 
Archive : September 2004
Parish Integral Human Development is about caring, sharing and showing love
Petaling Jaya : Forty five lay leaders from the various Parish Integral Human Development (PIHD) ministries gathered for a one day session entitled Formation for Formators for the Archdiocesan Ministry of Human Development recently. The sessions were conducted by the Director of the National Office for Human Development (NOHD), Bro Anthony Rogers (pic), who helped participants deepen their understanding of Integral Human Development and highlighted the relation between IHD and the New Way of Being Church in Malaysia. Bro Rogers stressed that PIHD is not just another structure in the Church engaging in "works" of charity."Members of PIHD will be animators of the missionary impulse of the church, promoting the dignity of all human persons, especially those most marginalised by society, and upholding the integrity of creation. They will...
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Migrants have enriched the life of the local Church
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Kuala Lumpur : The migrants and migrant communities have not only contributed to the nation but have also enriched the life of the Local Church. As persons they have brought their cultures and traditions to continue to make the Church more alive to the responsibility of living out our faith.
This was highlighted by Archbishop Murphy Pakiam during the National and Archdiocesan day long celebration of Migration Sunday on Sept 12.
"It is sad to witness the increasing cases of abuse and maltreatment of our visitors and we as Malaysians need to apologise for our deeds," said Archbishop Pakiam.
"It is in this context that the Church need to create a greater awareness among all our Catholics in our parishes so that we can continue to serve both our migrant communities and live as Malaysians respectful of others and thus promote peace as a way of life," he added.
The celebrations focused on the theme of our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II...
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Collaboration among parish ministries a positive sign
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Petaling Jaya : The adult ministry of the Church of St Ignatius is taking positive steps towards working in collaboration with the other ministries of the parish.
On Sept 4, the St Ignatius Adult Ministry (SIAM) welcomed the SIC Charismatic Prayer Group to their fortnightly gathering. It was a great meeting of thc ministries where the Charismatic team is one of the largest and SIAM is steadily growing.
Approximately 20 members from the Charismatic Team met SIAM and the Charismatic Music Ministry came impressively armed with their synthesizers, keyboards and other instruments. Richard Tan led the praise and worship session and the group had about 45 rive uplifting minutes of praise and worship. This was followed with the...
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Church of St Francis of Assisi celebrates silver jubilee
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Cheras : The Church of St Francis of Assisi celebrated its silver jubilee recently over a period of four days with a triduum culminating with the Eucharistic celebration, a mini carnival and a parish dinner.
The congregation attending the four day jubilee celebration was overwhelming. Dignitaries from Ghana, Austria, Zimbabwe and the Philippines attended the last day of the celebration. Also present were religious priests and sisters. Old and young mingled well in perfect harmony and a joyous spirit of love and unity filled the air.
The themes for the triduum were - Pondering the past in Thanksgiving, Jubilee in our lives Today, Jubilee in the Eucharist and Jubilee, hope for the Future.
The Eucharistic celebration on the final day of the celebration reflected the culture of the three main ethnic groups: Chinese, Indian and East Malaysian. The procession of altar boys and seven priests who
concelebrated...
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Breakdown in family values affecting faith life
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Kuala Lumpur : The Feast of Our Lady of Good Health was celebrated at the Kampung Pandan chapel on Sept 11.
The celebrants for the Eucharist were Frs Jean Claude Lourdes (pie) of Mentakab and parish priest Fr Anthony Thomas.
In his homily, Fr Jean Claude spoke on the break-down in family values and how it had affected family ties and how we as Catholics need to seek God in faith to over come all the obstacles in order to witness for Christ.
"Mary always said `Yes' to God but we lack that witness in our lives. We are not witnessing our faith life to others when there appears to be problems in our families - break down of family values, where parents have no time for their children and children are not listening to their parents.
"Our prayers are mainly focusing on `me' only, when it should be focusing on every-one, since living has a reason; whereas animals exist but with no purpose of living," he said.
