A WALK TO REMEMBER WITH FR EDWARD SOOSAY

In January 1997, upon completing my second year at the seminary, Fr William (who completed his first year) and I were assigned pastoral work at St Joseph’s Church, Sentul for a month, with the late Rev Fr Edward Soosay. Our main task at the time was to take stock and inventory of all the backdated church collections, and clear the storerooms.

However, one Monday morning, Fr Soosay invited me to Mentakab, as he wanted to run some personal errands. I was a bit anxious about the trip - because Fr William didn’t accompany us as he was on leave - but I went anyway. Fr Soosay and I left for Mentakab after the morning Mass in his Toyota Corona. Along the way, we chatted about a few things, but most of time we were silent.

On our way back to Sentul from Mentakab, I enquired and clarified a few matters pertaining his priestly life. I spent the next two hours listening to his sincere and heartfelt sharing. As I was a young seminarian at the time, I found his thoughts and opinions enlightening. It deepened my understanding of the priesthood and its various roles. Upon approaching Sentul, I remember saying to him, “Father, if I were you, I wouldn't have joined the priesthood. I would have enjoyed my life!” He simply laughed at me.

The one-month spent with Fr Soosay was certainly an experience I will not likely forget. My priestly calling was enhanced and I got to know him well enough to call him a friend. He always appreciated my work and was always positive about me. He served as a priest and servant of God without qualm. I admire him for his deep love of God and his faithfulness to the priesthood.

Archbishop Julian Leow announced Fr Soosay’s demise in our Clergy WhatsApp group on 10 January 2018 around 6:30pm. It saddened me, because I had met him two days before Christmas at our parish house. I was curious to know the details of the wake and funeral Mass. In fact, some parishioners enquired about the arrangements and strongly encouraged me to bring the wake to our parish, as Fr Soosay was the first son of St Joseph’s Church – ordained by Archbishop Dominic Vendargon on 8 January 1966. He served our parish from 1991 – 2000.

After giving it much thought, and despite knowing that it would be tedious work over the next few days, I made a request to Archbishop Julian to have Fr Soosay’s body moved to St Joseph’s Church. The day after he returned to the Lord, mass was held for his repose at the Little Sisters of the Poor Home (LSP), attended by 11 priests. After mass, his body was transferred to Sentul, where he lay in wake for parishioners and families to pay their last respects. His funeral was held on Saturday, 13 January 2018 with the reverence deserving of faithful priest.

My dear parishioners, I appreciate all your hard work in ensuring everything went well throughout the wake and funeral. We will always cherish the warm memories of Fr Edward Soosay and count ourselves blessed to have had him as our shepherd. He remains in our prayers always. It was a meaningful tribute we gave - for his years of service to Jesus Christ, to his Church and to all the parishioners he served.

INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel,” (Mark 1:14-15).

God wants us to have an understanding and a revelation of His Kingdom which will help us to understand who we really are and who we are in Christ.

Why God created us and placed us on the earth? He wants us to enjoy the best that heaven has to offer while we are doing God’s will on the earth.

Everything that opposes God comes from the kingdom of darkness. The Kingdom of God is all about defeating the kingdom of darkness. Jesus presides over an everlasting Kingdom.

God’s Kingdom is not only in the future, but is present and accessible today. The Kingdom of God has dominion, power, and a standard of righteousness. We are to be part of God’s Kingdom and we accept Him as our King.


God’s glory is coming and the world will be changed by the glory and presence of Him. He is going to restore us and His Kingdom message will change families, neighborhoods, cities, and nations.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH EDUCATION

One of our greatest strength for understanding and handing on our faith is the Catechism. It is the heart of our Catholic Church. Our weekly Catechism classes for children started last Sunday, 7 January 2018 with registration and briefing. Both the Tamil and English session students gathered at Dewan Monsignor Thomas after the Sunday Eucharist, for a silent Adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

Last year, I would say that almost 80% of our parish children participated in Catechism classes as well as the weekend camps and other activities. The Catechetical ministry also started catechism classes for three special needs children, with the assistance of the Eagle’s Wing ministry. Each Catechism teacher plays an important role, diligently using the brief time they have each week, to educate our children in their moral and faith life.

Puspa Rakini has been appointed the new Catechetical Coordinator for 2018, replacing Michelle Wong, who has completed her three-year term (2014-2017). Michelle has been a wonderful coordinator - hard working and passionate in her duty, and we are certain that Puspa will continue the good work with just as much commitment, enthusiasm and dedication.

We have also appointed a few new catechism teachers this year, and we understand that they are actively practicing their faith and are in good standing with the Catholic Church. We remember to pray for all these catechism teachers - that they may have the passion for guiding our young ones in their faith, and sharing the love of Christ with them. If any of you are interested in joining our Catechetical Team, please contact Puspa, and we will train and guide you accordingly.

