Catholic Nurses visit Holy Doors

KOTA KINABALU – In conjunction with World Nurses Day which falls on May 12, Catholic Nurses Guild Kota Kinabalu (CNGKK) organised a pilgrimage to celebrate Nurses’ Day on 14 May 2016.

In response to the call of Pope Francis who called for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, CNGKK visited three Holy Doors, beginning with Sacred Heart Cathedral, then moving on to St Patrick Membakut, and ending with Holy Rosary Limbahau.  It also included a charity visit and lunch with the senior citizens at Holy Family Residence, Purak Papar,

At Purak, Fr Aloysius and Sr Clara thanked the guild for their time to celebrate Nurses’ Day with the inmates.

The 150 participants (nurses with their families and friends) came from Jesselton Medical Centre, Hospitals from Tawau, Tuaran, Keningau, Likas, QEH2 and QEH, Health Clinics from various areas of KK, tutors and student nurses from Nursing Colleges of KK and UMS.

The rites of entrance at the Holy Doors were led by Spiritual Adviser to the CNGKK Fr Aloysius Fidelis, while the sunset Mass at Holy Rosary Church for Nurses’ Day was presided by Fr Jalius Sading. This was followed by a Nurses’ Day dinner celebration at St Augustine Hall.

The event was organised for the first time outside KK by CNGKK, with the theme “Toward Nurses’ Resilience in Pastoral Healthcare.”

In his homily, Fr Sading urged all nurses and healthcare providers to care for the sick with the gift of the Holy Spirit which is “love,” and with the soft skills of “smile and good communication.”   One way of comforting the sick is to talk to the sick, said Fr Sading. – Agnes Moniu