from Reading, United Kingdom to St Joseph’s Cathedral Kuching, Sarawak on the 15th October 2017. Requiem Mass was celebrated on the 16th October 2017 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, followed by Committal Rites at the St Peter’s Padungan Columbarium.

 

            

 

Requiem Mass for the late Fr Terry Burke, MHM  video

Article reproduced from Archdiocese of Kuching

  

 

Pada 24 September 2017, sambutan Hari Santo Penaung bagi Gereja St. Matius telah diadakan buat pertama kalinya. Disempurnakan oleh Rev. Fr. David Mamat. Gereja yang baru dibina 3 minggu lepas itu boleh memuatkan seramai 50 orang.    Kg. Korolok adalah umat baru di daerah Kemabong yang baru disenaraikan. Penduduk seramai 30 keluarga, jauh dari kawasan Pedalaman di Zon Rundum.   Kini mereka sudah memiliki Gereja sementara yang diperbuat dari bahan asas semula jadi iaitu kayu dan buluh.

 

Article reproduced from Dioccese of Keningau

21 pasangan dengan 24 orang bayi dan kanak-kanak berumur 9 tahun ke bawah semasa seminar singkat dan pembaptisan bayi dan kanak-kanak pada 16 September 2017. Pembaptisan ini disempurnakan oleh Rev. Fr. Benedict Daulis di Gereja Bonda Maria, Kemabong.

 

Article reproduced from Dioccese of Keningau

KOTA KINABALU – Unusually strong winds bent the three flag poles and flipped the outside billboard canvas to the other side at the Sacred Heart Cathedral on 14 Oct 2017.

This took place before the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the cathedral after 5 pm.

Aside from that, the winds also broke several tree branches inside the compound of the St Peter’s College Initiation Year Formation House at Jalan Sang Kancil Tiga here.

Local weather reports say that the average hourly wind speed in Kota Kinabalu is essentially constant during October, remaining within 0.1 miles per hour of 3.1 miles per hour throughout.  But yesterday’s event certainly proved otherwise.

KOTA KINABALU – The Carmelite Family – nuns, seculars and friar – celebrated the feast of St Teresa of Avila at the Carmelite Chapel here on 15 Oct 2017.

Friar Gregory Hon presided at the Mass.  It was also his 9th priestly anniversary.  He also facilitated the triduum for the feastday Oct 10-12.

After the Mass, he cut his anniversary cake at the breakfast prepared by the lay members.  Currently the lay order has three aspirants, four novices (one first year, three second year), one temporary professed and 15 definitive professed.

Born on 30 Sept 1963 in Kuala Lumpur, Hon entered the Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD) in Singapore in 2002.  He made his first profession in 2003 and took his solemn vows on 14 Dec 2007 in Rome.  He was ordained priest on 15 Oct 2008.

In his homily, Hon gave a summary of the saint’s life and works as well as on prayer.  Limited copies of Conversation with Christ (on personal prayer by St Teresa) were immediately sold out after Mass.

Born on 28 March 1515 in Avila Spain, Teresa Sanchez de Cepeda y Ahumada lived in an age of exploration as well as political, social, and religious upheaval.  She was born before the Protestant Reformation and died in 1582, almost 20 years after the closing of the Council of Trent.

The gift of God to Teresa in and through which she became holy and left her mark on the Church and the world is threefold: She was a woman; she was a contemplative; she was an active reformer.

As a woman, Teresa stood on her own two feet, even in the man’s world of her time. She was “her own woman,” entering the Carmelites despite strong opposition from her father. She was a person wrapped not so much in silence as in mystery. Beautiful, talented, outgoing, adaptable, affectionate, courageous, enthusiastic, she was totally human. Like Jesus, she was a mystery of paradoxes: wise, yet practical; intelligent, yet much in tune with her experience; a mystic, yet an energetic reformer; a holy woman, a womanly woman.

Teresa was a woman “for God,” a woman of prayer, discipline, and compassion. Her heart belonged to God. Her ongoing conversion was an arduous lifelong struggle, involving ongoing purification and suffering. She was misunderstood, misjudged, and opposed in her efforts at reform. Yet she struggled on, courageous and faithful; she struggled with her own mediocrity, her illness, her opposition. And in the midst of all this she clung to God in life and in prayer. Her writings on prayer and contemplation are drawn from her experience: powerful, practical, and graceful. She was a woman of prayer; a woman for God.