The Catechism programme in Tamil and English is conducted for an hour and a half every Sunday. Our Catechetical ministry’s goal is to teach our children about God, to educate them about the love of Christ, to prepare them for Sacraments and to shape them to live a life worthy of Christ. This programme is a lifelong faith formation for our children, which will promote their growth in faith and their participation in Church life.

Parents have the first responsibility for faith education and need to be good examples when living out their lives. They need to raise their children as faithful practicing Catholics, and be responsible for their children’s moral and religious education. In turn, this will prepare them for the Sacraments of Initiation – Baptism, Holy Communion and Confirmation. Parents must assist their children in prayer as well as their participation in Church life. They are a guide to the discernment of their children’s vocation in life and as we nourish and develop their faith, they then grow more lively within our families and society.

How many parents will say that the first priority for our children is catechism and second is secular education? Parents, I encourage you to make a daily commitment to God by practicing the gift of faith and making every effort an example for our children, “Train the young in the way they should go; even when old, they will not swerve from it,” (Proverbs 22:6). So parents, you are the first influence on your children, so be a great role model for them. God bless you!

LET US JOURNEY WITH THE LORD IN 2018

As we are in this New Year, I would like to wish you once again compliments of the season and Happy New Year. Our children are back to their schools and colleges. Most of us have started our daily routine after a long holiday season. At your work places, you may be updating one another on what has taken place during the holiday season. The life momentum has slowly picked up in our lives as we move forward with our daily routine.

The season of Christmas will come to an end on Monday, 8 January 2018 with the celebration of the Feast of Baptism of the Lord. Unlike the past years, the Christmas season ends a week earlier, after which we will be entering into the Ordinary Time. It will go on for six weeks till we start the Lenten season on Ash Wednesday, 14 February 2018.

Many countries started the Christmas decorations even before the month of November, and it is amazing to see these decorations all over the place. Every year, I admire how beautifully hotels, malls and sometimes even streets, are decorated. As for our parish, we have decorated our church compound and parish office quite well with Christmas lights, displayed nativity sets and Christmas trees. All these will be taken off early next week. In fact, many of the shopping malls have removed them immediately after Christmas and they slowly put up Chinese New Year decorations.

 

Last year our parish was so blessed and united, as we completed all our work and events successfully. This year we will be celebrating 110 years since the establishment of our Church. It is so exciting to see Jesus move in our parish. Ever since I came to St. Joseph’s Church, I have seen great spiritual growth in many of you. On my part, I too can proudly say that I have grown in maturity of my priesthood. All of us have in one way or another shown our spiritual progress. God has been very gracious to us all this while and we hope He will continue to empower us and guide us in our faith journey, so that we may faithful in His calling to be His disciples of hope.

For the next three years (2018-2020) our parish has set a vision to journey in faith towards New Evangelisation. It is an invitation to ALL parishioners to commit ourselves to share the Light of Christ and to build the bridges with every member of other social strata. We will be shining the Light and building bridges in three main clusters, namely the Youth Ministry of our parish, Inter-Religious Dialogue with the Ecumenical Churches and Other Religions as well as Outreach with the poor and marginalised. We shall put ourselves, our lives and future of our parish in order to be transformed according to God’s will. As we engage with EVERYONE, in full commitment of love, we shall become stewards of patience, kindness and gentleness.

We shall continue to pray that God will show us how to achieve our goals and that our parishioners will truly have the desire to grow in Christ Jesus. No matter the challenges that come along our way, we shall devote ourselves to be disciples of hope to Pray Together, to Celebrate Together, to Fellowship Together, Serve Together and Stay Together as we bring our parish mission and vision into reality. As we move forward, may the Lord bless us with His presence.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others,” (Philippians 2:3-4).

THE GIFT OF LOVE

The Christmas story is a fascinating story and it has so much heavenly information. This weekend we have a story of Magi, the Wise men came from the East visiting the Child Jesus. The wise men brought three gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. Their gifts may not be practical, but they were costly and highly symbolic.

Gold was rare and expensive in the ancient world. It symbolised royalty or divinity. Frankincense, a resin harvested from trees, was used in incense for worship. Myrrh was harvested as a perfume for royal clothing or burials. 

The Magi knelt and prostrated in their worship of Jesus. These gestures indicate the great respect and reverence for a New-born King. When we kneel or bow, or when we put our hands together, all these gestures just seem to add something to our prayer and worship.

The true worship begins in the heart. True worship makes Jesus King of our lives. Christmas is almost over but keep Christ in your heart always and give Him the gift He truly desires – the gift of yourself. We need to give Him, the gift of our love. We need to love Jesus with all our heart.