RAISE OUR EYES IN FAITH

About 25 of us made a six-day pilgrimage to Vietnam, covering the cities of Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue and Danang. The eminent Pilgrimage destination and attraction was to pay homage to Our Lady of La Vang in Central Vietnam, and this took place on 4 May 2023.

The story of the apparition of Our Lady began with a group of persecuted Catholics who hid from oppression, deprivation and suffering, in the rainforest of La Vang in 1785. Every sunset, they would gather under a tree to recite the Rosary. In 1798, after many years of devout dedication and prayer, Our Lady with Child Jesus in her arms, dressed in traditional Vietnamese attire, and two angels beside her, appeared to them from among the branches of a tree.

During the apparition, she told them that she was fully aware of their hardships and sufferings of chronic illnesses due to contaminated water. She told them to gather leaves that grew nearby and use these to make a strong tea for healing. They did as per her instructions and their favour was granted. Word of this miracle spread to the people around the area, and many were converted to Catholicism. 

 

In honour of Our Lady of La Vang, they built a chapel in 1820. Pope John XXIII elevated the Church of Our Lady of La Vang to the rank of minor basilica on 22 August 1961 and then Pope John Paul II recognised it as La Vang Basilica in 1998, as a commemoration of the 200th anniversary of her first apparition. 

 

As Catholics, we raise our eyes in faith to behold Mary in the course of our earthly pilgrimage. We pray to her and strive to increase in holiness. She assists all her children, whatever their condition, to find in Christ - the way to the Father’s house. It is always good to place our affection and trust in our Holy Virgin Mother. 

 

The word La Vang is a derivative of the Vietnamese word meaning “crying out”. In our devotion to Our Lady, may we find comfort, solace and courage when we cry out to her with courage for our needs and favour.  “Cry out with joy to God, all the earth; O sing to the glory of God's name” (Psalms 66). Let us again and again cry out to her with recitation of the Rosary in all our anguish and misery during this month of the Rosary.

 

Vietnam is also known as a land of martyrs, after Japan. One fascinating image we encountered in La Vang was an image (approximately 7x3 meters) with 117 Martyrs depicted on it. Among them - Sts Chastan and Imbert, MEP and St Philip Minh and companions (Vietnamese) - who were lecturing and studying in College General, Penang. Below this image was written - “Holy Martyrs of Vietnam, Pray for us!”

TO GIVE OURSELVES IN LOVE

This year marks the 60th annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations (WDPV), established by Saint Paul VI in 1964. The Holy Father Pope Francis has chosen the theme: “Vocation: Grace and Mission” and he reminds us that the WDPV is a day for us to reflect and realise that the “Lord’s call is grace - a complete gift and a commitment to bring the Gospel to others.” 

The 4th Sunday of Easter - Good Shepherd Sunday or Vocation Sunday - is an opportunity for young people or single adults to pray for the gift of courage and understanding, discerning the grace and mission entrusted to each of us in today’s world. The Holy Father highlighted that there is no vocation without mission. The essential part of vocation is love – “God calls us in love, and we, in gratitude, respond to him in love.”

Thus, everyone in the Church, including ordained ministry – bishops, priests, deacons, and religious and consecrated life, should work together in going forth on mission with their charisms “to give ourselves in love” and “to radiate the new life that we found in Christ” throughout the world. The day we respond to the call of God with love, our happiness “comes to us by the work of the Holy Spirit in every new way to enlighten our minds, strengthen our wills, fill us with amazement and set our hearts afire.”

A week ago, we, as Church, paid tribute with warmth and affection to Bishop Emeritus James Chan Soon Cheong, DD (also known as Ah Go Go Chan), for his remarkable and faithful service rendered to the Church in Malaysia. He became a Catholic Priest and served churches in the Diocese of Penang from 1959 to 1973. Then he was appointed as the first bishop of the Diocese of Malacca-Johor in 1973 and retired in 2001. After serving as priest and bishop for 64 years, he departed this life on 22 April 2023 at the age of 97.