Teresa was a woman “for others.” Though a contemplative, she spent much of her time and energy seeking to reform herself and the Carmelites, to lead them back to the full observance of the primitive Rule. She founded over a half-dozen new monasteries. She travelled, wrote, fought—always to renew, to reform. In her self, in her prayer, in her life, in her efforts to reform, in all the people she touched, she was a woman for others, a woman who inspired and gave life.

Her writings, especially the Way of Perfection, The Interior Castle, and Conversation with Christ have helped generations of believers.

In 1970, the Church gave her the title she had long held in the popular mind: Doctor of the Church. She and St Catherine of Siena were the first women so honoured.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

( Sandakan ) 2017 Chinese Association Mid-Autumn evening party was successfully held.

In order to tie in with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Sandakan Association, this year’s Mid-Autumn evening will be held by the China Youth League, October 1 held in the parish activity center.

In addition to the Chinese Catholics, the bishop JULIUS, the father of STANLEY, the Lilian nuns, the Martina nuns, the brothers and sisters of the other language groups came together to celebrate the spirit of the inner one.

The faithful brought good food with the public fun, the children also with their own light dragon prepared later parade, the scene is very lively.

Dinner time, Yu Xing program also carried out at the same time. First of all, Mu Dao Ban presented the “comic dialogue”, then there are quizzes on the spot, old, middle, green, less, all ages of the faithful have to raise their hands to win prizes.

St. Mary Valley Church youth group this year show wonderful, humorous drama — “Chang’e human tour”, we looked laugh ha ha. After the end of the play is the children most looking forward to the “lantern parade”, and by the bishop, priests, nuns who led the starting from the center of the procession to the front of the Virgin, to a happy photo.

Back to the center of the event, the lantern race awards, and then the size of the Sunday school friends show a vibrant dance, parents who have to take pictures of the child before the lovely picture

 

(山打根訊) 2017年華協中秋晚会圓滿舉行。

為配合山打根華協成立30週年系列活動，今年的中秋晚會由華協青年團主導，10月1日于堂區活動中心舉行。

除了華人教友外，主教JULIUS、STANLEY神父,Lilian 修女、Martina修女、其他語文組的兄弟姐妹也到來一起同歡共慶，體現主內一家的精神。

教友們帶來拿手好菜與眾同樂，小朋友們也帶著自己的燈龍準備稍后的遊行，場面非常熱鬧。

晚餐當兒，餘興節目也同時進行。首先是慕道班呈現的“相聲”，接著有現場問答猜謎，老、中、青、少，各年齡層的教友紛紛舉手作答，贏得獎品。

聖馬爾谷堂青年團今年呈現精彩、詼諧的戲劇—“嫦娥人間遊覽記”，大家看了笑哈哈。戲劇結束后就是小朋友最期待的“燈籠遊行”了，由主教、神父、修女們領軍，從活動中心出發遊行至聖母洞前，來個開心大合照。

回到活動中心后，進行燈籠比賽頒獎，接著主日學的大小朋友呈現一支活力十足的舞蹈，父母親們紛紛到台前拍下孩子可愛的畫面。

最后華協青年團呈現舞台劇—“當你老了”。簡單的吉他伴奏，清脆動聽的女聲，伴著寓意深刻的劇情：一對夫妻一個嬰兒→嬰兒長大，會爬會走→小學、中學→反叛、變壞、加入黑社會、打架、忤逆父母→痛改前非→深造→學成歸來。劇情開始：父母陪伴孩子學爬、學行，長大至孩子忤逆變壞，父母依然沒有放棄；直至老了……換作孩子陪伴老父老母身旁……再簡單不過的一般家庭寫照，但此時此刻讓人感動!

 

 

 

9時30分，在主教的祈禱及降福后，2017年中秋晚會圓滿結束。

Article reproduced from Diocese of Sandakan

 

Sandakan: 30 members of the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) St. Teresa of Calcutta, Taman Indah Jaya Sandakan, embarked on a 5-day pilgrimage to Manila, Philippines on 20^th – 24^thSeptember 2017 with Rev. Fr. Thomas Makajil of the Paitan Mission as the Spiritual Director. Prior to their departure to the Philippines, members prepared themselves spiritually through a nine-day novena prayer.