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CONCERN OVER SHORTAGE OF NURSES
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Petaling Jaya : Concerned with the decline in the service of nursing among young Catholics, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia had earlier this year urged more young people to consider seriously the vocation of becoming nurses. This concern came to light once again when the Health Minister Datuk Dr. Chua Soi Lek disclosed that the nation is facing an acute shortage of trained nurses. Currently there is a nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:645. According to Datuk Dr. Chuah at least 8,000 nurses need to be trained annually to meet the nurse-to-patient ratio of 1:200 by the year 2020. "This is a big challenge for us as we'll have to train at least 130,000 nurses over the next 16 years,"
said Datuk Dr. Chua in his speech during the graduation ceremony at the Tun Tan Cheng Lock College of Nursing, Assunta Hospital, on Aug 30. Datuk Dr. Chua explained however that public and private nursing colleges cannot meet the rising demand for nurses at present as they can only train about 3,000 nurses yearly, less than half the figure needed. "The government's 18 nursing colleges can only train 2,000 students while the 16 private colleges and universities can only accommodate another 1,000. "As of June this year, there are only 39,232 trained nurses, 75 per cent of whom are employed by the government," he added. –HERALD-
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MENTAKAB’S NEW PARISH PRIEST OFFICIALLY INSTALLED
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Mentakab : The Vicar General of the Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese, Monsignor James Gnanapiragasam, officially installed Fr. Jean Claude Lourdes as parish priest of the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Aug 18. During the installation ceremony, Fr. Jean Claude made the profession of faith and also renewed his ordination promises before Msgr James. Msgr James reminded the parishioners that the priest is the minister of the sacraments, the teacher of the Word of God and the prophet of the Catholic Church. After the Eucharistic celebration, the monsignor officiated at the opening of the Audio/Studio Room of the parish. Fr. Jean Claude explained that the setting up of the Audio/Studio Room is to encourage the youths to take an active interest in the music ministry. The installation and opening ceremony was seen as part of the parish feast day celebrations as it
was held on the sixth day of the nine-day novena. Among the celebrants during the nine-day novena was former parish priest Fr. Christopher Wilvaraj, who has since left for Cairo for further studies. – HERALD-
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LAY PERSON ANSWERS GOD’S CALL TO BE HIS APOSTLE
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Kuala Lumpur : A young lady from the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur has answered God's invitation to be His apostle as an auxiliary of the Apostolate. Rose Mary Appavoo was 'called' to this way of life on Aug 25 by Archbishop Murphy Pakiam during a simple ceremony. Through this 'call', the archbishop has established Rose Mary as an auxiliary of the Apostolate in the archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. An auxiliary of the Apostolate lives an apostolic life, making the communication of God's love her only preoccupation. God is her only love,
so she is able to say 'yes' to God in all the things she does - in her professional life, in her family, in her workplace, in her parish and in the milieu where she finds herself. She lives a life rooted in prayer and the sacraments and her whole life is an expression of a profound relationship with God. It is a life wholly penetrated with the spirit of the Gospel. Like the apostles, she is always in readiness to 'be sent'. At present, there are four other single women already living this vocation as auxiliaries of the Apostolate. For more information on the auxiliary of the apostolate, please contact Ms. Clara (Tel: 03-20705878). – HERALD-
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LIVE THE EUCHARIST IN THE FAMILY
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Kuala Lumpur : Today, Sept 19 is Catechetical Sunday. The theme for this year’s celebration is Family Living the Eucharist. "We are not only called to celebrate the Eucharist in Church but also to live the Eucharist in the family," said Fr. John Anandan, OFM, Cap. "The Eucharist is the sign and instrument of unity and of communion. Each time the family gathers together for a meal, for conversation and sharing for recreation, for household chores, for prayer, for a special occasion, the family expresses its oneness and grows in the bond of love," said Fr. Anandan, who is the chairperson of the Diocesan Catechetical Commission of the Melaka-Johor diocese.
