TANJUNG ARU – Some 600 students including teachers and religious brothers from La Salle Secondary school celebrated their La Salle Day with a Mass presided by Fr Rhobby Mojolou at Stella Maris Church May 15. The day was also celebrated in conjunction with the Feastday of St John Baptist de La Salle, their patron saint, and Teachers Day 2015. Principals and teachers from Stella Maris Secondary school and Sacred Heart Primary school also joined in the Mass.
LIKAS – St Simon Parish Likas recently held a three-week Parish Mission conducted by the Redemptorist priests on 29 Apr – 24 May 2015, concluding on Pentecost Sunday during the morning Mass. Three Redemptorist priests came at the invitation of the Rector, Fr Cosmas Lee, to conduct this mission at the parish. They were Fr Joseph Stephen, Fr Paul Kee and Fr Suresh Pushparaj. The mission, themed ‘Renewal through the Holy Spirit’, was aimed to reach out to all parishioners to be renewed and invigorated in our life through the Holy Spirit.
BUKIT PADANG – Church of Mary Immaculate here celebrated Kaamatan Festival cum Mother’s Day on 10 May 2015.
The celebration began with a procession, accompanied by gong beating, from the hall to the Church. Parishioners, clad in their traditional garb, followed in the symbolic procession or “mamanau kampung” (in KadazanDusun) which was led by the cross bearer, altar servers, EMCs, lectors, Archbishop John Wong and Fr Jeffri Gumu.
RANAU – “I thank God that you have the courage to say ‘Yes’ to Him, to serve Him as a priest.” These were the words of Archbishop John Wong as he welcomed the newest member, Fr Abel Madisang, into the presbyterium of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu. Fr Abel, 35, was ordained a priest on Monday, 4 May 2015 at his home parish of St Peter Claver Ranau, after eight years of seminary formation and serving as a deacon in Sacred Heart Cathedral.
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.
1. What do you love most about being a priest?
KOTA KINABALU – KK prelate assumed role of parish priest on 9 Apr 2015.
He presided over the first staff Mass at the chapel of Sacred Heart Cathedral Karamunsing. Joining the cathedral staff were the staff of the Archdiocesan Centre Penampang.
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.
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.