REMAIN STEADFAST AND JOURNEY TOGETHER

What a wonderful Christmas celebration we had at Church! The turn-up was unexpected for both the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses. It was overwhelming! The multi-lingual carolling was well performed, and the congregation came early for the Christmas Eve Mass to listen to the carols being sung. Many thanks to all carollers for your effort, and congratulations on your fabulous singing. We all enjoyed it!

We invited the Orang Asli and Indonesian communities from the oil palm estates as well as other migrants, to be with us this Christmas. About 100 of them including children, stayed overnight and on Christmas Day, we had a party for them. The PIHDM (Orang Asli Ministry) and the East Malaysians from the Armed Forces organised a potluck and catered food. A big thank you to them for hosting this event. We distributed 200 goody bags to the children present that day.

 

With the Grace of God, we are ending the Year 2022 on a high note. Although we have faced some hardships and tough times along the way, the Lord made all things possible and His Spirit stands before and beside us in every moment of our lives. We thank the Almighty God for all the great achievements and blessings that we have received over the past year. We should also give ourselves a pat on the back and acknowledge our perseverance - allowing ourselves to learn, add value, strengthen and grow in our faith life.

Now, we welcome a brand New Year 2023 with a lot of excitement and exhilaration! As we take our steps day by day, be thankful for what we already have and continue to work hard for the things we desire. On the very first day of the New Year, take time to set goals, priorities and commitments, as we look forward to this New Year. We should back it up with strategies and actions in order to achieve our plans.

 

January 1st is also celebrated as “World Day of Peace” and the Holy Father, Pope Francis has chosen the theme for the 56th World Day of Peace – “No One Can Be Saved Alone” as he encourages us to remain steadfast and have our gaze fixed on times and seasons, as we wait for the Lord’s return (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-2).

 

In his message, he highlights that the whole world is still “combating COVID-19 together, embarking together on paths of peace.” Every individual and family are still facing long “periods of isolation and restrictions on freedom contributed” by COVID-19. The infectious virus has fractured our social status, caused economic instability, threatened job security, and increased loneliness and poverty.

 

Nevertheless, we have learned, realised and experienced the greatest need for one another during this COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot be saved alone, but we need “to join together in seeking and promoting the universal values that can guide us to the growth of this human fraternity.”

 

As we continue to combat the virus, everyone needs a spirit of “responsibility and compassion” in order “to build a new world – with love, justice and peace.” The Holy Father hopes that in this New Year we shall “journey together” and “value the lessons that history has taught us – so that we make this a good New Year!”

 

WISHING YOU A SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR, BLESSED WITH HAPPINESS AND PEACE - TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. STAY WELL, STAY SAFE AND STAY BLESSED ALWAYS!

A REMARKABLE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION

The Glory of the Lord shines on us like the sun. He will rise over us and appear in our midst. Glory is the characteristic of God who shared His glory with His Son Jesus Christ, the radiance of His glory. As He shines on the entire world, let our lips, hearts, minds and souls be filled with praises and glory all the days of our lives, (cf Ps 70).

Christmas has come! Today, we celebrate the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, (John 1: 14). Christmas is a wonderful time of the year because we are celebrating the most amazing mystery of salvation – the coming of the Saviour of the World once again. On this Christmas, we are grateful and thankful to God for the gifts of His Only Son. It is a time to share gifts of love with one another – our families and friends. Christmas is not about giving and receiving presents, but it is about the presence of Child Jesus and celebrating Him in our hearts and homes who is the real gift of Christmas.

Since the first week of Advent, Kuantan City residents and Parishioners have been admiring the glow of Christmas lights twinkling around our Church compound. The Christmas tree crib and decorations have already been put up inside and outside of the Church with the efforts of East Malaysians and a few individuals.This year will be my second Christmas with you. The first Christmas was way back when I was an Assistant Parish Priest in 2003.

 

Each Christmas reminds us that sharing love with others is our privilege, and every time we do that, Jesus is reborn in our midst. This Christmas, we have invited the Orang Asli families, the migrant Indonesians (plantation workers), and Vietnamese and University students to come for Christmas Eve and Christmas Masses. We have provided buses for them. They will stay overnight in our Parish for the Christmas celebration. We have catered meals and some potluck for them. We will distribute 250 goody bags as one of the gifts amongst others for all children on Christmas day at the breakfast corner and we invite Parishioners to join us in welcoming them.