The BEC of St. Teresa of Calcutta was formed in 2010 with some 30 active families. Since its’ inception, the members have had made two pilgrimages; one to St Anne, Bukit Mertajam and another local pilgrimage to the Diocese of Keningau.

 

 

This time around, the BEC of St Teresa of Calcutta responded to the call of Bishop Julius of Sandakan to establish link with other BECs from other parishes in the Diocese or beyond the region in order to learn from one another. With that in mind, the BEC decided to make a pilgrimage to the Philippines and twin up with one of the local BECs in Quezon City. The committee got down to preparatory work about a year ago.

Aleona Natalio, a formator at the Institute of Formation Fondacio, (IFFAsia) was at hand to greet and welcome us at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on 20^th September.  IFFAsia  is committed  to train Christian youth leaders from across Asia, who are willing to commit and participate in the revival of the Church and the civil society.

Upon arrival at the Institute, housed at Radio Veritas Asia in Fairview, Quezon City, we were feasted to a sumptuous variety of traditional cuisines prepared by students and among the delicious dishes was the popular local roasted barbequed pig, Lechon. We were briefed on the organisation structure of the Institute and were introduced to their formators as well as the students coming from the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and China.

IFFAsia is well connected to the Diocese of Sandakan and as of date four youths from Sandakan have graduated from the Institute. In 2011, St. Mary’s Cathedral Parish, Sandakan hosted their mission project comprising 23 participants; students and formators. Part of their exposure, was an encounter with BEC of St Teresa of Calcutta.

Apart from the warm welcome and good food, we were also entertained with presentations from the students. The event was interactive providing a platform to get to know one another. As an appreciation and in support of their upcoming mission project in Thailand, we contributed in our small way by buying souvenir items prepared by the students.

For the five-day pilgrimage, we were housed at the Franciscan Sisters of St. Elizabeth Retreat House, across the road, opposite IFFAsia. Surprisingly, there were several nuns from Indonesia in the congregation where we conveniently communicated in Bahasa Indonesia. The Retreat House was comfortable offering twin sharing air conditioned room with toilet attached, very serene setting and a beautiful  chapel where we attended the daily 6.00am mass, celebrated by Fr. Thomas.

We were divided into 3 groups of 10 persons per group for easier mobility. Over the course of the 5 days, we visited seven Cathedrals and Churches with significant historical and architectural values. We visited St. Agustin Church, Manila Cathedral, San Sebastian Church, Baclaran Church (The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help), Minor Basalica of the famous Black Nazarene Quiapo, Espiritu Santo Parish Church and The Cathedral Shrine of the Good Shepherd, Fairview. The presence of Fr. Thomas as Spiritual Director, who had done his Master in Pastoral work in Santo Tomas University had helped the group in gaining in-depth information of the historical background and even led the group for contemplative prayers in the Cathedrals visited.

 

 

One profound experience was our visit to Baclaran Church of the National Shrine of Our Mother Perpetual Help, a Redemptorist Church, where we were welcomed by a priest, assigned to cater for pilgrims. We were honoured to take the Cross in procession to the altar where the pilgrimage’s prayer was said on the sanctuary.

Another memorable visit was to the Daughters of St. Paul Bookstore and their convent at Pasay City. Sr. Rosalie Lojiu, a Sabahan nun (coincidently, the niece of Fr. Thomas), was kind enough to brief on the Pauline work and providing light refreshment to us.  During the visit, Fr. Thomas took the time to visit three surviving pioneering nuns who started the congregation in Sabah in the early 60s. All of them are now in their mid-90s and have to depend on walking aids. These nuns used to visit Fr. Thomas’ families when they were serving in Penampang and he was in primary school then. It was indeed a nostalgic and emotional moment spending time with them and they shared their fond memories while serving in Sabah, which was then, North Borneo. They surprised the pilgrims when some of them could still remember the popular Malay lullaby, Burung Kakak Tua. They would have served longer if not because of the State government’s policy then in the mid-70s to revoke their service in Sabah.

