BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Great rejoicing resounded at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption in Bandar Seri Begawan for the Vicariate of Brunei Darussalam on Jan 21 as it marks the 10th anniversary of its elevation to an Apostolic Vicariate, while at the same time the Church community also celebrates the 10th Episcopal Anniversary as well as the Silver Jubilee of Bishop Cornelius Sim to the priesthood.
VATICAN CITY, Jan 23, (CNA/EWTN News) – Pope Francis chose the family as his theme for this year’s World Communications Day, saying that as the first place we learn to communicate, families teach us to go out of ourselves and encounter others.
“In the family, we learn to embrace and support one another, to discern the meaning of facial expressions and moments of silence, to laugh and cry together,” the Pope said in his Jan. 23 message for the 49th World Day of Communications.
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.
KENINGAU – KSFX Parish Sunday School held a recollection themed “Knowing and loving the Eucharist” at Dataran Keuskupan Keningau on 10 Jan 2015. The 333 participants, who attended the recollection, were catechumen candidates under the care of the KSFX Parish. The recollection sessions were presented by Bishop Cornelius Piong and Seminarian Wilfred, and constituted as part of the program to assist the faithful of the diocese to live out the Diocesan theme for 2015.
JOHOR BAHRU – The 95th Plenary Session of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (CBCMSB) took place at Majodi Centre, Plentong, Johor, on 5-9 Jan 2015.