For the first time, our carolers will be caroling in four languages at the Christmas and New Year's Eve Masses in our Church. They have been practicing these past four weeks and they are excited to sing the Christmas carols announcing the coming of Christmas and telling the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. We invite everyone to come together and worship the birth of Child Jesus in our personal way and prepare ourselves to move with the Spirit as we enter into the Christmas season.

After two tough years of the Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns and restrictions, this year we are looking forward to a remarkable Christmas celebration. As we gather together as family and friends in the Church for the Christmas celebration starting with the Eucharist, let the coming of Christ Jesus in the Holy Communion bring joy and the warmth of Christmas in our hearts. May the Child Jesus dwell in our hearts to bring hope, peace, joy, and a love-filled Christmas.

May the joy, love and happiness shine in our Parish 

as we pray that the spirit of Christmas is kept alive in our hearts always. 

A Very Merry Christmas to everyone!

WE LONG TO SEE CHRIST

We have come to the last Sunday of Advent. This year we observe four complete weeks of Advent because Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. Back in 2017, we celebrated the Fourth Sunday of Advent and immediately after, we celebrated Christmas Eve (Sunday evening) and Christmas Day (Monday). Christmas will only fall on a Sunday once again, in 2033. 

The season of Advent always comes and goes quickly because we are busy with the festivities and hustle and bustle of preparing cookies, shopping, and decorating for Christmas and New Year. We often forget to meditate on the Advent readings and perhaps neglect to reflect on the purpose and spiritual aspects of the Advent season.

During this Fourth Week of Advent - a week that increases our longing to see Christ Jesus - we learn to be more patient and forgiving, more service-oriented and contemplative like Mary, who “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart,” (LK2:19). In the next few days before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, take a few moments each day not to get ahead of ourselves, but instead to live the final week of Advent with the proper disposition in our hearts to welcome Child Jesus on Christmas Day and New Year. 

We long to see Christ and celebrate Him this Christmas - a spiritual Christmas! It is a “time for the baby to be born… wrapped him in swaddling clothes and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn,” (LK2:6-7). This Christmas we embrace Child Jesus in our hearts and welcome Him into our homes. We want Him to lay in the manger of our hearts. His coming and His presence will make us holy. Let His light shine on us, and bring us joy. As the glory of the Lord shine on the entire world and let our lips, hearts, minds, and souls are filled with praises and glory all the day of our lives (cf. Ps 70).

As you all know, it has been raining these past few days, causing flash floods and landslides in parts of our country. The weather forecast across Malaysia says that we should expect to see more rainfall in the coming weeks. The Parish Flood Relief Ministry (PFRM) had our emergency meeting on Tuesday (13 December 2022) to prepare ourselves for any instances of flooding. The PFRM will purchase all the necessary items in order to move forward and assist victims in flood-prone areas, especially Muadzam Shah, Pekan and Rompin. We will also work on collecting items, getting the necessities for cooking in the kitchen and evacuation centres, should the need arise. We hope to provide everything we can, to help keep flood victims safe from danger and illnesses, and as comfortable as possible.

 

MAY YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES BE BLESSED WITH PEACE, LOVE AND JOY.

LIVING A JOY-FILLED ADVENT

December is a hectic and stressful month for many of us, but it is the most cheerful, exciting, wonderful time of the year because of the holidays and festivities! It surprises us with a sense of wonder and a sense of giving. As we come closer to Christmas and New Year, we should strive to make our lives significantly better, by clearing a pathway and preparing our hearts to welcome Child Jesus to be born in us, once again.

As we enter more profoundly into the third week of Advent, also known as “Gaudete Sunday” (rejoice) - our hearts are rejoicing for Christmas is drawing near, and His coming is closer at hand. We look into the depth of our hearts and examine our spiritual and moral lives. During this crucial period of preparation, the Church demands us to be patient, more attentive to the Word of God and show our genuine love and charity towards others, which will lead us into a joyful Christmas and New Year. It is an appropriate time to bring our hearts to a mode of penance and anticipation, before the Christmas Eve Mass.