"In a world where people are self-centred and seek self-fulfilment, a member of the family who forgets self for the sake of the common good, sacrifices one's dislikes and dislikes, offers oneself in service for the well-being of the family, is living the Eucharist in the family," said Fr. Anandan who was giving a reflection on the theme. "The faithful family striving to live in faith, hope and love amidst all the 'ups and downs' of their daily life, reaching out generously - to other families and persons in need is living the Eucharist,” he added. –HERALD-
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MORE THAN 500 ATTEND GROWTH IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR
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Klang : More than 500 Tamil-speaking participants attended a Growth in the Spirit Seminar at the Our Lady of Lourdes Community Hall from Sept 4 to 5. The seminar was organised by the Klang District Service Team with the support of the clergy of the Kiang district. The first session on New Life through the Holy Spirit was presented by Fr. V.A. Michael who explained that new life through the Holy Spirit means moving from darkness to light, from what is false to the truth, from closeness to dialogue and a call to witness. Fr. Frederick Joseph, parish priest of the Church of Christ the Light, Desa Jaya spoke on
the Growth of the Holy Spirit in the church. In his talk Fr. Frederick urged the youths present to take an active role in the life of the church. Deacon A.P Thomas spoke on the The Growth of the Holy Spirit in the family life which created an awareness on the importance of the works of the Holy Spirit in leading a family through the word of God and the reflection of the word in bringing up the children. On the second day, Fr. V.A. Michael powerfully conveyed his message on Mission. His emphasis was more centered on discipleship and witnessing through preaching the GoodNews and reaching out to the poor, downtrodden and marginalised. The seminar also incorporated a brief sharing by a few members of the prayer groups on how the word of God has changed their prayer life and brought them to deeper communion with God. For some it has also inspired them to be active in church ministries.
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NEW REGIONAL SUPERIOR FOR SOCIETY OF JESUS
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Petaling Jaya : Fr. Lawrence Tan Cheong Kee, SJ has been appointed the new Regional Superior of the Malaysia-Singapore region Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Fr Larry, as he is known, was doing mission work in Myanmar when appointed to the post and has since returned to Malaysia. His term of office took effect on Sept 8, 2004. Fr. Larry succeeds Fr. O.C. Lim, SJ. Fr. Larry was the former parish priest of the Church of St. Francis Xavier (SFX) in Petaling Jaya. Fr Larry who is SFX's longest serving parish priest served for two terms from 1992 to 2003. He was also the administrator for Capel Kurnia Kristus (CKK) Subang Jaya for 8 years. Fr. Larry was also the chairperson of the Puchong Church Building Steering Committee from January 2000 to 2003. –HERALD-
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ASSUNTA’S MISSION OF CARING WILL BE UPHELD
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Petaling Jaya : The Assunta nurses will not deviate from their original goal of providing compassionate caring in their continuous effort to search for quality service and academic excellence." This was the assurance given by Madam Cheah Keat Heng, the Director of Nursing, Tun Tan Cheng Lock College of Nursing, Assunta Hospital. Cheah said this in her opening speech during the graduation ceremony of 101 nursing students at the college on Aug 30. The ceremony was officiated by the Minister of Health Datuk Dr. Chua Soi Lek. Highlighting that the year 2004 marks the Golden Jubilee of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary and of Assunta Hospital, Cheah said, "We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our founding FMM Sisters for passing down a tradition of a caring culture, nurtured by compassion, courtesy and competence, all necessary attributes of a top
notch professional nurse, the necessary essence of nursing that can withstand the test of time." Cheah also reminded the nurses that their hard work, dedication and resilience in coping with the vigourous demands of their nursing education programme with the Assunta Spirit of a 'Big Family' has made them what they are today. In his speech, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Assunta Hospital, Dato Dr. Peter Mooney reminded the new graduands to reflect on their new status and how they are to live up to it in the year to come. Dato Mooney also urged the nurses to be patient, understanding and dedicated, wholeheartedly to the service of their patients, regardless of race, belief or social status, in the spirit and traditions of the, college and the Assunta Hospital. Also present at the ceremony were Archbishop Murphy Pakiam and Sr. Assunta Leong, FMM (Provincial of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary). –HERALD-
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SEREMBAN’S PARISH LEADERS ATTEND DAY OF RECOLLECTION
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Port Dickson : A day of recollection and formation was held for the parish leaders of the Church of Visitation to enable them to better understand their roles especially in line with the vision and mission of the parish. Themed See From The Eyes of Jesus, the session which was held at the Infant Jesus Sisters Bungalow was facilitated by Visitation parish's assistant priest Fr. Michael Chua. The focus of the sessions was on the command by Jesus at the Last Supper over which He had presided, to continue His mission centred on His perspectives. Separating heart-centred people from deed-centred people, Fr. Chua, in pointing out that there was a need to change by” dying to ourselves" and being "the way of the Cross," called for placing importance on prayer where God would take charge.” Where is God in all that we are doing as part of our ministry? We must stop,
