Keningau bishop calls ad limina visit a ‘blessed moment’

Bishop Cornelius Piong was one of the bishops of the Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Bishops Conference who went for the ad limina visit to the Holy See on 4-9 Feb 2018. For him it was a “blessed moment.”

This Ad Limina touched me in a very personal way because this year, 2018, is the Silver Jubilee of the Keningau Diocese.

In remembering and reflecting on our journey together in Jesus Christ for twenty-five years, we would like to thank Jesus who loves us, be with us and protect us (Jn 3:16, Mt 1: 21-23).

We also want to express our gratitude to the Holy Spirit because He is our helper. He teaches us and He reminds us of the teachings of Jesus (Jn 14:26). By His power, the priests, religious and lay people are able to walk together in the spirit of unity, wisdom and holiness (John 17). I am also convinced that the guidance and prayers of Mother Mary since the early Church are a source of protection for us, His People (Acts 1:14).

In our meeting as Malaysian-Singapore-Brunei Bishops with the Pope on Feb 8, the Holy Father stressed on the importance of praying and to believe in the mercy of God who is always with us in the ministry. The meeting, together with Cardinal Soter Fernandez and Pope Francis, took nearly two hours. Every Bishop expressed his wishes to the Pope spontaneously. At the meeting, the Pope also emphasised that family members, parents and children, faithfully live in unity and communicate with each other face-to-face and be on guard for the negative influence of today’s electronic media.

As the Bishop of Keningau Diocese, I told the Pope that we, the people of God in Keningau Diocese, will celebrate our Silver Jubilee on May 5 this year. I have conveyed the greetings of the priests, religious, and laity to him, telling Pope Francis that the people of God in Keningau Diocese have been walking together in Jesus Christ, guided by the Pastoral Theme Christ-centred family to worship God strengthen Faith and social responsibility.

I also asked the Pope to pray for our preparation and celebration of the Silver Jubilee of Keningau Diocese.

I believe that the prayer and guidance of Mother Mary have made all matters possible throughout our Ad Limina journey and also through the company of the Malaysian Ambassador to the Vatican, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, and his staff.   – Herald Malaysia, 28 Feb 2018