It is easy for us to lose sight of the significance and meaning of the four-week Advent. I myself have realised that I haven’t spent much time in prayer this Advent. Even though I have attempted to be with the Lord in prayer and meditation, I was somehow carried away with my priestly duties. For the past couple of days, I have been visiting the homebound, administering the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Anointing of the Sick and distributing the Holy Eucharist to the elderly and the sick at home and at hospitals. It was wonderful to visit them once again, and I hope that they may find wholeness, acceptance, affirmation and peace.

During the season of Advent, we celebrate a most prominent feast - the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception - which falls on 8 December every year. The Immaculate Conception is about Mary’s pure (holy) conception from the time she was the tiniest baby in her mother’s womb. She was preserved from sin through the Grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit and she was born free from the stain of original sin. She was sinless all through her life. It was a great gift to us that God honoured Mary by choosing her to be the Mother of Our Lord Jesus.

On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, we placed the most prominent figurines in the Christmas Crib - Mary, Joseph and Angel Gabriel. These figurines help us to reflect the mystery of God’s love that was revealed in humility and poverty – “although He was rich, He became poor for your sake, so that you should become rich through His poverty,” (2 Cor 8:9).

We pray and hope this Christmas will be more energetic, enthusiastic and spirit-filled, so that our lives will be blessed with joy and peace from God. We continue to remain in watchful and joyful expectation for the Lord to come – “Come, Lord Jesus! Come and visit your people. We await your coming. Come, Lord Jesus!”

LIVING IN ANTICIPATION

Christmas is fast approaching and we have four weeks left before the close of the year 2022. The next couple of weeks seem to be quite hectic and this can be irksome due to the lack of rest, watching the FIFA World Cup, shopping, travelling and the build-up of the holiday mood. The season of Advent reminds us about the need for us to be spiritually prepared for the coming of Christ at Christmas once again. We may have missed out on a wonderful spiritual Christmas celebration the last two years due to the pandemic, with low-key celebrations.

I believe most of you if not all, would have already started putting up Christmas trees, crib, and decorating your homes with lights. Our Church is now adorned with Christmas lights and decorations and we are now gradually progressing with the setting up of the crib. It is good for us to begin our interior and exterior decorations much earlier in order to create the atmosphere of Christmas.

As we gradually set up or add items to the Christmas decorations in our homes, do put in as much, if not more effort, in spending time with the Lord in individual and family prayers and reading the daily scripture following the liturgical calendar. The readings are so appropriate for the season of preparation for the announcement of the birth of the Child Jesus into the world. These can be read daily according to your own convenience, and at the same time, help you get a deeper understanding of Advent and Christmas.

The Advent Penitential Service in our Church is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 20 December 2022 at 8.00 pm. All our churches have opened up to allow parishioners to make their individual confessions during this Advent Penitential service. During the pandemic, there were so many restrictions to adhere to in order for us to make an individual confession. It is a time of grace, a time of reconciliation for us to amend our sinfulness as we await and anticipate His coming at Christmas. Let us take this precious moment to make ourselves available for confession with our respective priests before celebrating a spiritual Christmas.

Christmas is a time for exchanging gifts. When we were young children, we were overwhelmed with many gifts but as we grow older, our Christmas gifts are not as many. Children look forward to receiving presents or gifts during this season. We would like to provide 250 goody bags as gifts to disadvantaged children on Christmas day. We will ensure that these vulnerable children receive some gifts. We need a few volunteers to assist in our campaign of collecting and wrapping these gifts before distribution this Christmas. Our intention is to bring a little smile and hope to these vulnerable children whose hopes are often shattered and grief penetrates their hearts. 

What better way to share the love of Child Jesus at Christmas?

The Holy Father, Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of December 2022 is “volunteer, not-for-profit, organisations”. The whole world desires more committed volunteers, institutions and organisations to seek the common good of all. Let’s be more committed to human development by working together with each other for people’s needs – “to the demands of justice, to the defense of the poor, to the care of creation” - without looking for benefits, profits or awards.

WE WAIT IN HOPE

Awaited Prime Minister (PM) Of Malaysia! 

It was a very happy moment indeed for all Malaysians when the appointment of our 10^th Prime Minister was announced.

 

After waiting for almost five days after the Elections, on 24 November 2022, His Majesty YDPA Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, officially announced the decision to appoint the 10th^. Prime Minister of Malaysia - Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim. His Majesty entrusted him with the mandate to form a Unity Government (Kerajaan Perpaduan) – an inclusive government.