look back and view our "doing" again from the eyes of Jesus," said Fr. Chua. He stressed that as leaders one should ask if God was present in that leadership role, and if He were, what part He would play in that ministry. "Prayer and ministry are not two separate things. Prayer must be integrated to Ministry. God seems to play a small role at the beginning of a meeting or gathering and a similar or much smaller role at the end, while the meeting or gathering is fully monopolised by us with our human attitudes, feelings and actions. Is God present? We need to look at this again." Touching on personal crisis in a ministry or calling, Fr. Chua said that one should take the cue from the 'resurrection of Peter' (John 21) where Peter had chosen to depart from his calling by returning his base occupation - fishing, thereby drawing others to leave as well.He explained that this was the same
with many of us who at one time or another have chosen to leave the ministry for personal reasons stemming from frustration, dissatisfaction, anger, and other human factors. Jesus reminded Peter of his call to the ministry. Touching on communities in the church Fr. Chua did not hesitate to point out that as leaders one needed to work towards establishing true communities which could only result from coming out of comfort zones to experience the discomforts in community. Otherwise only pseudo communities would exist. "We need to be present to others and be good listeners as well," he added. –HERALD-
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VISITATION PARISH LAUNCHES PARISH-LEVEL ARCHDIOCESAN GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATION
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Seremban : In a colourful parade of banners representing the various BECS, parish ministries and language apostolate groups, the Church of the Visitation launched its participation in the year-long Kuala Lumpur Archdiocesan Golden Jubilee Celebrations. During the sunset Eucharistic celebration on Aug 7, parishioners saw the entry of elegantly designed banners each one bearing the name of the zone and organisation enthusiastically carried by coordinators of BEC Zones, heads of ministries and organisations and representatives of the language groups. These banners were mounted in a grand display at the sanctuary. Aimed at creating continuous awareness among the people of God in Seremban as well as in the parish precincts, the banners, which are now placed in the church to serve a reminder, will be taken to the relevant bases
that they represent with a view to building a sense of solidarity and togetherness at the grassroots. "We need to develop a sense of belonging to the BEC, the Organisation or ministry, the apostolate groups and the Archdiocese as a whole," said Peter Thavanayagam, the Chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council. "We have some plans for in-house celebrations that would be aimed at creating a sense of pride and belonging to the parish and the Archdiocese. Activities would include get-ting to know the archdiocese better through displays and literature which would benefit not just the older generation but more importantly the students in the Sunday school. There will also be visits to the zones by the priests of the parish with each visit culminating in the celebration of the Eucharist. –HERALD-
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BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR TAN SRI VENDARGON
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Cheras : Kuala Lumpur's first archbishop, Archbishop Emeritus Tan Sri Dominic Vendargon turned 95 on Aug 29 amidst a simple celebration hosted in conjunction with a joint-birthday celebration of six residents at St. Francis Xavier Home for the Elderly. The party, organised by the Little Sisters of the Poor, in collaboration with CHOICE Kuala Lumpur under the latter's social concern outreach efforts, was aimed at providing some fun and entertainment for the residents. The afternoon party celebration commenced with a game of passing the parcel in which winners were each awarded a pack of Mid Autumn festival cookies (bakwa).
Here, residents and guests, including relatives of Archbishop Vendargon and some volunteers, were given the opportunity to display their skills at singing, dancing and even displaying their Merdeka spirit. The 15-odd CHOICEes then took the lead in a sing-along session of familiar tunes such as Lean on me, He’s got the whole world in His hands, and action-song If you're happy and you know it. Apart from a simple special tribute read to Archbishop Vendargon in conjunction with his birthday, the six birthday 'babies’ were presented with a potted plant each and a cake in conjunction with their birthdays falling within July and August. The residents and guests alike were also feted to a simple tea reception attended Archbishop Murphy Pakiam and Fr. Jestus Pereira. -HERALD-
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KLANG PARISH’S MERDEKA CARNIVAL A HUGE SUCESS
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Klang : The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes celebrated Merdeka by organising its biggest carnival ever on Aug 29. More than 3000 people from all races and religions attended the carnival, which was held on the church grounds. The event began at 8.30 am with the whole congregation assembling at the front of the church to sing Negara Ku accompanied by a brass band. This was followed by the opening ceremony of the carnival. Frs. Gerard Theraviam and George Harrison who were surrounded by little children officiated the carnival by releasing hundreds of balloons into the air. Parishioners had come the night before to set up the stalls,
blow balloons, and help out in every way possible. There were about 15 game stalls and more than 20 food stalls. The stalls were all well decorated, as there was a price for the best decorated stall. All BECs and organisations in the church were involved in operating the stalls. There were many games ranging from golf to football, but of course in make-believe fields and golf courses. Both the children and adults happily patronised all the game stalls, as they wanted to win prizes. The jumble sale was another success as many interesting goods were on sale. The food stalls were located at the Letchumanen Hall right behind the church.
