Two Full-fledged Members, One Junior For Local Congregation
PENAMPANG(CS Online).- Two juniors of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Sisters Alice Lopez and Stella Gilbert, made their final profession January 27 at St Joseph's Church Kiulu.
The profession took place during the Eucharistic Celebration presided by Vicar General Msgr Primus Jouil and concelebrated with five other priests. Mother General Sr Grace Deosing accepted the vows. A reception followed at the church hall.
Thirty-seven-year-old Sister Lopez hails from Sandakan and has been working for about seven years before entering the Franciscan order in 1997. She made her first profession in 2000. Sisters Francisca Wong and Veronica Kandaung witnessed her final vows.
On the other hand, Sister Gilbert, 33, was born and bred in Tambunan. She worked as a clerk for five years before entering the Franciscans in 1997. Sister Gilbert took her first vows in 2001. Her final vows were witnessed by Sisters Frances Mani and Florence Nemesius.
Around 300 people turned up for the event including religious from other congregations.
Earlier on, Novice Rita Serunai, 27, of Tuaran made her first profession January 6 before Mother General, Sr Grace Deosing, witnessed by Sisters Sandra Yapp and Florence Nemesius.
Msgr Primus Jouil officiated the event, assisted by Fathers Aloysius Fidelis of Papar and Thomas Makajil of Tuaran at the novitiate chapel in Purak Papar.
In her address to the congregation comprising the sisters of the congregation and the neo-professed's family members and relatives, Sr Deosing announced that the neo-professed would be assigned to Beaufort after a week's home leave.
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SHC's 25th Dedication Anniversary: A Low-keyed Affair
KOTA KINABALU(CS Online).- In the wake of grand celebrations hosted by Sacred Heart Cathedral within the past six years, its 25th dedication anniversary celebration proved to be rather a low-keyed affair, a parish affair.
Not many would remember the dedication ceremony 25 years ago, but many would have remembered the grand finales of the Diocesan Silver Jubilee (SJD) in 2002, the parish centenary celebration in 2003 and the ruby jubilee of sacerdotal ordination of Bishop John Lee with its many distinguished guests.
In contrast, the silver jubilee of the cathedral's dedication Nov 26 was purely a parish affair with only the rector, his three assistants and former rector Fr Chi concelebrating the Mass.
The theme of the celebration, "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord" (Jos 24:15), was explained by Presider Vicar General Msgr Primus Jouil in English and Bahasa Malaysia, and by Fr John Wong in Chinese at homily time.
It was again picked up in the welcoming speech by Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) Chairman Damian Lee during the reception at the parish centre after Mass.
In his pastoral letter to the parishioners issued for the occasion, the vicar general said that Joshua reminded the people of God's goodness, how he led them out of slavery of Egypt, performed miracles and saved them from their enemies; he ended by asking them to choose whom they would serve, the Lord or other strange gods.
Jouil said during a time of great uncertainty and doubt in his community, Joshua made a decision and declared that he and his household would serve God alone.
Similarly, Jouil continued, throughout the 25 years since the dedication of the cathedral, "we have also had countless proofs of the goodness of God to our parish. Like the Israelites, we, as a parish family, are also at a crossroad. At our own time of uncertainty and doubt, we all have to make a personal decision in our spiritual life."
"Will we, as individuals, live a life of worship and service to God alone? Or will we give in to strange gods of materialism, individualism, prejudice, etc?" the presider asked.
He warned that "as a member of God's family, our personal decision will not only have an impact on our lives, but also on the Church as a whole."
Lee, on the other hand, reiterated the commitment of the PPC and all the group leaders to focus on building up the parish as a family, focusing on the three top priorities agreed upon during the last discernment weekend.
After the Mass, the 3,000-strong faithful proceeded to the parish centre for the offical opening of the parish exhibition, highlighting the the various activities and programmes organised by the various committees, communities and groups of the parish and subparishes of Church of Mary Immaculate and St Simon.
This was followed by a fellowship lunch and a prorgrammes of dances and songs by the different groups/communities.
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KK Diocese To Celebrate Those In Consecrated Life
KOTA KINABALU(CS).- The Diocese of Kota Kinabalu will celebrate the 11th World Day for Consecrated Life on Friday February 2.
Bishop John Lee has invited all members of religious orders and those living a consecrated life to join him for a Eucharistic Celebration at St Catherine's Church Inanam at 7:30 pm. Parishioners from the diocese are also invited to join in this celebration.
Council of Religious Chairman, Montfort Brother Francis Chua, said that prior to the celebration there will be a three-night of sharing from members of the different religious communties at 7:30 pm followed by Mass.
The first night (Tuesday, January 30) will be at Holy Family Church Telipok, the second night (Wednesday, January 31) at Good Shepherd Church Menggatal and the third night (Thursday, February 1) at St Catherine's Church Inanam.
