THE SPIRIT OF SYNODALITY OF LENT

Our synodal journey of Lent began with two important events in our Parish - Spiritual and Outreach. An early Parish Penitential service, a Spiritual Lenten Retreat and a Day Camp for Catechism students, as well as other spiritual formations, were prepared to enrich the Lenten experience of all Parishioners and students. 

The outreach was coincidental, as it was in aid of the flood victims of Kg Orang Asli. The village was affected quite badly, with waters rising to the rooftops of many homes. Luckily, with the help of volunteer-Parishioners, we managed to collect and distribute all the necessary items - including some financial aid – within a short period of time. No doubt, we truly entered the season of Lent with the spirit of synodality – journeying together, guided by the Holy Spirit, to experience the grace for individual conversion and community renewal.

 

We have completed two-thirds of Lent and have only one week left before entering Holy Week. Thus far, Lent has been remarkable for us in many ways, particularly in our spiritual growth and faith. As Catholics, we somehow have a high regard for this holy season because it spiritually disciplines and trains our inner selves.

 

Any athlete will tell you that one needs endurance training to be fit, before competing in a race. Athletes make many sacrifices - cutting back leisure hours, changing eating habits and working hard day-in and day-out - to get themselves ready for a race. Hence we too, as spiritual athletes, need to make sacrifices to realise our goals and see gradual improvements in our behaviour and lifestyle. We must continue to put effort in refraining from habitual sins and keep observing the discipline of Lent to win the race against evil.

 

During this holy season, we have to continue maintaining our spiritual health by always seeking the Lord Jesus to “create for me a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalms 51: 10) as we encounter challenges - internally and externally. It is important that we endure and persevere throughout life, as that will eventually lead us to victory.

 

For the past few weeks, many of us have attended formations, spiritual retreats, and other charity outreaches. We hope that at the end of this season of Lent, we become people of renewed faith in Christ. In the coming weeks, let us pray hard for ourselves - not to harden our hearts, but to continue listening to the Word of God, and be sensitive to the needs of others - which will add strides for conversion and set our paths to holiness.

 

Let us remember these words of St James, “Submit ourselves to God, resist the devil, and he will run away from you. The nearer you go to God, the nearer God will come to you. Clean your hands, and purify your hearts, you waverers. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4: 7-8, 10).

SERVANTS OF GRACE

The Church of the Holy Redeemer in Klang hosted this year’s Chrism Mass on Tuesday, 14 March 2023 at 7.00 pm. Earlier in the day, before the Chrism Mass, the priests gathered at the Church for the first part of our Monthly Priests' Recollection with reflection, Vespers (Evening Prayer), Holy Hour and individual Confession. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Julian Leow and concelebrated with the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio in Malaysia, priests and religious.

The Chrism Mass is a very significant celebration in the life of each Archdiocese / Diocese throughout the world. Traditionally, the Chrism Mass takes place on Holy Thursday morning, to commemorate the institution of the ministerial priesthood. However, it was difficult, especially for priests to be present for the Chrism Mass in the morning and then make it back to their respective Parishes for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper that same evening. Therefore, Local Bishops choose a day as close to Holy Week as possible, so that every priest may be present in the celebration. This is a symbol of oneness and unity in the Church.

In the past, the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur celebrated the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, in Kuala Lumpur. However, for the past few years, it has been celebrated throughout Parishes in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. This has provided an opportunity for other Parishes to host it, and at the same time, dignify and uplift them. Hopefully, it also opens the eyes of the young people of these Parishes to respond to the priesthood and religious life.

During the Chrism Mass, we the priests renewed our priestly commitments and promises that were taken during our ordination. We are entrusted to give our total dedication and be available in the mission work of evangelising and rekindling the faith of the people. God is always blessing our land with bountiful priestly vocations. Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his homily for the 2022 Chrism Mass said: “Being priests is a grace, a very great grace, yet it is not primarily a grace for us, but for our people.” It is a grace and gift of priesthood that provides us with the office to administer the Sacraments for the people of God.