The hall was turned to a mega food court. There were all types of food and drinks sold including satay, ice kacang, cendol, mee jawa, and many other types of local food. Local radio Dj, Priscilla Patrick and her team were there the whole day long spinning songs and entertaining the crowd. There was also entertainment in the food court where five different bands performed, and there were also dance performances. The bands' performances eventually led the crowd to the dance floor. The children were not left out as there were clowns walking around the church giving away balloons of all shapes and sizes. The church also presented its own
version of a clown in the form of Fr. Harrison who was walking around clad in a Mr. Bean outfit. There was also a magic show. The face painting booth was a hit among the younger crowd as everybody wanted to have some picture or other on their face. The appearance of the Hitz Prado Cruisers was yet another exciting event for most youths as they all huddled around the van trying to answer the questions and win a prize. About RM 110 000 worth of tickets were sold for the carnival. The profit from this carnival will go towards the church's building fund. The construction of the building is expected to start by the end of the year. The carnival ended at about 5 pm with Fr. Gerard's shortest speech ever, "Thank you and OLL boleh!” -HERALD-
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NATIONAL DAY CUM FAMILY DAY CELEBRATION AT TAMPIN PARISH
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Tampin : Pride in their nation and state of Negeri Sembilan made eight youths bearing national flags stride confidently ahead of a marching parish community before singing the NegaraKu and the state anthem at the Church of St. John Vianney. Prior to the procession to the far end of the church grounds adjacent to the Tampin-Seremban trunk road, the congregation celebrated the Eucharist presided over by parish priest Fr. Danny Mathews. Almost 300 people, including many returning home from other states and others from the rural parishes of Bahau, Getco, Gemas and Palong were present. Excerpts of Archbishop
Murphy Pakiam's 47th National Day Message were also read out in English, Tamil and Mandarin. The Family Day events which began in earnest following an aerobic workout, drew an enthusiastic response from senior citizens, children, youths and a host of grandparents and friends of the parish. All of them made concerted efforts to come together in the true spirit of fellowship and solidarity. A beaming Fr. Danny, now in charge of the Tampin flock for less than two months, said that the special day certainly enhanced all aspects of solidarity and interaction. "All this is vital in the building of this large family," he said. "The response and co-operation from all individuals and quarters towards this Family Day was overwhelming. The celebration was a complete success but most importantly, family bonding, interaction between parishioners of all ages and parish unity was generated and further strengthened," he said. -HERALD-
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FUN TIME AT HOLY ROSARY PARISH’S FAMILY DAY
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Kuala Lumpur : The Sunday School of the Church of the Holy Rosary held their Family Day on Aug 21 at Taman Tasik Permaisuri in Cheras. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the group comprising priests, teachers, parents, and children of the Sunday School gathered to enjoy and appreciate the occasion. Several activities were planned for the day, organised by the teachers to enhance the friendship and togetherness of the families gathered there on that day. Games like obstacle races, tug of war, sack race were so much fun for teachers, grandparents, parents and children alike. A bible quiz also showed the ability of the family unit to work together in a more intellectual environment - all in good fun. Everybody from each family had the
opportunity to participate in the activities and games organised. Several youths from the parish headed with the preparation and running of the games. The parish priest Msgr. Daniel Lim took time off his busy schedule to drop by the gathering to be with the catechism class family. He also managed to show the crowd some football skills. Fr. Philip So was also present and enjoyed the occasion and the beautiful park. -HERALD-
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SINGLE ADULTS ATTEND TALK ON RELATIONSHIP
