In rememberance of Catherine Raymond

KOTA KINABALU – Catherine Raymond, 56, was called home to the Lord on October 13, after many fruitful years of faithful service to the Lord.

Even her last days in the hospital were filled with putting others first and seeing how to be of help. Catherine herself was battling a sickness for more than 10 years.

Catherine was received into the Secular Franciscan Way of Life on 9 October 1999 at St John’s Church, Tuaran. She made her final commitment to the Secular Franciscan Order also in the same church.

When her family moved to Kota Kinabalu, she and her husband Fredoline Fidelis joined the first canonically established Fraternity of the Sacred Heart.

When Francis Lee OFS resigned due to old age, after having served for 18 years, Catherine assumed the Local Minister’s post in 2006. Subsequently, she was re-elected in 2009 and again in 2014. During her tenure of service to the Fraternity in 2014, she was elected as Secretary to the Regional Elective Chapter of the Emerging Regional Fraternity.

Having the privilege of living her Franciscan vocation, she had learned to live the Joy of the Gospel, finding within the Fraternal Communion a place of ongoing conversion and service to the Church and society. She had remained faithful in her service over the years, rising to any occasion of need without any hesitation.

At the parish level, she involved herself with the Family Life Commission (Malay medium), becoming a ready sponsor to catechumens whenever the need for one arose, and serving as councillor at the Parish Council (2012-14).

By profession, she worked in the pharmaceutical/health field. – Sr Cecilia Liew FSIC