The highlight of the pilgrimage was to enter into an understanding between BEC St. Teresa of Calcutta Indah Jaya Sandakan and the BEC of Cathedral Shrine and Parish of the Good Shepherd (CSPGS), Fairview Park, Quezon City, Philippines. The mission is to;

 

1. Share resources on the development, sustenance and advancement of BECs 
2. Share information regarding events happening in the BECs
3. Share on its similarities and differences
4. Foster good relationship bond among members, especially the youth of the twinned BECs

At hand to welcome us were the parish priest Fr. Mario Sanchez and his two assistant priests, Fr. Bong and Fr. Sanders, together with the members of BEC CSPGS. In his welcoming address, Fr. Sanchez encourages the twinned BECs to propagate and promote BEC. He said that through sharing, it will prompt learning from each other and will bring growth in our relationship with the Lord. He affirmed that BECs is one of the ways to reach out to more people and through BECs we will get closer to God and among members in the community.

The visit marked an important program because it coincides with the year-long celebration of 2017 emphasizing the importance of BEC, ‘The year of the Parish as Communion of Communities, Participation and Mission.’ In response, Fr. Thomas expressed his gratefulness for the warm welcome rendered and he said that the similarities of the guests and host made us felt much at home. He briefed the host that the BECs in the Sandakan Diocese is in its infancy stage as the Diocese is merely 10 years old and  has much to learn from our counter-part.

 

Ate Clarita Salvan, the team animator briefed on the history of the CSPGS BEC, while Francis Tan presented an insight into the BEC of St. Teresa of Calcutta. A group discussion session on the way forward of BECs was conducted, shared and presented to the floor.  At exactly 7.00pm we attended the sunset mass in the Cathedral presided over by Fr. Bong and con-celebrated by Fr. Thomas. Thereafter, the program adjourned to the Parish Hall where the mutual understanding of the twinning BEC of Saint Teresa of Calcutta Sandakan with the BEC of the Cathedral Shrine and Parish of the Good Shepherd was sealed by their respected Chairperson and witnessed by the priests. This occasion marked a historical mileage for the BEC from St. Mary’s Parish Sandakan to go beyond their local setting in order to gain knowledge in their pastoral work.  The pilgrimage journey, not only draw us closer to God and one another but bring home beautiful memories of the beautiful people of the Philippines, their kind hospitality and reception.

 

Article reproduced from Diocese of Sandakan

Migrant Sunday was celebrated at the 9.00am Mass on September 24 at the Church of the Divine Mercy (CDM). The main theme of the day was The Generous Love of God with the sub-theme Child Migrants: the Helpless and Vulnerable. The purpose of this celebration was to continue the on-going efforts of the Migrant Ministry at CDM to reach out to the migrant community to make them feel welcome and to promote a culture of encounter in the parish.

It was most heart-warming to see the diverse groups of Filipinos, Indonesians, Nigerians, Indians and Vietnamese at the Mass. The first reading was proclaimed in Igbo, a Nigerian dialect, by Patrick Chikere and the second reading was in Vietnamese by Joseph Nguyen.

In his homily on the Gospel of Matthew 20:1-16a about God’s generosity in paying hired labourers, Fr Martin Arlando remarked that, often, this gospel reading makes people feel that life is unfair. We get less, not more for our efforts. He told a humorous story about a priest who advocated this by saying that, in any situation, things could actually be much worse. It is common for us to complain when we do more but get less. But why should we be envious of God’s generosity? Imagine the feelings of the latecomers who had been waiting for work, feeling hopeless, rejected and desperate for that day’s wage of one denarii to feed their families. Their only hope was in God’s mercy.

Fr Martin told the congregation that being a good Catholic isn’t just about being a good person and expecting to go to heaven but more about seeking Jesus so as to be close to Him. He reminded everyone that the first person to go to heaven after the death of Jesus was the repentant thief. The one that had sinned so much that he was crucified, and yet, he went to heaven ahead of the sinless Mother Mary. When one is in love with Jesus, you want to please Him and be with Him. You can prove this with your prayer life and by the way you live. Don’t you want others to experience this generosity and love of God? If you love God, this is the way to prove it, by following Jesus. He will give what you want the most, that is, to be with Him.

On this Migrant Sunday, Fr Martin reminded us that we need to focus on the children, to reach out with the love of Jesus as we are their hands and feet because they have no one else to turn to. If you had children in another country, wouldn’t you want someone there to reach out to them? Trust in God’s ways and always give thanks for the opportunity to show them the tender love of God’s mercy.