 

The word “perpaduan” isn’t a new term for us, as it has been frequently used in the Malaysian context for years (especially during our school days) and promoted by most of the political leaders in the past. However, over the years it seemed as though division and diversion in many areas, aspects and sectors in our nation was prevalent instead.

 

Once again, this term echoed when the YDPA decreed to form a “Kerajaan Perpaduan” which is a concept new in our history. A few coalition parties emerged during the GE15, each with their own manifestos. It is going to be a big challenge for our new PM to bring all the coalition parties together, to work collaboratively in order to form a brand-new unity government, and ensure unity in this multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious country.

 

Although previous governments and authorities have governed our nation carelessly, God has now blessed us with a new Prime Minister - a veteran in politics and a reformist - giving hope to our people and our nation. Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim was not only voted by the “rakyat” but also selected by the YDPA and all the Malay Rulers. They have confidence entrusting him to lead of our nation.

 

We hope that PM10 will carry out his manifesto with integrity, by bringing unity in diversity and embracing all our differences. With all his capabilities, hardships and experiences over these past years, we pray that he will bring stability amidst political turmoil and enhance the economical growth of our beloved nation. We pray that the Lord gives him the enthusiasm and strength to go on in his mission – to form a caring, clean and stable government for all Malaysians, and not just a select few. 

Awaiting A Lovely Advent Season!

 

Advent is a season of grace and a season of reconciliation. The word advent comes from the Latin root, “adventus”which means “coming” – the coming of Christ at Christmas and His Second Coming. A better word to express Advent is expectation and anticipation of the coming of Christ – the Emmanuel – God is with us, who has never left us abandoned, but lives among His people.

 

During this first Sunday of Advent, let us work towards preparing our hearts and homes for the coming of Christ at Christmas. The hustle and bustle of the holidays are all right, the shopping for gifts and family gatherings are great too! However, let’s keep in mind that this season is not merely a season for decorating, feasting, shopping, parties and holidays, but instead, is a season to pay attention to our relationship with God and with one another.

 

Whether we face loneliness, financial or job stress, grief, or illnesses, let us celebrate this Advent enthusiastically and prayerfully, so that God will give us the courage, faith, hope and love in all our commitments. 

 

Blessed Advent, everyone!

TOGETHERNESS IN SPITE OF DIFFERENCES

Our Family Day 2022 in conjunction with World Day of the Poor (WOP) was an exciting and memorable event for the Parish of St Thomas, Kuantan. It was held last Sunday, 13 November from 9:30 am onwards, at our church grounds. We began with a thanksgiving Mass, to remind us of the essence and importance of works of mercy towards the underprivileged and marginalised. Of course, the main intention of this event was fundraising towards flood relief during the monsoon season which is expected to occur soon and also to spend time with the underprivileged in our community.

We managed to bring people together from far distances - the Orang Asli from Kuala Rompin and Muadzam Shah, as well as the Indonesian plantation workers from Maran, by providing shuttle bus services to transport them. Whereas the local Kuantan dwellers were transported by our very own Parishioners, who have created a strong, healthy relationship with these families and have proven to have an enormous impact on their lives. As a Church, we hope to establish a positive relationship to provide assistance and service, whenever possible. Furthermore, the gathering is one of the best ways to remind us of the essence of family in our lives and to bring awareness of interacting with each other despite our differences.

This very special day was flavoured with a wide variety of food stalls, exciting games and other fun activities. Among the highlights of the day were the various performances such as line dance, traditional and cultural dances, singing, musical performances and lucky draws. Everyone participated in fun activities together and spent quality time with family and friends, new and old. It was a day of great celebration that not only got everyone exhausted, but thoroughly satisfied and happy too, and filled with the hope of having a similar get-together next year!

 

We are very grateful to God for providing us with wonderful weather that day! As we know, we are in the midst of pre-monsoon, but every one of us went down on our knees with hands stretched out towards heaven before God (cf. 1 Kings 8: 54) praying for pleasant weather and He certainly did not disappoint us! Everything went on smoothly, except for a slight drop of rain that for a moment threatened to dampen our celebrations for a while! For this, we praise and thank you, Lord.

 

I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to the organising committee for their hard work and excellent coordination of the event and for making our Family Day 2022 a successful and memorable one. Thank you also to all the Parishioners of St Thomas, friends and benefactors who generously helped us make this event a success. We really couldn’t have done this without all of you! 

