2014-9 – Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Three IGCSE achievers make Maktab Nasional proud

KOTA KINABALU – Three IGCSE achievers did their alma mater proud.

Maktab Nasional is one of the few schools in Sabah that offers the Cambridge IGCSE (O-Level equivalent) examination as an enrichment programme besides the national curriculum (SPM).

Out of three students who took the exam in April/May this year at the British Council, Vincent Yong (17) scored 5As. The others, Robert Tan and Muhammad Al-Habib Yeo also managed to bag modest results.

This is the second batch of students from Maktab Nasional to attempt the Cambridge IGCSE. The first batch consisting of 4 students took the exam in 2013.

CFM message calls on Malaysians to live in hope

Statement from the CHRISTIAN FEDERATION OF MALAYSIA given on Aug 26 in conjunction with Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day 2014:

This year we commemorate the 57th Anniversary of Merdeka and the 51st anniversary of the establishment of the Federation of Malaysia. The Christian community in Malaysia has always counted it a blessing to be part of the great moments and milestones of our shared history as a nation.

Keningau youth describes having lunch with pope as God’s gift

DAEJEON, South Korea – Aug 15, 2014 was my most awaited day when I would receive my ‘gift’. I had mixed feelings of nervousness and joy at the same time. Sixteen youth delegates representing each Asian country and I, including Boa, a Korean artist, were asked to wait in a specially prepared room.

“He is here! The Pope is here!” My heart was overwhelmed with tremendous joy seeing him arriving in the midst of us. We welcomed him with great enthusiasm.

It’s beyond my imagination to sit down with the Pope and have lunch with him. This is truly a gift from God. I shared with the Pope on the religious issues we were currently facing in Malaysia such as the issue on the word ‘Allah’. His response was so encouraging. He said, “We must not use God’s name for war or for disunity, but we must use His name for peace!”

The Pope also conveyed an important message to us, “Wake up, Asian youth! Do not be afraid to continue the mission of Christ.”

Although I did not have the opportunity to have a ‘selfie’ with the Pope, nevertheless I was privileged to shake and kiss his hands, giving him a hug and to receive blessings from the Pope himself!

AYD6 participants formulate final statement in different languages

DAEJEON, South Korea – The AYD6 Statement formulated by the young people themselves, in their own language and culture, was read by youth representatives from each region in Asia. It is short and poetic, and comes out from the minds and hearts of the young people.

“We are Asian youth. Even though we come from different countries, we speak different languages, and we have diverse cultures, we are one family in Christ. We are the modern day evangelizers.

LJCCC assists in the birth of a new mission outpost

KG GOSUSU, Kota Marudu – The Light of Jesus Christ Covenant Community (LJCCC) assisted in the birth of a new mission outpost in 2011.

Kg Gosusu is a very remote pagan village, half-way between Kota Marudu and Kudat. With fine weather, it takes about 45 minutes by 4WD to reach the village from the road junction.

Alpheus Loinsang, a catechist and full-time lay worker of the Light of Jesus Christ Covenant Community (LJCCC), started to visit Kg Gosusu in 2011 and felt the call to bring the Good News to this village. The majority of the people there are pagans. In February 2013 he began to share and preach the Good News to the villagers. Some existing Christians in the village were a testament to other Christian attempts to convert the pagans some years back.

KK Archdiocese is blessed with another deacon

KOTA KINABALU – At the pronouncement by the parish priest, “I testify that he has been found worthy”, once again the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu is blessed with another deacon.

Witnessed by his parents, family members and relatives, parishioners from St Peter Claver parish, Ranau, as well as friends and parishioners from far and near, Archbishop John Wong ordained Abel Madisang to the order of deacons on 1 Sep 2014 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Karamunsing.

Bintulu church marks 60 years of existence

BINTULU – On the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Aug 15, the parishioners of St Anthony’s Church marked the 60th anniversary of the presence of the Catholic Mission in Bintulu when Fr John van der Laar from the Society of St Joseph’s Missionary in England, also known as Mill Hill Missionaries, landed in Bintulu.

St Mary’s Cathedral celebrates 131st anniversary

SANDAKAN – The parish of St Mary’s Cathedral celebrated its 131st anniversary with a 5-day program Aug leading to the commemoration of its founding Aug 17.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Taize prayers and catechesis sessions on Mother Mary were some of the activities organized for the event.

German ecumenical delegation pays 8th official visit to Sabah

KOTA KINABALU – Ecumenical delegation from Heilbronn Germany paid its 8th official visit to Sabah in August 2014.

Heilbronn is a city in the state of Baden WÜrttemberg at the southwest of Germany. It is part of the diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart. On 8th August, six Catholics and six Protestants arrived at Kota Kinabalu for a two-weeks’ visit. This is the 8th official ecumenical delegation to come here since the signing of the Sabah-Heilbronn Ecumenical Partnership (SHEP) agreement in 1990.

Over 50 Malaysian delegates attend AYD6 in South Korea

DAEJEON, South Korea – Two thousand young people from 23 countries across Asia converged for the 6th Asian Youth Day (AYD6) held in the Diocese of Daejeon Aug 10-17. A total of 53 delegates from across the arch/dioceses of Kuala Lumpur, Melaka-Johor, Penang, Kuching, Miri, Sibu, Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, and Sandakan formed the contingent from Malaysia.

The AYD6 theme “Asian Youth! Wake up! The glory of the martyrs shines on you” was aimed at bringing the participants to remember the roots of their faith, to re-discover the faith that they might have lost and to walk along with Jesus and the martyrs as witnesses in today’s world.