Fr Martin asked all the migrants to come to the altar for a special blessing. Finally, a video prepared by the Regional Episcopal Migrant Group on the Plight of Migrants in the World was shown.

After Mass, the migrants were invited to Faustina Hall for fellowship. A light meal had been prepared by Filipino and Indonesian caterers. A Filipino band serenaded the diners with a medley of songs in English, Tagalog and Bahasa Indonesia. They were then joined by some “guest artistes” who brought the house down with their renditions of One Love and a Batak Toba number. The children enjoyed themselves too, dancing energetically to the music.

 

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

The Malaysian Church celebrated the 101st World Day of Migrants and Refugees in the month of September.

This year, the theme was The Vulnerable and Voiceless Child Migrants.

At the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, during the weekend Masses of September 23 & 24, parish priest Fr Edwin Peter, in his homily, spoke on Pope Francis’ Migrant Sunday message to his parishioners.

Using slides, he said people around the world travel to other countries for economic reasons while others do so because of war or conflict in their countries of origin.

Fr Edwin reminded the parishioners about Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt. After wandering for forty years, Joshua led them into the Promised Land. “We also know that Baby Jesus, with Mary and Joseph, had to flee to Egypt and to return only when it was safe.”

Fr Edwin said that here in Malaysia, we see many migrants who have left their own countries. He quoted from the Gospel of St Matthew 25:35, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” and asked, “Do we ever welcome migrants in this manner?” He called on the parishioners to help in defending the rights of migrants, to be proctective of them, to love and accept them as they are defenceless and susceptible to injustice.

Fr Edwin spoke on how difficult it must be for the children of migrants. He reminded the assembly of the love Jesus has for children when he said,“Whoever receives one such child in My Name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me, but Him who sent Me” (Mark 9:37).

Fr Edwin said that the Catholic Church is the family of God on the earth, welcoming everyone and integrating with everyone.

“Welcome, protect, promote and integrate, especially with the young migrants. Pope Francis has said this is our calling: we need to be sensitive to others and reach out to them.”

In closing, Fr Edwin said the fragility and innocence of childhood is being exploited and oppressed on every level. We are called to respond to it with compassion and trust and to treat migrant children with dignity.

After Mass, Fr Edwin thanked his Parish Integral Human Development (PIHD) Ministry for animating the Masses. He said that under PIHDM, they have sub-ministries like the Migrant Ministry, Society of St Vincent De Paul (SSVP), Women’s Desk and Prison Ministry. “It is not sufficient to just pray. We need to reach out and touch others in works of mercy.”

The parish priest invited all parishioners to get in touch with the PIHDM and offer their assistance. He said that we now have Sunday school that caters for migrant children. He also thanked all those who donate during the second collection every first Sunday of the month. About RM6,000.00 is dispersed to SSVP every month to help the poor and the migrants.

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

October 1, being the Sunday closest to the Feast of St Francis of Assisi (Oct 4), marked a very special day for Risen Christ Church in Ayer Itam. Families came, together with their pets for the blessing of animals, as part of the Feastday celebrations in honour of St Francis who loved all of creation, especially animals. Present that evening were not only dogs and cats, but tortoises, turtles, parrots, fish, sugar gliders and even a snake.

According to Friars Gerald Tan OFM, Crispus Mosinoh, OFM and Cosmas Francis, OFM who conducted the para-liturgy prayer service, the blessing of animals has been a popular tradition in many parts of the world in honour of St Francis, with Franciscans and non-Franciscans alike. Diocesan parishes and priests who share the love for St Francis also conduct animal blessings in many churches across the globe as an expression of their gratitude and thanksgiving to God for all of creation, especially our beloved “animal family members” which bring much joy into our homes and our lives. Similar to the blessing of our homes and the many other things we ask God’s blessing for, we ask for God’s blessings on our pets, with them being very much part of our families and our life experiences.

This event contributes much towards community building, as families coming to church together with their pets, recognising that the Church is not only a place of worship, but also a place where the whole community shares life and growth. It was truly a new and wonderful experience for many other parishioners as this was the first time for those who have not had the chance to witness such an event before — humans and animals both coming together to the Lord’s House.

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online