 

A special thanks to all our invited guests - the Orang Asli, migrant and refugee communities, and those from within the Kuantan city area. Thank you for being with us on this special occasion. Your presence was highly appreciated and we hope that you enjoyed your time spent with the communities and Parishioners of St Thomas Church, Kuantan.

 

We had a fun-filled event and I am certainly looking forward to more events in our Parish in the future.

WITH LOVE, RESPONSIBILITY AND SOLIDARITY

“For Your Sakes, Christ Became Poor” (cf. 2 Cor 8: 9) is the theme chosen by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for the 6th World Day of the Poor (WDP). The Holy Father encourages us to show “greater solidarity and responsibility for the poor in our society” by not forgetting them, and the hardships they face in their lives.

The Universal Church observes WDP each year on the 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time and this year it falls on 13 November. It is celebrated annually in honour of the poor, socially marginalised and underprivileged, as we carry out the mission of the Church with the spirit of solidarity, responsibility and mercy.

In His message, the Holy Father highlights that the war in Ukraine has added to the death and destruction of humanity. Furthermore, this senselessness of war has caused the deportation of thousands of vulnerable people - men and women, children and the elderly, to neighbouring countries. There are still a great number of people who remain in war zones, living in fear and uncertainty - lacking food, water and medical care. They are in need of relief and peace, and most of all our prayers for them.

During his visit to Jerusalem, St Paul met the Apostles Peter, James and John, and he urged them not to forget the poor. The community of Jerusalem was going through hardship because of a shortage of food at that time. The Apostles organised “a great collection to aid the poverty-stricken in Jerusalem” and encouraged the Christian community in Corinth to contribute every first day of the week to support and be generous towards the poor.

Since then, the Church does collections during Mass to provide for the needs of the poor. We, Christians give “with joy and a sense of responsibility, to ensure that none of our brothers and sisters will lack the necessities of life.” The Peninsula Malaysian churches have set the second collection on the first Sunday of every month for the poor, and this is used for the basic necessities of those in need.

I have observed the WDP celebrations since serving in my previous Parish of St Joseph, Kuala Lumpur, when the Holy Father promulgated it at the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016. Underprivileged people from the community were invited to be part of our celebrations with food, games and entertainment. All proceeds from that event were then utilised to continue helping the poor.

This year, the celebration for WDP & Family Day continues at the Church of St Thomas here in Kuantan. Our main objective of this WDP event is to bring the poor, migrants and refugees as well as the Orang Asli within our community together. There will be many food stalls, games, funfair and entertainment, and all proceeds from the sale of coupons and donations will be channelled towards flood relief during the monsoon season, and for the basic necessities and education of the needy.

May our celebration of World Day of the Poor & Family Day 2022 be a grace-filled day with solidarity, love and care for those who need it the most.

LIFE IS CHANGED, NOT ENDED

The Catholic church observes All Souls’ Day on 2 November every year. It is a day to commemorate all the faithful departed. The Church prays for departed souls to be cleansed, so that they may be able to see God face-to-face in heaven. 

All Souls’ Day is a time for families to reflect on those loved ones who are no longer with us. We may face intense, difficult moments that trigger so much emotion, sadness, grief, emptiness, guilt, regret and anger at the death of our loved ones. As saying goes, “Take the bull by the horns,” we should take a deep breath amidst all our grieving, and pain, and face the situation with confidence in prayer. We remember that “indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.” (The Roman Missal)

 

During this month, we could perhaps do a few spiritual things as individuals or families, spiritually, as we relive fond memories and celebrate the lives of our loved ones.

i)               Light up candles and offers prayers for deceased loved ones at home.

ii)             Make a trip to the graves at least once during this month of November. Light candles. Place a bouquet of flowers and spend time praying a decade of the Rosary for them.

iii)           As a family sit together to go through photos or albums or journals (if you have one) and share stories of their fond memories.

 

Over the years Christians throughout history and across cultures try to reflect the notion of what death and the resurrection are really about. Death is reality and Christ’s resurrection has made death a source of hope. Death gives a greater gift of life in Christ. The departed souls are alive in God. Even though “the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them,” (Wisdom 3:1), the Church teaches us to pray for them. Our prayers and Mass offerings, followed by other works of charity will help to speed up their journey to be in union with God in heaven.

