KOTA KINABALU (CS) – Good mentors are hard to come by.  If you want a mentor to keep mentoring, showcase how their actions have paid-off. All of us are inspired when we see the fruits of our labors. Mentors are no different. Show them the results – it speaks volumes!

The Archdiocesan Catholic Women’s League (ACWL) of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu is a fruit of Archbishop Emeritus John Lee’s labour, no doubt!  While the ACWL can never thank him enough, they hope it demonstrates to him that they are appreciative of his leadership, and above all, his role as their mentor, with a great turn-up at the grand dinner celebration, organized by the ACWL, in honour of his 50th anniversary of priestly service at the Putera Theatre Ballroom Jan 27.  This was despite an earlier dinner celebration which saw more than a thousand attendees.

KUCHING – St Peter’s College held its annual Thanksgiving Mass for the Friends of St Peter’s at St Joseph’s Cathedral, Kuching on 3 Nov 2014.

During the Thanksgiving Mass, which was well attended by about 600 friends of St Peter’s College, Bishop Cornelius Piong of Keningau Diocese installed 12 First Year Theologians to the Ministry of Lector and two Second Year Theologians to the Ministry of Acolyte.

This Lunar Year is the Year of the Goat (Sheep).  It is also a year to reflect on the virtue of Gratitude, and to live Gratitude.

The mild goat, sheep or ram is one who knows gratefulness to the one who provides and protects so that it can live in restfulness and contentment having all its needs taken care of.

Looking back at the tumultuous Year of the Horse in 2014, we recalled with pain the tragedies, wars and persecutions, the countless and needless loss of life, the ravages of diseases, the economic and political instabilities, the religious wrangles, the recessions, the dissatisfactions, etc, while at the same time, let us also be grateful for our health, our life, our family and our freedom today. Let us be mindful that there will come a day when we too will encounter the constraint of physical realities. Yet that reality does not lessen the gratitude we feel today, and we need to believe that even when we are weak or sorrowful or dejected, we will still be grateful for those blessings we have had.

Sr Marysia Malating:  I am the youngest child of 11 siblings in the family. I was born in April 20, 1984 and I am so grateful that I grew up in a Catholic family. My father was the first catechist in our village and he is my source of inspiration to a life of prayer and being unshakeable in my catholic faith.

KOTA KINABALU – The Carmelite community gathered in the Carmelite Monastery of Our Lady of Mt Carmel to commemorate the Solemnity of St John of the Cross, OCD (1542 -1591) in a morning mass presided by Fr Rayner Bisius on his first day as  Carmelite Chaplain Dec 15.

KOTA KINABALU – On New Year’s day, the Octave (8th) Day of Christmas and designated World Day of Peace, the Holy Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God was celebrated at the Carmelite Monastery of Our Lady of Mt Carmel presided by Fr Felix Chung and concelebrated by Fr Francis Tsen.

The celebration of Mary’s motherhood of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Redeemer, is the oldest feast of Mary celebrated by the Catholic Church. The title, Mother of God is the highest title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary as early as at the First Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.

LIKAS  – The Rector of St Simon Catholic Church Likas, Fr Cosmas Lee, blessed all families during the parish’s end of year celebration to mark four important events in conjunction with the Feast of the Holy Family on 28 Dec 28 2014.