In the Chrism Mass, too, the Bishop blesses three oils, which will be used in the Sacraments throughout the year to come: the oil of the infirmary (for the anointing of the sick), the oil of catechumens (for the Baptism) and the oil of Chrism (for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders). Oil is an integral part of our daily lives. It is used for cooking, fire, fuel, and other purposes. The Church uses these sacramental oils to offer sacrifices as religious practices, (cf. Ex 29:40), and to consecrate, sanctify, heal, beautify and strengthen individuals.

Let us continue to pray for our Church and Clergy, who are the ministers of the sacraments in our parishes, that they may be humble and generous servants of the Lord.

A MORE INTEGRATED AND HOLISTIC LIFE

Monsoon rains can be very destructive here in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Following last week’s incessant rain, Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Serok in Pahang (150kms from Kuantan city) was badly affected by floods. Residents living in the area have been moved to temporary relief centres as flood waters reached their rooftops. Our Parish PIHDM made a visit to the kampung on Tuesday, 7 March 2023, and we identified approximately 30 families - including 17 Catholic families from our Parish - who have been badly affected by this catastrophe.

We will be supplying them with mattresses, pillows, towels, blankets, stoves, rice cookers, kettles, kitchen utensils and other household items within the next few days, as we are still in the midst of purchasing and collating them. We will respond to their needs and give our assistance to these Orang Asli as soon as we can. Volunteer Parishioners have been sorting the necessary items and packing them at our Church breakfast corner. A big thank you to the Archdiocese Office for Human Development as well as the Parishioners of St Thomas, Kuantan for all their generous support, tireless assistance and continuous service.

We hosted a Lenten Spiritual Retreat last weekend! It was a successful and enjoyable programme for all the attendees. It was a remarkable spirit-filled event, with terrific participation and excellent organisation. The graces were abundant, and everyone had their own unique experiences. We thank and give praise to God for enriching us, and making a difference in our lives. Certainly, we have gained more insight into our faith and received healing from within. From now on, He will use us as His instruments to be more committed disciples - so let’s share His light with the world!

Faith to Greater Heights

In today’s Gospel, Peter says to Jesus, “it is wonderful for us to be here!” You may say the same thing Peter has said. But I would say it is not going to be wonderful for you to be here. We cannot be on the high mountain all the time. After all the spiritual experiences and insights we have gained during these past three days, it will be wonderful for you to arise and to be out there, shine forth His light, and share His light with the world around you and with those in need of Christ’s light. 

As we come to the end of our three days Retreat, on behalf of the Parish of St Thomas, Kuantan, I would like to thank you for your participation and your cooperation in making this spiritual retreat a successful and significant one. 

 

I would like to thank the committee members and sub committee for their hard work and dedication in ensuring the smooth flow of events during this spiritual retreat. 

We would also like to thank Fr Michael Payyapilly V.C. and Fr Joseph kallampally V.C. for sharing their spiritual insights, reflections, prayers, healing services and Masses. Fathers, you have brought our faith to greater heights. Thank you. 

 

Once again, we wish both of you a safe journey back. Be assured of our humble prayers for you and your preaching and healing ministry. Take care till we meet again. 

 

God bless you and all of you are present here. 

SHINE FORTH HIS LIGHT

We have chosen a special theme to focus on this Lent season - “Arise and Shine” – and it comes from the Book of Isaiah (60:1) – “Arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you”. We will use this theme for our Parish Lenten Retreat 2023 and for other formations, including Mandarin, Tamil and Bahasa Malaysia throughout this Lent season.

The Lenten Retreat committee has been organising, planning and preparing for this since April 2022. They have been communicating with Rev Fr Michael Payapilly and his team since then, and we are grateful to him for accepting our invitation to conduct this retreat. Fr Michael is somewhat of a celebrity priest, and most Catholics in Malaysia have come to know him since the pandemic when he celebrated Holy Mass via live streaming. Each committee member worked around the clock, and so far, everything is going according to plan, despite the rainy weather condition.

