SUPPORT THROUGH FAITH-SHARING

We have seen a significant rise in the number of people imprisoned in local jails and prisons since the 1970s. Their incarceration could be due to various social issues, such as drug and poverty-related crimes, gangsterism and other related problems. Unfortunately, many of these individuals face challenges when trying to reintegrate into society after their release.

The Archdiocesan Catholic Prison Ministry (ACPM) was founded in 1985 after the headquarters of the Prison was moved from Pudu to Kajang. The aim of the ACPM is to assist incarcerated individuals to regain their self-respect and dignity so that they can become valuable members of society after their release. Additionally, the ACPM members expect these individuals to lead worthy lives and be accepted back into society. The ACPM is inspired by the Gospel’s spirit of “I was in Prison, and you visited me” (Matt 25:35ff).

 

At present, there are 22 priests, including Archbishop Julian Leow, who hold permits to visit prisons in the states of Selangor, Pahang, Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu. There are approximately 90 volunteers who hold permits, too, and regularly visit prisoners in the Remand Blocks, Sentence Blocks (men and women) and Death Row - to share the Christian faith and the Word of God, provide counselling and perform other religious activities. During the seasons of Advent and Lent, Priests make themselves available to celebrate the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist for prisoners in preparation for Christmas and Easter. Over the past 10 years, the Prison Ministry has extended their outreach to the Dioceses of Penang and Melaka-Johor.

 

During each visit to prisons, the Core Team of the Prison Ministry for the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur writes a letter to the Malaysian Prison Department Headquarters in Kajang, Selangor, requesting permission for the clergy in the Archdiocese to hear confessions and celebrate Masses for the inmates. This year, permission was only granted after the Third Week of Easter due to the fasting month of Ramadhan and Hari Raya celebrations. We are grateful that the relevant authorities allowed the ACPM to make visits to the prisons.

 

During each prison visit, either a priest or volunteer discovers the challenging experience of the prisoners, providing them with sacraments, spiritual needs, as well as psychological and physical support. On a recent visit to Bentong Prison, the ACPM met an Indonesian man in his twenties, who requested his First Holy Communion. After assisting him with his personal confession, Archbishop Julian Leow gave him Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time. With approval from the prison authorities, we also collected details from those who requested Bibles, spiritual reading materials, eyeglasses, and other permissible items. 

 

We treat incarcerated individuals with love, care and support through faith-sharing. We lead them to God, bring them to greater awareness, and comfort their troubled hearts by trusting God—“Do not let your heart be troubled; trust in God and trust in Jesus,” (John 14:1).

“YES” TO A PRIESTLY VOCATION

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is celebrated as Vocations Sunday or Good Shepherd Sunday, and it is also observed as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. This day invites us to reflect on Jesus’ words, where He instructs us to pray that “the Lord of the harvest sends labourers into His harvest” (Luke 10:2; Matthew 9:37).

Therefore, the Church invites us to pray for young people’s response to God’s call for all vocations - married life, consecrated life, chaste single life, or Holy Orders (Priesthood and Diaconate). We pray earnestly that young people may listen to God’s voice, discern their vocation, and respond to His invitation to work in His vineyard.

Engaging in our interests, hobbies, activities and professions can lead to a shift in our perspective on life. When we carry out our responsibilities with a deep sense of respect and reverence, we realise that our unique gifts, skills and talents flourish - enriching and benefiting those around us. We can achieve this by discovering our unique calling and how it fits with the different gifts bestowed upon us by the Spirit. This enables us to show our dedication to something greater than ourselves. Our choices become a response to God’s call for each individual to live a life of holiness.

Prayer is an incredibly powerful activity that can help promote and nurture vocations. We should aim to do it every day. The World Day of Prayer for Vocations is a synodal character that encourages us to listen to each other’s spiritual gifts and talents and walk together in the direction where the Spirit is leading us, for the benefit of all. When we pray, listening to God is more important than talking to Him. He speaks to our hearts, and we need to make sure that our hearts are always open, sincere and generous.

Our Parish of St. Thomas in Kuantan has yet to produce a priest, and we believe it is time to pray for the young people in our community to pursue the priesthood. We need to encourage our youth to come forward and serve God as priests. Every family in our Parish hopes to inspire our sons and grandsons to respond to God’s call, and understand the beauty of the priesthood. Let’s connect with the young people in our community better, stir their hearts with a desire to serve God, and encourage them to say “Yes” to a priestly vocation. Additionally, we also should pray for our brother priests and bishops for their strength, courage, faithfulness and growth in holiness.

 

Life presents countless opportunities, but only those who take action and commit themselves to God’s will achieve true fulfilment and happiness. Don’t let fear or uncertainty hold you back. Have faith in yourself and your abilities, and make a pledge to pursue God’s dreams. Although the journey may be challenging, with determination and perseverance, you will ultimately succeed. Take a leap of faith and have the courage to commit!