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Petaling Jaya : The Single Adult Ministry of the Church of St. Ignatius organised a talk on relationships entitled Significant Others on Aug 2 1. Guest speakers Arthur and Shelagh Nunis from the Family Life Ministry shared some insights and guidelines on the Church's stand where relationships are concerned. The talk attracted approximately 30 people who were totally absorbed with the presentation. Arthur and Shelagh covered issues on love and journeying together in a love relationship. Our understanding of love, it was said, has its beginning in the love of God for man. This is our understanding of love as Catholics. The couple explained that in order to love the 'significant other' in our lives, we have to look at the qualities of Jesus' love. His love was ‘total and generous’, ‘forgiving and non critical’, ‘open, intimate and trusting’, and if Christ’s love becomes for us the
inner present in our love relationships, we will be on the right track, because we will have the spiritual sustenance we need for growth. The representatives from the Family Life Ministry also touched on hotly debated issues like co-habitation, break-ups and other aspects of relationships. Where co-habitation was concerned, they stressed that it was not a solution for getting to know the significant other in your life. This arrangement, they said, was like having one foot out the back door. The question of commitment was suspect. The speakers deftly fielded the many questions that the audience had, and the question and answer session was the longest one yet. Many were interested in knowing when a relationship should end. One reply stated that when the relationship became demanding, one- sided, or where there was constant power play between the couple it should be ended. As the dialogue
could have gone on all night, the organisers had to reassure the group that this was just the beginning of a series of interesting sessions planned for the future. The evening continued with a time of sharing and discovery. Great care was taken to ensure that this was an evening to remember. A poem, I Need You, written by Fr. Jojo Fung, SJ and an excerpt from the Song of Songs was read. The members then formed small groups and shared how they felt about the two poems. The innovative way in which the sharing was conducted piqued the interest of all present. -HERALD-
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‘YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESS’
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Cameron Highlands : Seventy-seven confirm ands with their 23 facilitators from the Church of St. Francis Xavier (SFX) in Petaling Jaya had their annual Confirmation camp recently. The camp is a 'summit project' for the confirm ands, which precedes their Confirmation. The camp was held at the IJ Barre Centre and the SK Convent in Tanah Rata. The theme for this year was You Shall Be My Witnesses. A diverse group ranging from youth ministers and youth pastoral workers to seminarians, and religious presented the sessions. Topics presented included Prayer, Church history, and Christ -like-ness. At the camp, the confirmands were exposed to the various types of prayer used by the Church, namely charismatic, contemplative, set prayers and journal writing. They were also told of the challenges faced by Catholics and the Church throughout history and in society. The confirmands were also exposed to the
characteristics of the Early Church namely Eucharistia (Eucharist), Koinonia (Communal Life), Kerygma and Diakonia (Service). The confirmands had to prepare skits based on verses found in the Bible. This really helped them to create bonds through teamwork. To give the confirmands a break from their hectic camp schedule, they were given the opportunity to either go jungle-trekking or take a tour of Tanah Rata town. The highlight of the camp was definitely the celebration of the Eucharist presided over by SFX's assistant parish priest Fr. OC Lim, SJ, who gave a very lighthearted but firm and clear homily on being witnesses for Christ. He later commended the confirmands for being really enthusiastic about their faith. It was a joyful and meaningful time for all of the confirmands who learnt a lot, not only about themselves, but also about Christ and His Church. The camp ended on a rather delightful note with a, shopping spree' up and around Cameron Highlands. –HERALD-
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FEAST DAY CELEBRATION AT ASSAM JAWA CHAPEL
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Kuala Lumpur : The Feast of Our Lady of Good Health will celebrated at Assam Jawa Chapel on Sunday Sept 12. A nine-day Novena preceding the feast commenced on Sept 3. On Saturday, Sept 11, there will be a candle –light procession followed by fellowship. The celebration with culminate with the Eucharistic celebration on Sunday, Sept 12 at 11am.