The Catechetical team has started preparing for the Catechism Camp, which will be held on Saturday, 18 March 2023. This year’s theme - “The Light of Christ” - was chosen by the Archdiocesan Office for Human Development (AOHD). However, due to the long school holiday break, we haven’t had catechism classes during this important season in our liturgical calendar. We realise it is a missed opportunity not to spend time with our students - teaching them about the season of Lent, the Way of the Cross and the Lenten observances of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.

In this season of Lent, we should arise from our spiritual slumber, and let His light shine in our lives. We must make the effort to grow in our relationship with God in a more profound way, so that this light may shine brighter. We should also stand up, get out of our comfort zone and radiate His light on those who are in darkness. Our reaching out should create an impact on the lives of others. 

During Lent, we are asked to rise up by turning from our wicked ways and from worldly attachments. We are asked to put our trust in the one, true and ever-living God. Many of us have the habit of using unhealthy words, disrespecting the elderly, condemning one another, cheating, blaming, cursing, etc. We use mobile devices and the internet for wrongdoings as we are engrossed and addicted to the negative influence of the internet and other forms of media. Instead, I urge you now to be more concerned about the well-being of your faith.

We still have a few more weeks before we celebrate Easter, so it will be good if we start to amend our ways gradually from now on. Lent shouldn’t be a time for feeling down and out. In fact, it is the right time for us all to arise and begin to shine by letting our faith lead us forward to make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others.

Allow the transfigured Christ to transform our lives gradually during this Lent. May His light radiate in our lives so that we can share His light with the world around us.

ARISE AND SHINE

Greetings to all of you and a warm welcome to our humble Parish of St Thomas, the Apostle, Kuantan. I welcome you in Jesus' name!

We have been waiting for this moment for a long time, and we want to express our gratitude to God for His guidance and blessings and, most of all, an opportunity to meet each other to exchange our gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit in this Retreat.

 

Thank you for participating in this Lenten Retreat 2023. We have 338 participants have registered for this Retreat– 190 are from our own Parish, and 148 are from various Parishes throughout Peninsular Malaysia.

 

We would like to welcome Fr Michael Payapilly and Fr Joseph Kalampally, and brother Vincent (Musician) for accepting our invitation to conduct our Lenten Retreat in our Parish. Both of them are from Vincentian Congregation. Fr Michael is a director of the Divine Retreat Center, Colombo, Sri Lanka whereas Fr Joseph is from Hyderabad. Both are priests for 17 years. Fr Michael is a celebrity priest and almost every English-speaking Catholic in Malaysia knows of him. He has captured the hearts of these people since the early pandemic. Fr Michael and Fr Joseph, we pray that you will grow and glow in the Spirit through your preaching and healing ministry. 

 

The chair persons, Sheila Fernandez and Anna Thong, and all the committee members have been doing the groundwork and preparation since April 2022. Hats off to my committee members for working around the clock to make this Lenten Retreat possible for all of us today. 

 

The theme we have chosen for this retreat is – “Arise and Shine.” We hope and pray that this retreat will make you arise from your spiritual slumber and His light shine on your face and in your life. We are to stand up, get out of our comfort zone and radiate the light to those in darkness. 

 

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his message for this year's Lent, reflected on the story of the Transfiguration of the Lord, inviting us to listen to the voice of Jesus and not to be afraid to arise and witness Christ in our lives. Do listen attentively to the speakers and pay attention to the working of the Holy Spirit.

 

My best wishes and prayers go with you for these three days retreat (3-5 March) that you will be transformed and transfigured in Christ. Be open to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and I am sure all the impossibilities will be made possible by Jesus. 

 

God bless you with a new heart, new spirit, new hope, and new enthusiasm as you arise and shine forth.