We admire the courage, tireless efforts and achievements of Bishop James Chan amid all challenges and afflictions. He established churches in his diocese spiritually and financially. Building the MAJODI Centre was the brainchild of Bishop James Chan and it was officiated on 23 August 1980. This building is a mission pastoral institute with various facilities for spiritual retreat, formation and other resources.

His Episcopal motto was “To Serve is My Joy.” He carried out the mission of Christ throughout his ministry with great joy and love. He was a very spirited man of God with a cheerful heart. Bishop James Chan lived his vocations faithfully and truthfully without qualms. He found happiness and fulfilment in his vocation by giving himself totally and wholeheartedly to his ministry.

This Good Shepherd Sunday, let us remember the courage, strength and sacrifice that all bishops, priests, deacons, and religious and consecrated people offer in the service of the Church in Malaysia. We thank the Lord for granting them the grace to prolong His mission here on earth, building the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church.

FEEL WELCOME AND BE COMFORTABLE

On Saturday, 15 April 2023, Christian Police Officers and personnel of Pahang State celebrated the 216^thPolice Day Anniversary with the Parishioners of St. Thomas, Kuantan. About 80 of them, together with their respective families (approximately 150 of them), attended the auspicious event hosted by the Church of St. Thomas, Kuantan.

 

At the beginning of the Mass, we started marching with two flags – National and Police Contingent flags – from the entrance of the Church, followed by the national anthem – “Negaraku”, and ended the Mass with the Royal Malaysian Police march song – “Sedia Berkhidmat.” During the Mass, we specially prayed and blessed all of them for their total dedication and devoted service in their duties to conserve harmony, peace, security and well-being of the people in our country.

 

We, the Parishioners, would like to express our gratitude and appreciation, especially to Superintendent Paul Henry, Tuan William Fernandez, Tuan Cleda and all other members of PDRM, Kuantan who have tirelessly prepared and organised the whole celebration and fellowship for all the Christian PDRM personnel of the State of Pahang consisting of 11 districts. We are grateful to you for choosing St Thomas Church Kuantan and making the celebration a memorable one for all of us.

 

On the Second Sunday of Easter, we had Infant Baptisms for 10 children from East Malaysia at St Theresa’s Chapel, Gambang, Kuantan. Both Parents and godparents affirmed their commitment to raising the children in the way of Christ and bringing them up in moral uprightness until they reach the age of reason. During this Easter Vigil celebration, these parents also received their Sacraments of Initiation. Prior to this, a few of their parents wanted their marriages to be convalidated in the Catholic Church. (Their weddings were only officiated civilly and in another faith outside of the Catholic Church, which is not recognised as a valid marriage by the Catholic Church). Hence, they underwent the Catholic Marriage Preparation Course (CMPC), their marriages were validated and their unions are now recognised in the Catholic Church.

 

This year, the baptisms of 14 adults and 10 infants have brought much meaning to our community. They have taken the courage to come forward, get their marriages validated, get baptised together with their children, too, rather than wait for this to be done in later life. A week ago, our Catholic Varsity Students’ Fellowship (CVSF) of St Thomas Church, Kuantan, organised a spiritual orientation at St. Theresa’s Chapel, Gambang. About 12 of them (6 are first-year students) attended. We wish to warmly welcome you, too, into our Parish community. We are delighted to welcome them and their families into our community.

 

Let’s look forward to getting to know them gradually. We encourage them to commit themselves to the life of the Church. We pray that they will regularly come to our Church with their children and grow in their faith and understanding of the Catholic Church.

 

As a Parish community, it is our responsibility not only to welcome them but to look after their faith and guide them in the way of Christ. During this Eastertide, we are to reflect on the liturgical readings daily as we journey towards New Pentecost.