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KLANG DISTRICT HOLDS LIFE IN THE SPIRIT SEMINAR
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Klang : It was a spirit filled experience for the participants who attended the Klang District Life In The Spirit Seminar (LSS) held in Holy Redeemer Church, Klang from August 20-22. Organised by the Klang District Service Team (KDST) and comprising members of the Charismatic Prayer Group, the LSS saw a total of 320 participants registered from all the parishes in the Klang District. The parish priests from the three parishes of Klang District have been a great support towards the organising of this LSS. Their support came in the form of their availability as presenters for the sessions. This was the first time all the Klang priests participated in an LSS. It was also good to see members of different prayer groups working together in the various ministries involved. I Am Here For You was the theme for the LSS, adopted from the
Archdiocesan theme for the month of August. The first session was by Fr. George Harrison who spoke on God's Love. He kept the session interesting as he went round asking questions and made it more interactive. At the end of his talk, he invited Bro. Surain, who is currently doing his fourth year pastoral in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, to share a personal testimony of the different periods in his life when he experienced God's Love. The following day, Fr. V.A Michael delivered a powerful message on Salvation and New Life. "To be saved, we have to lose ourselves to God and not the world," said Fr. V.A Michael. He also told the participants to focus on Jesus in times chaos. Later on he led them through the prayer of forgiveness from Psalm 51 in his session on Repentance and Reconciliation. He urged everyone to go for confession and experience the power of God through the
Sacrament of Reconciliation. God's healing power was truly at work when Fr Gerard conducted the session on Inner Healing. This was a rare experience for the participants com-pared to other seminars because they were led through healing of past hurts and memories. Besides that, it was also a time of recommitment to God as Fr. Gerard led them through the different stages of life where healing was needed. He also made a special appeal to all couples present to come forward to be prayed over by him. The zeal and enthusiasm of the participants was overflowing on the last day as they were preparing themselves to be baptised in the Spirit. Mervin Ratnasingam from the Prayer Group of St. John conducted the session. As a young and vibrant speaker, he kept the participants attentive and alert through his message and his sense of humour. –HERALD-
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TOUCH BY THE SPIRIT
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Klang : Many came forward to testify to the beautiful experience they had throughout the Life in the Spirit Seminar and how God has been working in their lives. A youth from the Church of St. Anne said that after the inner healing he went back to be reconciled with his brother with whom he had an argument. He found it hard to do it before but through God’s grace the next morning before coming for his session he just hugged his brother and sought reconciliation. Another couple who came with their children said that the LSS was truly a wonderful experience and certainly renewing to family life. A music teacher came with the problem of being partially blind. It started two years ago and now both her eyes are affected. Doctors have now said she may go blind. "The first day I came, I felt very lost and a voice said, 'Go home, you are alone'.
There were times when I've felt like taking my own life because of depression. But now after this LSS, even if I go completely blind, I will still move on because Jesus will lead me,” she said. She has two children and a husband from a different faith. The Chairperson of the Klang District Service Team, Irencaus Bay, said, "The LSS is one of God's plans for the parishioners of Klang with the prayer groups playing their part to facilitate the plan. "The ability and willingness to work together by all team members of the various prayer groups, relying not only on their own efforts but more on God’s guidance has resulted in a very successful LSS." Ireneaus also echoed Fr. V. A Michael’s statement that this revival in Kiang will be a starting point of revival for the Kiang Valley. Towards the end of the seminar, FR.V.A Michael, who is also the
Spiritual Director of the Kiang District Service Team (KDST), urged all participants to be involved in their respective weekly prayer group meetings and to be active in the life of the church would organise four major events each year as part of formation and growth. He also thanked everyone who came, the committee members and all those who had helped in one way or other for the success of this LSS and reminded all to share this experience of God with their family members and neighbours. –HERALD-
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SUNSET HOME STARTED IN COLLABORATION WITH SOCIETY OF ST. VINCENT DE PAUL
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Seremban : 'The Sunset Home for the Homeless Aged was initiated by former Visitation Church assistant priest, Fr. Leonard John, in collaboration with the three Conferences of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP) in Seremban. The home began with thirteen residents and funds were made possible by the SSVP. Following the termination of the three-year tenancy agreement, the SSVP secured its own wooden premises with support from local sponsors and a grant from the National Council of Malaysia. The SSVP Conferences, the local BECs and service-inclined individuals from the adjacent communities extended care through personal involvement, donations and looking into the daily affairs of the residents and the home. The number of SSVP Conferences has since been reduced to one. With the church's Ministry of integral Human Development (IHD) playing a major role in social projects of this nature, the Sunset Home came within the ambits of the
