CMI celebrates Kaamatan with procession

BUKIT PADANG – The Church of Mary Immaculate (CMI) here celebrated the annual Kaamatan (Havest Festival) Mass with a procession on 21 May 2017.

The entrance procession was led by children and teens in traditional attire holding bags of rice grains, accompanied by the sound of gong beating, from the canteen to the church entrance.  From the church entrance to the sanctuary, the choir sang the entrance hymn.  The children and teens placed the bags of rice grains on the native woven tray at the foot of the altar.

The Kaamatan Mass is celebrated to thank God for another year of bountiful harvest by the KadazanDusun community in May each year.

The readings were proclaimed in Bahasa Malaysia, Kadazan and English.

In his homily, Father Joshua Liew said that given the situation now, one may not see rice fields or harvesting in urban areas but one can “harvest faith” in one’s heart and in the hearts of others.

After Mass, around 300 faithful including invited guests from Sacred Heart Cathedral, St Paul Dontozidon, Our Lady Queen of Peace Kobusak and St Simon Likas adjourned to the canteen for a fellowship meal and entertainment.