Filipino community urged to serve with greater missionary fervour after 30 years

KOTA KINABALU – The Filipino community was urged to serve with greater missionary fervour at its 30th anniversary celebration at a local hotel here on 4 Dec 2016.

In his address, Father Mitchelly Kiun urged the members of the Sacred Heart Filipino Community to serve with greater missionary fervour alongside other communities of the cathedral parish.

“As I have commissioned the new executive committee members for 2016-18 during the Mass, let us pray that these committee members and the Filipino Community as a whole will grow bigger and stronger, be bound together in love and harmony, and to serve unceasingly for the glory of God,” Fr Mitchelly said in his speech during the anniversary dinner.

He also reminded them to give thanks to God for His continued blessings on the Filipino community in Sabah, especially the community at Sacred Heart Cathedral parish.

A 32-table dinner at the Hyatt Kinabalu Hotel marked the event,  preceded by a Thanksgiving Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral, presided by Fr Mitchelly.

The SHC community was formed 30 years ago in 1986 when six Malaysian Filipinos were looking for a place to set up for Filipinos to gather for religious activities. The vision eventually was expanded to provide spiritual and moral support and assistance to members, to provide spiritual foundation and formation to live out the mission of the church within the residing parish, and generally to give a more meaningful purpose of being SHC Filipino parishioners.

Fr Mitchelly elaborated on the theme of the celebration It’s I, It’s You, It’s Us, It’s We, It’s Love, It’s Christ who builds community.

“If you work as a single man, you will find it difficult, but if you join your hands, hearts, minds, spirit and faith, you can even move mountains,” he said.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral Filipino community has been actively participating in the parish activities and festivities such as bazaars, family carnivals, dinners organised by the parish to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, house to house rosary prayers during October, gotong royong, Migrant Sunday celebration, spreading the Good News of the birth of Jesus Christ by caroling, and other activities organized by the parish. – Victoria Matakim