Parish's Ministry of Integral Human Development as a separate entity among other components within the ministry. The parish established a separate management committee IHD to address the affairs of this new entity. Its subsequent relocation to a new venue because of the much needed structural requirements for the elderly as well as the need to be within a larger community, brought about better BEC participation and encouraged more visitation by individuals and organisations. The project grew to be less and less cost effective in time and with prospects of a new intake appearing bleak, the decision to close the home was the most appropriate step to take. It was learnt that one of the residents has been placed in the LSP home in Cheras while the other two are in two separate care homes in Seremban. -HERALD-
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VISITATION PARISH’S SUNSET HOME CLOSED, FUNDS GIVEN TO LSP
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Seremban : The parish of the Visitation recently transferred RM106, 597.39 to the Little Sisters of the Poor (LSP) following the termination of activity at the parish’s Sunset Home for the Homeless Aged. On hand to receive the cheque from Sunset Home Committee Chairman, Richard Khoo, was Sr. Marie Jeanne of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. The contribution represented a complete transfer of all funds collected some years ago, through a Food Fair in the parish grounds with respect to the home. These funds were to be for the purchase of a building to house the residents. However this endeavour did not meet with success for many reasons and there appears to be very little possibility that such a vision will be realisable even in the future. Furthermore the reduction in the
number of residents to three and the apparent lack of manpower to maintain the home has not allowed the project to be pursued any further. The Sunset Home was established in 1990 to address the social complexities associated with old people who were homeless and found on the streets. It was well received at that time and was listed in the National Office of Human Development (NOHD) directory of services. Some of the residents were displaced individuals while others were vagrants. -HERALD-
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STELLA MARIS SCHOOL CELEBRATES FEAST DAY
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Kuala Lumpur : The Students of the Sekolah Menengah Stella Maris held their feast day celebration on Friday, Aug 13. The celebrations commenced with Mass which was celebrated by Archbishop Emeritus Soter Fernandez at the Church of St Anthony. The Mass was animated by the students. After Mass, everyone proceeded to the school auditorium for the Feast Day concert. The students and teachers had worked hard over the last few weeks putting together a variety show, which conveyed the theme of the celebrations Mary, Model of the Compassionate Heart. Some, of the items presented were a choral recitation by the Form Two students entitled Mary, a woman of faith and a play Who is my mother? depicting Mary's intervention in the life of a troubled young girl. The highlight of the concert was the presentation of awards to the Models of Dignity of each form.
These were individuals who had been nominated and elected by students the week before as persons who upheld the dignity of the others and of themselves. There was also a moment for quiet refection on the attributes of Mary during the concert. Those gathered were reminded that by her Assumption, Mary already enjoys the glorious future that everyone hopes for one day. As the students and teachers of Sek. Men. Stella Maris honoured Our Lady of the Sea, the patroness of the school, they asked for her intercession that all the students grow into loving, compassionate individuals with the same care and concern for others as shown by Mother Mary. There was also a talk for the non-Catholic students who did not attend the Mass. It was held at the School Auditorium by, Dr. Arwayati Abas from the institute of Respiratory Diseases who spoke on the Dangers of Smoking. –HERALD-
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TRIPLE CELEBRATION AT CAPEL KURNIA KRISTUS
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Subang Jaya : Capel Kurnia Kristus(CKK) celebrated the ninth anniversary of its establishment on Aug 15, 2004.The parishioners recalled their first Mass, which was held on August 15,1995 in a two- shop lot in USJ I 1, with about 150 people in attendance. Today, Sunday worship currently takes place in a rented multi-purpose hall situated in Subang Jaya. The total attendance for the two Sunday Masses now stands at 2,000 parishioners and it is still growing. During the 11.30am service on the same day, the RCIA inquirers were received into the community through the Rite of Acceptance, which was presided over by Fr. O.C Lim, SJ. This group of new Catechumens was later introduced to their respective area BEC Chief Coordinators after the Mass, during a potluck fellowship organized by the RCIA team. They will now journey
together with their sponsors and facilitators towards their baptism during the Easter Vigil Service 2005 at CKK itself. On the same day, a Blood Donation Drive was held after the 8:30am Mass. Seventy-seven parishioners donated blood at the Mobile Blood Bank Unit of Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya. The CKK Sunday School confirmands and their facilitators coordinated this Community Service Project. CKK's Sunday School currently has an enrolment of 800 students from Nursery through to Form Four. This little outpost of the Catholic faith in Subang Jaya/USJ is proof that a Church is much more than just a structure of brick and mortar. It's about people of God- the LAITY under the direction and pastoral care of the Jesuit Priests, working together in unity with the Bishop. The Subang Jaya/USJ Catholic
community is a story of ordinary folks centred around Christ, building their faith community, in the belief that, one day, they will be recognised as a parish, complete with their own place of worship and a resident Parish Pastor assigned by the Archdiocese. We, the Parishioners of CKK, continue to live and work in faith. God willing, all things will materialise. –HERALD-
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HERALD turns 10!
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Today it has become HERALD, The Catholic Weekly of Malaysia. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the bishops, clergy, religious and laity of the Malaysian Church for their support. -HERALD-
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