World Day for Consecrated Life is a day to recognise those serving God and the Diocese of Kota Kinabalu by their ministry and by their lives.
The Diocese of Kota Kinabalu is privileged to have three religious orders of men, six communities of woman religious and two members of a secular institute.Members of religious orders serve in ministries of education at the seminary (initiation year), secondary, primary and kindergarten levels as well as in the vocational training of poor youths.
They serve at diocesan level as heads or members of diocesan commissions on catechetics, communication media, family life and youth.
Religious serve in parishes as pastoral council members, spiritual directors, paraliturgy facilitators, visiting the sick, shut-ins and serving the poor.
Others serve in a ministry of prayer for the Church locally and universally.
World Day for Consecrated Life was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1997.
It is an opportunity for the Church to educate parishioners about people who serve God in countless and sometimes unexpected ways, while maintaining their commitment to a consecrated life.
Consecrated persons are lay persons or clerics (priests) who assume the evangelical counsels by means of a sacred bond, and become members of an institute of consecrated life (can. 573.2).
Institutes of pontifical right are those erected or approved by the Holy See by formal decree.
Examples are the Carmelite Sisters, Daughters of St Paul, Good Shepherd Sisters, , Infant Jesus Sisters, Gabrielite or Montfort Brothers, La Salle Brothers, and the Mill Hill Fathers and Brothers.
Institutes of diocesan right are those erected by bishops and which have not obtained a decree of approval from the Holy See (can. 589).
Examples are our own Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception and the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary (in Sandakan).
The historical origins of secular institutes go back to the end of the 16th century, even though their juridic recognition as a state of consecrated life approved by the Church took place only on 2 February 1947, with the Apostolic Constitution Provida Mater Ecclesia.
Christians consecrated to God in secular institutes follow Christ by undertaking to observe the three evangelical counsels by means of a sacred commitment, and they do not change the status they have in the world. They continue to live and work in the midst of the people of God in the normal conditions of their own social setting (can. 710, 711, 713.2) according to the secular style of life which is proper to them.
An example is the Institute of Our Lady of the Annunciation (IOLA).
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KK Clergy Attends Spiritual Direction Seminar
PLENTONG, JOHOR(CS).- Eight clerics from KK Diocese including Bishop John Lee attended a spiritual direction seminar for around 40 seminary staff and spiritual directors in the Malaysia-Singapore -Brunei Region recently.
The seminar was held at the Majodi Centre here January 8 to 12 after the Bishops' conference.
The region has one major seminary in Singapore, one in Penang and one in Kuching.
Aside from the bishop, the others who attended were Father Michael Modoit (Initiation Year Director), Father John Wong (Catholic Diocesan Centre Rector), and five others who gave spiritual direction to last year's aspirants and initiation year students, namely, Msgr Primus Jouil, Fathers Fundes Motiung, Edward Raymond, Federick Raymond and Marcellinus Pongking.
Father Wong said the seminar centred on three main topics: spiritual direction, vocational discernment and discernment of the Spirit and counselling.
According to Carmelite Father Thomas Curran, spiritual direction is for everyone as it is the actual experience of one's experience with God.
Father Curran emphasised that in spiritual direction the focus is on what is happening within oneself and what is God revealing to oneself through life's events or people around.
Thus the spiritual director should help the directee to deepen his relationship with God through a solid prayer life.
On vocational discernment and discernment of the Spirit, Father Ignatius Huan said there are three levels: 1) discerning/listening through the ear; 2) listening through the mind and 3) listening through the heart.
Father Huan said it is basically listening to God's voice from the depths of one's being.
Franciscan Missionary of the Divine Motherhood Sister Cyrilla Baptist said there is a distinction between spiritual direction and counselling.
In spiritual direction there is an element of God's presence while in counselling this element may be absent, she said.
Sister Baptist said in counselling one is helped to deal with one's feelings and to feel "at home" with those feelings. She said no matter how one feels, each one has the capacity to handle them and move on with life.
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CICIAMS Holds Roadshow In KK Diocese
PENAMPANG(CS).- The International Catholic Committee for Nurses and Medical Assistants (CICIAMS) held a roadshow in the Kota Kinabalu Diocese January 7 to 9.
The roadshow, organised by the Catholic Nurses Guild of Malaysia (CNG), was held in Penampang (January 7), Sandakan (January 8) and Tawau (January 9).
It consisted of two talks - Nursing Ethics and Today's Nurse in the Era of Globalisation - by CICIAMS International President Dr An Verlinde of Belgium; Structures and Aims of CICIAMS by Sir Richard Lai and the Structures and Aims of CNG Malaysia by CNG President Francisca Malantin.