 

During the month of October, we encouraged Parishioners to list down the names of our departed loved ones - our grandparents, parents, relatives, friends, and colleagues in the “Book of Remembrance” which was placed at the breakfast corner of our Community Hall. Since All Souls’ Day, we have placed this Book at the main altar of our Church and offer them collectively in our daily and weekend Masses till the Advent season begins on 27 November 2022.

 

They request our prayers and Masses in order for them to obtain eternal peace and rest. “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death, they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” (CCC # 1030). We, Catholics believe in Purgatory, between heaven and earth where the sins of the departed souls are cleansed before entering the final and full vision of God. Purgatory is nothing other than the final purification of all the remaining attachments to sin in our lives.

 

Our prayers and Masses for the departed souls and all souls in purgatory will certainly need our prayers to obtain divine justice from God for them to have a full vision of His face. May the Souls of the Faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

LOVE AND DEDICATION IN REVERENCE

Rev Fr Joachim Tan Kah Chye was a humble priest. A rather private person, he had a small number of close friends. He was a man of few words and of great integrity. He was unassuming and kind, and his degree of sanctity shone throughout every aspect of his life. 

After serving for 48 years as a priest, he retired and continued to stay at the Church of the Holy Rosary, Kuala Lumpur as their priest-in-residence (Jan 2022 - April 2022). However, due to his deteriorating health, he moved into St Francis Xavier Home for the Elderly in Kuala Lumpur and was under the care of the Little Sisters of the Poor, until his demise. He was called home at the age of seventy-seven on Saturday, 22 October 2022 and his funeral mass was held on Tuesday, 25 October 2022 at the Church of the Holy Rosary, Kuala Lumpur – the parish in which he last ministered and retired.

I personally didn’t know him too well, but we were cordial and always greeted each other whenever we met at our monthly recollections. He usually kept a low profile and was a man of silence, most of the time. He cracked subtle jokes and often replied in a few words.

He was a knowledgeable and well-read man, and he had a very good command of the English language. I remember having the opportunity to listen to one of his homilies, and although I found it quite difficult to follow and grasp at that time, I asked him to share what he had written. I found it to be well-composed with a theological and scriptural understanding of the Eucharist. I respected and appreciated the depth of his homily and the meticulous way in which he presented it. 

Fr Joachim ministered at St Thomas Church, Kuantan from 1991-1998. When I asked a few Parishioners about him, many concurred with me that he was indeed a man of reverence and a man of a few words. He was well-respected amongst the community, and he was dedicated, visiting the homebound and elderly, as well as paying close attention to the needs of the children and youth in our Parish.

He spent his time in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and was always on hand to listen to confessions, and to the needs of the community. He was known for his power of healing, and he was good at pranic healing(natural spiritual healing techniques without touching) and exorcism as well.

Fr Joachim was admired not only for his faithfulness to his vocation, but also for his dedication to prayer and his commitment to the community. He gave his life to the Church, and he will always be remembered as a loving priest and spiritual father.

May God the Almighty reward Fr Joachim for the love that he has outpoured throughout his life. He will be missed, but we take comfort in knowing that we will meet again someday. Till then, we pray for his soul to rest in peace. May the Lord grant him fellowship with all the saints in heaven, and everlasting union with Jesus and the beloved Blessed Virgin Mary.

WELFARE AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY

The Election Commission has announced that Nomination Day in conjunction with the15th General Election (GE15) will be held on 5 November 2022 and polling day will be on Saturday, 19 November 2022. During the course of the next few weeks, Malaysia will be abuzz with announcements of nominees and number of seats to be contested in the upcoming polls.

Since the last General Election back in 2018, we have seen the collapse of two governments, and resignations of two prime ministers. During this period of time, several parliament members have switched parties for their own convenience and interest. As a result of this, the Malaysian people have been adversely affected. Our GE14 votes were ignored and our voices muted by greedy cronies and irresponsible politicians who betrayed our country, its democracy and its people.

In the previous election, Malaysians voted for change and a new ruling party - to form a new government for the first time in our country since 1955. The rakyat were excited and hoped to experience a change of government when the Pakatan Harapan coalition was voted to lead our country. Unfortunately, they only ruled for two years, as just before the Covid 19 pandemic, the Perikatan Nasional coalition underhandedly took over the government. Since then, the rakyat have been enduring not only the aftermath of the pandemic, but also serious economic and political instability. These crises have escalated day by day, and Malaysians have lost their patience and trust in the governing coalition. 

