Over two thousand people were brought into the Catholic Church locally at this year’s Easter Vigil Apr 4. According to reports, over and above these catechumens who were baptized and confirmed, and received First Communion, there were some who were being received into full communion.
In preaching, the Church’s message must always be spoken with frankness and courage, without fear of announcing the truth.
These were the words of Pope Francis in his morning homily at Casa Santa Marta. The Holy Father reflected on Peter and John who continued to preach despite being jailed and threatened by the High Priests. That same courage, the Holy Father noted, is what the Church needs to announce the Good News.
“These two simple men- as the Bible says – with no education, had courage. A word that can be translated as ‘courage,’ ‘straightforwardness,’ ‘freedom to speak,’ ‘not being afraid to say things’ … It’s a word that has many meanings, in its original form. Parrésia, that frankness … and their fear gave way to ‘openness,’ to saying things with freedom.”
BUNDU TUHAN – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you… and you will be my witnesses.” That was the theme for this year’s Holy Spirit Camp. A total of 220 teens went up to Bundu Tuhan Retreat Center Mar 20 – 22, some with great expectations, some without knowing what to expect for this year’s camp.
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3. The Care for the Poor
Searching for the poor, having poor people around him, serving the poor, is not a psychological or social compensation for a man born in a family of lower middle class.
To the disciples of John the Baptist, who was asking about Him, Jesus replied: “…..The poor have good news preached to them.” The Kingdom has arrived! Jesus makes of the care for the poor, the sign that the Kingdom is coming; that is there, at the door. For Montfort, it is the touchstone of conversion.
KOTA KINABALU – The Daughters of St Paul here marked the centenary of foundation with an opening Mass presided by Father Mitchelly Kiun on 3 Feb 2015.
The opening Mass in Manila was celebrated on Feb 5, the 51st death anniversary of Venerable Thecla Merlo, co-Foundress of the institute.
Press Statement dated 27 March 2015 from the Sabah Council of Churches on Kelantan’s Shariah Criminal Code II Enactment 1993 (amended 2015) passed by the Kelantan State Legislative Assembly on 19 March 2015 (“Kelantan’s Hudud Enactment”)
KOTA KINABALU – The local Carmelite Community marked the fifth centenary of the birth of St Teresa of Jesus with a Mass for “World Prayer for Peace” at the Carmelite Monastery, which was presided by Archbishop John Wong on 27 Mar 2015.
At the Vatican on Mar 26, Pope Francis began a special prayer for peace as part of the 500 centenary celebrations marking the birth of St Teresa of Avila. The Pope led the hour of prayer at the Casa Santa Marta before saying Mass along with the Superior General of the Discalced Carmelite Order, Fr Saverio Cannestrà.
KOTA KINABALU – On Mar 26 and 30 across the Arch/dioceses of Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Keningau, the Arch/bishops gathered with their priests, seminarians and deacons, consecrated religious and lay faithful to celebrate the Chrism Mass where two important things took place: the priests publicly renewed their priestly promises before their bishops, and the Oils of Catechumens and the Sick were blessed and the Holy Chrism consecrated.
The newly ordained are not only adjusting to priesthood, celibacy and ministry; they are also adjusting to becoming leaders of parishes, with all the attendant administration, leadership and management challenges. Here is a candid sharing from Fr Mitchelly Kiun on his first year of priestly ministerial service:
1. What do you love most about being a priest?
Being a priest is to be able to preach and minister to the people of God. So to me, the most enjoyable moment is when I diligently prepare myself before every Sacrament of the Eucharist. Preparing myself means to immerse my worldly life into the spiritual Word so that I may be more Christ-like. In other words, the WORD OF GOD is my source of inspiration for my daily living, especially in my availability to help others and for my own spiritual growth.
SETAPAK, KL – March 21 was a joyous day for the Good Shepherd Sisters, lay mission partners, and benefactors in the province of Malaysia-Singapore as we rejoiced with Sr Teresa Chye on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Religious Profession. It was a celebration of 50 years of faithful service to God and humanity with tremendous love, compassion and zeal.