THE VICTORY OF LIFE OVER DEATH

Holy Week and Easter Triduum were celebrated joyfully with a multitude of Parishioners assembled in Church. The celebrations were wonderful and a little different, as Covid-19 rules and regulations have been more relaxed since the start of April 2023. Furthermore, the weather was pleasant throughout all the celebrations, and many of our local Parishioners participated in Masses and services. About 30 Orang Asli, 80 Indonesian migrant workers and 20 varsity students were also among those present at our Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday celebrations.

This year, we were blessed to experience every ritual and rite of the Holy Week celebrations. We had a procession on Palm Sunday and Liturgy of the Light on Easter Vigil. We also had the washing of the feet for selected Parish youth and altar servers on Holy Thursday and the Veneration of the Cross, which invited everyone to come closer to the Cross to venerate with a bow or genuflect and touch. All these rites and rituals were performed with great solemnity.

During the Liturgy of the Word on Easter Vigil, we read all nine readings from Genesis through to the New Testament - leading us to Christ, the True Light. The baptismal liturgy was performed with the presentation of the catechumens for baptism. This year, we had a total of 20 adult catechumens initiated into the Christian community, most of whom were East Malaysians. There were 14 candidates for Baptism and 2 candidates from the Protestant tradition coming into the Catholic faith. Confirmation also took place at the same time. During the Holy Communion, the neophytes received their First Holy Communion. Most of the Baptismal liturgy rites and rituals were solemnly celebrated in Bahasa Malaysia. It was the first time in our Church’s history that such a large number of catechumens received the Sacraments of Initiations.

We have always been grateful to all the RCIA facilitators and godparents/sponsors for guiding and journeying with the catechumens. They have been coaching, praying and assisting to bring them closer to the Sacraments of Initiation. It is the role of the Parish community to welcome and guide them in the life of the Church. 

EXPERIENCE NEW LIFE IN THE RISEN LORD

Easter begins! We can now sing “Alleluia” proudly and joyfully, after waiting for the past six weeks. Easter is a lengthy season - fifty days of celebrations - the longest season in the Church’s liturgical calendar. These 50 days of Easter - between Easter Sunday and Pentecost - is the time to rejoice in the Risen Lord, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Ps 118:24).

 

In the next few weeks, we will encounter scriptural texts of the disciples encountering the Risen Lord until His Ascension, while awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. We will also encounter texts that speak of the birth of early churches (Acts 2) and the gifts of the Holy Spirit - inviting us to live as true and faithful disciples. It is a time to enhance our spiritual experiences, which we have undergone during the season of Lent and, fittingly, become fully alive in faith and in the life of the Church. 

 

After completing the Lenten observances, we stand together at the beginning of the Easter season and hold lit candles to renew our baptismal promises. We reject Satan and all his works and empty promises and profess our faith. It expresses our loyalty and belief in One God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, in the communion of saints, forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Through this renewal of promises, we will celebrate new life in the Risen Lord, and promise to serve Him faithfully in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church (CCC 811).

 

Every person experiences Lent in a great and different way, especially when it comes to spiritual growth. Personally, I cannot say how I have lived out this Lent, as it went by so quickly. It seems like there wasn’t time for much impact in my spiritual life, apart from dutifully observing the Lenten practices. I may have slackened in working out my weaknesses and realising the need for the Grace of God in order to grow in prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

 

I realise I didn’t give myself enough opportunity, nor did I make a concerted effort, to strengthen my prayer life and priestly ministry. It seems like it may have been a situation where I didn’t walk the talk. Perhaps my actions have been less than perfect and I may have slacked in actively pursuing my faith. However, I know that my Church has never said that I can only return when I am perfect! I also know that the Risen Lord asks that I be fruitful and willing to open my heart to the light, joy and victory of Easter.

 

Easter is a culmination of our faith in the Risen Lord, as He opens the door for us to experience new life in Him. He repeatedly welcomes us with open arms, to live our faith. Let’s look forward to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to grow in our relationship with Jesus, our Church and our community. 

 

HAVE A VERY BLESSED EASTER! MAY THIS SEASON BRING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY NEWNESS AND FRESHNESS IN FAITH.