INSPIRING EQUALITY AND PEACE

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared that his intention for April 2024 is to focus on the Role of Women. He invites people across the world to pray that women’s dignity and immense value are recognised in every culture, and that discrimination against women comes to an end, in all parts of the world.

The role of women in today’s society is crucial. They have been found to possess superhero-like powers in everyday life. They contribute so much love, compassion, and care to those around them and significantly promote unity and prosperity within human society. Women are naturally creative and skilful, holding strong moral values while also being compassionate, pure-hearted, and possessing tremendous inner strength.

Women play a pivotal role in families and are adored by their children, whom they raise to become compassionate adults. We must never underestimate their ability, talent, and contribution, as they are capable of achieving anything men can, and sometimes even better! Gone are the days when women were confined to the home, performing household chores and taking care of children. Nowadays, women pursue careers and lifestyles that interest them, achieving success and recognition equal to their male counterparts.

Women are well-educated and contribute greatly in various professional fields, including science, medicine, engineering, anthropology, teaching and leadership roles. They are involved in social movements - advocating equality, justice, tolerance, and peace. Their contributions to society are inspiring and continue to evolve, pushing towards a more inclusive and brighter future in the 21st century.

We encounter many influential women in today’s society, including our mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, friends and other relatives. They excel in all areas of life and words alone cannot describe the significant role they play in shaping our world. We must respect women and give them the freedom to be all that they can be. They are the pillars of strength that inspire future generations with innovative ideas to support families, organisations and societies.

Datin Paduka Sister Enda Ryan, FMM, an Irish Nun who joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1947, passed away on Sunday, 7 April 2024, at the age of 96. She arrived in Malaya in 1954 and set up the Ave Maria Welfare Clinic in Petaling Jaya. In 1955, she founded and became the headmistress of the Assunta Girls School. Sister Enda Ryan received an honorary doctorate in humanities from Taylor's University in 2022, in recognition of her contribution to education. 

She was a true champion of girls’ education, and her legacy will live on through the many lives she touched during her time as a teacher and mentor. On her funeral day, over 1,000 ex-Assunta students from various backgrounds, race and religion, as well as Religious and Priests, gathered to bid her a final farewell. She was a legend in her own right, and will be remembered for her positive impact on so many women’s lives.

MAKE OUR WAYS TOWARDS PENTECOST

Holy Week, the Paschal Triduum, and Easter Sunday were deeply meaningful celebrations that took place in our Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, Kuantan, this year. Surprisingly, many parishioners attended all the liturgical celebrations from Holy Week to Easter Sunday. Despite the hot and humid weather, with temperatures at 34 degrees Celsius and above, parishioners never failed to participate in the liturgical celebrations during this period. We are fortunate to have an air-conditioned church, which allows us to participate in a comfortable atmosphere.

The Easter season commenced on Easter Sunday, and we will continue to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus until Pentecost. With faith in the Risen Lord, we can maintain a sense of joy even when faced with sadness and tears in our lives. Joy is a deep gladness within us that cannot be taken away, even in the midst of sorrow, pain, failures, and tears. Renewing the baptismal promises is a way of demonstrating our commitment to Christ and His Church. Through our renewed baptismal promises, we have experienced a sense of newness with positive attitudes by appreciating and complementing one another.

We, priests, too, must renew our priestly vows yearly. On 19 March 2024, a week before Holy Week, the priests in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur gathered at the Church of the Christ the Light, Kuala Lumpur, for Chrism Mass. One part of the liturgical celebration was renewing our priestly promises, which helped us feel more affirmed in growing and refining our priesthood for the betterment of our ministry in various parishes. We commit ourselves to serving the spiritual needs of the people of God throughout our Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur.

On Easter Vigil, our Parish welcomed eight newly baptised individuals. Three were from the Chinese-speaking community, and five were from the East Malaysian community. Additionally, two candidates received the Sacrament of Confirmation, and one of them was received into “full communion with the Catholic Church” during the Vigil celebration. On Wednesday, 3 April, 2024, the RCIA facilitators had fellowship with the candidates. We pray that they will deepen their spiritual lives, stand firm, and be courageous in their faith in Christ.

On Easter Vigil, the Paschal candle is an important symbol representing the light of Christ’s resurrection. It also symbolises Christ's purity and new life in Him, while the incense reminds us of the five wounds on Christ’s hands, feet, and side. This year, we used a Paschal candle made of beeswax for the first time. A beeswax candle is seen as a way to honour the work of the bees and their role in the ecosystem.

On Easter night, the Church sings the Easter Proclamation (Exsultet), in which the word “bees” appears twice – “... the work of bees... drawn out by mother bees to build a torch so precious.” We pray that this Easter season be fruitful, that we make our way towards Pentecost, and that we, as a Parish community, will reach spiritual heights. May the burning flame of the beeswax Paschal candle, a product of the mother bee, uplift our spirits to experience the kindness of God and taste the sweetness of His word and His commandments (cf. Psalms 19:11; 119:103).