Sadly, GE15 is set to take place during Malaysia’s monsoon season, and it is going to be rather challenging for the people. Instead of planning and preparing for the floods and other necessary arrangements for the forthcoming rainy season, politicians are wasting resources, campaigning for an untimely election. The haste in which this election has been called seems to telltale the ruling party’s desire to have certain criminal charges dropped on members of their party. Most Malaysians are aware that they are not truly interested in preparing for the dreadful floods which caused havoc in our country last year, nor are they interested in the welfare and well-being of the rakyat.

At our Parish level, we are doing all we can to prepare for the floods. We have formed a Parish Flood Relief Ministry (PFRM) and conducted our first meeting with volunteers on Saturday, 15 October 2022. Urgent matters were discussed and highlighted, and training sessions have been confirmed. We are still looking for more Parishioners to come forward as volunteers. All are welcome to join, including family and friends who may not belong to our Parish. Our first training session will be conducted on Friday, 28 October (online session) followed by an in-person session the following day (29 October 2022) at our Church premises. If you or anyone you know would like to volunteer, kindly contact the Parish office during office hours.

In line with our preparations, we are also organising a Family Day Carnival in conjunction with the 6th World Day of the Poor 2022. For this year, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has chosen the theme, “For Your Sake Christ Became Poor” (cf. 2 Cor 8:9). This event will be held on Sunday, 13 November 2022 within our Parish grounds. There will be food stalls, exciting games, entertainment, stage performances and lucky draws with many prizes to be won. The main objective of this event is to raise funds to help the flood victims and to provide for the poor. 

We invite all Parishioners to participate and support our efforts to raise funds for this worthy cause. The success of this event will benefit those in need of assistance. Coupons for the games and food are already on sale and donations are most welcome. Kindly refer to the bulletin for further information.

WITNESS AND EVANGELISE THE GOOD NEWS

World Mission Sunday (Rerum Ecclesiae) was instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1926 with the intention of renewing our commitment to the missionary spirit, and committing ourselves to evangelise Jesus Christ as Saviour of the world. The Universal Church reminds us annually of our fundamental character to be missionary disciples, through the Holy Father’s message on World Mission Sunday.  

This year, the Universal Church will be celebrating World Mission Sunday on 23 October 2022, with the theme: “You Shall Be My Witnesses” (Acts 1:8). The Holy Father, Pope Francis chose the theme from the last words of the Risen Lord with His disciples, before ascending into Heaven. He recalls that Jesus Christ was “the first to be sent as a missionary here on earth” and that He is “the faithful witness” and therefore, it is the Church’s sole mission to bear witness to Him.

 

The Holy Father highlights how the disciples were sent by Jesus to the whole world, to carry out His mission, and to live the mission entrusted to them - to be witnesses and to evangelise the good news. The Church manifests the character of her mission to go forth “to the ends of the earth” and proclaim the message of Christ. The Pope points out that we should be His witnesses, and make known Christ's love to all peoples, cultures and social states throughout generations.

 

All missionaries should “draw energy, strength and stimuli” in their work, through the working of the Holy Spirit – “You will receive the strength from the Holy Spirit.” Each missionary should cultivate a life of prayer, because it is essential in missionary life. On World Mission Sunday, we should proclaim Christ’s message of salvation in every aspect of our daily lives. The Pope reminds us that every Christian should reflect and pray on three foundations - “the life and mission of every disciple”, “the call of every Christian to bear witness to Christ” and “the heart of Jesus’ teaching” to all people.

 

(An Extract from the message of the Pope Francis for World Mission Day 2022)

 

Bringing the gospel of Christ to the world is our mission, and evangelising is the very identity of the Church. Jesus has given every baptised Catholic a mandate to evangelise the Good News to all nations (Mt 28: 18-20). First and foremost - to bring love to our homes, unity in our Parish community and smiles to people that we meet every day in our lives. 

Now is a time for us to render our service, talent, creativity, knowledge and experience, and be fully involved in the work of evangelisation as missionary disciples. As we come closer to the end of the year, let us pray together with the mission of the Church - that we may recognise the essential work of the Spirit, be refreshed and strengthened by it, and have joy in sharing Christ’s life with others. We pray for the grace of God, and for the understanding of what it is to be called My Witnesses.