Around 65 student nurses, midwives and nursing staff took part in the roadshow.
The CNG is a registered association of Catholic nurses in Malaysia.
It came about during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya in 1941-45. People were dying like flies and the sick were numerous.
When the then Father Dominic Vendargon was in charge of Province Wellesley, Kedah and Perlis, he saw the need to get the Catholic nurses together.
It was in 1947 when the CNG was born in Alor Star with Anna Lee as the president and Father A Fortier as the chaplain.
Its main aim was to provide the members with moral and spiritual support so that they could evangelise effectively through their nursing vocation.
In February 1971 the guild was officially affiliated to the world body of Catholic nurses in Brussels, CICIAMS.
It spread its wings to Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei in 1972. In Sabah, its first chaplain was the late Father Thomas Sham.
The different states take turns to host the headquarters. On 7 August 2006 the headquarters was transferred to Sabah.
CNG Malaysia office bearers for 2006-2008 are: Francisca Malantin (president), James Ho (vice president for East Malaysia), Sir Richard Lai (vice president for West Malaysia), Phyllis Philip (secretary), Rosemary Kongil (asst secretary), Patricia Totu (treasurer), Suzie Taylor (professional committee), Mary Juinis (social committee), Theresa Adam (spiritual committee) and Father Aloysius Fidelis (chaplain).
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CFC Celebrates Third Anniversary In KK Diocese
BERINGGIS, PAPAR(CS).- The Couples for Christ (CFC) celebrated its third anniversary in Kota Kinabalu Diocese December 16.
The anniversary celebration, held at Beringgis Beach Resort Papar, began with a Mass presided by Montfort Father Mark Tee.
In his message to the members, Functional Head Gerard Yee said that "Despite being young (only three years old), the CFC aspires to work with the Church to strengthen Christian family life."
He called on the members to "invest their resources (time, talent and treasure)" to this work of Christ "which raises up Christian couples and establishes Christian families committed to the work of evangelisation and winning the world for Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit."
Alan Filio, CFC Brunei National Council Member, then read out the message of Henjie San Juan, CFC Borneo Mission Director.
In the message, San Juan said, "As families in the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth, let us remember that God has chosen each one of us, for he does not called the qualified, rather, he qualifies the called."
The director said he was pleased to note that CFC-KK is a "localised and empowered laity able to carry out to the next level the mission Jesus has entrusted to us. As He has chosen to work through us He will continually guide us, provide for us and protect us."
Bishop John Lee, in his message to the members, said that his diocese "encourages ministries that support and strengthen the family institution" and that the CFC is "one new entry which has helped many couples grow in their relationships."
The 130 participants had a time of praise and worship (praisefest) led by some members from Sibu and Brunei.
Following the praisefest each group (Couples [3 groups], Handmaids (married but spouse not a member; widowed/separated [2 groups], Youths) gave a presentation.
After lunch there were fungames which showcased both personal prowess and teamwork.
The CFC started in 1981 in Manila, Philippines and it has spread to 156 countries worldwide, including Malaysia.
The Holy See officially recognised CFC as a private international association of the faithful with a juridical personality in 2005.
While CFC in Kota Kinabalu actually began with the first Christian Life Programme (CLP) in 2003, it has until recently remained "dormant" as Yee described it.
It traces its resurgence with the blessing of Bishop John Lee in its second CLP in September 2005.
Since then, said Yee, the CFC has become active and increased its membership and activities by "leaps and bounds."
CFC-KK is under the Borneo Mission Centre based in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
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PUSAT PASTORAL KEUSKUPAN (PPK) At 40
KENINGAU(CS).- The first catechists' training course, wrote Father George Bauer in the October 1973 issue of Catholic Sabah, was held from October to December 1966.
"I was at that time rector of the mission in Keningau. For many years I had been dealing with catechists and I noticed that most of them, though they were kind and devoted people, had little idea of how to teach and what to teach.
"As nearly all the religious instruction in the kampungs is done by the catechists, I thought it very necessary that the catechists should be given some training."
Since then the courses never stopped.
The first building consisted of four rooms, 10' by 10' each, and a little verandah, 3 feet wide.
The second building was completed in July 1971 with six rooms, a kitchen and two bathrooms, with water and electricity.
The old buildings were demolished in early 1973 and four new buildings were constructed: catechists' quarters, a school, a chapel, a recreation room, a workshop, teachers' house and the director's house - completed in July 1973 and blessed by Bishop Peter Chung on 19 August 1973.
After the division of the two dioceses in 1993, PUSKAT (Pusat Katekis) was renamed PUSAT PASTORAL KEUSKUPAN (PPK) to reflect its new status.
Its anniversary celebration will be on April 14. All are welcome to contribute in cash and kind as it needs major renovations.
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