Author Archives: Ken Wong

Sibu: The Cardinal, Arch/Bishops from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei will make their ad limina visit to Rome Feb 4-9, 2018.

Bishop Francis Sebastian of Penang, president of the bishops’ conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, in a letter to all the bishops of the conference, has asked for prayers from all the faithful in the three countries, for this event.

 

Eucharistic celebration for Sibu Diocese will be on 2nd February (The Presentation of the Lord) in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sibu at. 7:15pm.

The last ad limina visit was made 10 years ago in June 2008.

The Ad Limina visit is formally called “ad limina apostolorum,” which means “to the thresholds of the apostles” Peter and Paul, who were martyred in Rome. This visit is made by the Ordinaries of a Region (Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei), which include the Cardinal; Archbishops and Bishops in charge of a Diocese.

Traditionally, this visit serves as an occasion for the Shepherd of each diocese to draw inspiration as well as guidance from the Universal Catholic Church in which Pope Francis; the Supreme Pontiff is the successor of Peter, the Apostle. The Archbishop and Bishops as successors of the Apostles, work in collaboration and communion with the Pope.

Below is the  full text of the letter:

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei’s Ad Limina visit is set on the 4th to 9th February 2018.

The Ad Limina consists of three parts.

1. The first part entails a personal visit to the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul. This is a very spiritual and inspiring time of the Ad Limina because it
connects the present Successor to the Apostles (Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinal) to the two major Apostles credited with the spreading of the faith. They draw strength and renewal from this visit to the tombs.

2. The second part is a visit and interview with the Holy Father which will be held on the 8th February, 2018. This is a time when the Cardinal, Archbishops and Bishops renew their obedience and loyalty to Pope Francis who is the successor of Peter, and receive his teaching in the form of reflection and they render oral reports on the state of their individual Arch/dioceses. This gives the Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinal a chance to be in solidarity with the Pope and each other.

3. The third part is the scheduled visits to the various offices of the Roman Curia, presenting the written report which is presented to the Secretariat of
the State. Each diocese is sent a questionnaire of the information being requested by the Vatican. This quinquennial (5 year) report provides statistical and written descriptions of all the priests, deacons, religious, and laity serving in the diocese; the state of the sacramental life of the diocese; the financial health of the diocese as a whole; the types of programs being offered which can range from prison ministry to evangelization to family life to ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue; the process of catholic education in Catholic Mission Schools and at parishes; evangelization efforts to the active, inactive and unchurched; and the current status of our priestly vocations. This report also presents the successes and challenges since the last report given.

It is in the same light that the Gospel today speaks to us as in “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” The Good News today is the blessings of the Ad Limina visit which will be fulfilled in God’s time. The Ad Limina visit is the seed of the Kingdom of God that is near, close to us in which the Cardinal, Archbishops, Bishops, the Emeriti as well as all the people of God will receive through the shower of God’s Word and the warmth of God’s love. These graces will be experienced tangibly through the seat of Peter, in the encounter with our Holy Father, Pope Francis.

The call to repent can be seen as the journey of going Home where the seat of Peter is and it is also a call for renewal, a change of perception and a new experience of meeting Christ through the Holy Father and through meetings with other offices which remind us of our universality as the one body of Christ. This unity plays a very important role in the Church. It brings to life the words of St.John in chapter 17, 22-23 which states, “The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

Believing that God’s kingdom in our midst is an act of faith and thus, we continue to proclaim the Good News of our encounter with Jesus. This encounter will spur us to go out, to see and call the others to form communities of faith wherever we are. Ultimately, the daily encounter with Jesus will transform us in becoming missionary disciples of hope.

In conclusion, we wish for all Catholics, through prayer and solidarity, to feel a part of the Ad Limina visit, which confirms and celebrates that which we profess each week when we express our belief in the ‘one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church’. Our faith was handed down to us from Jesus through the apostles and as Archbishops and Bishops we are charged with the enormous responsibility of continuing that tradition. The Ad Limina visit is an important physical and spiritual milestone in the carrying out of that ministry. May the Holy Spirit empower us and May Mary our Mother intercede for us!

 

 

Article reproduced from Diocese of Sibu

 

Pastoral visit of Bishop Richard to Long Banyok, Baram. on 20th Jan 2018

The Most Rev Bishop Richard  Ng made a pastoral visit to Long Banyok, a Kenyah Longhouse in middle Baram. This is also the longhouse of Msgr Francis Kuleh, the Vicar General of Miri Diocese. The bishop celebrated Sunset mass for about 200 people at the Church of Yesus, Juruselamat and later blessed a statue of Christ the Redeemer at the entrance of the church.

On Sunday 21st Jan 2018, he proceeded to Long Lama and elevated the church into a parish. He installed Fr Lazarus Swinie, a priest from Kuching as rector of the new parish of Blessed Sacrament, Long Lama. About 500 people from the different longhouses attended the installation mass at the Dewan. Long Lama was formerly under the care of Lapok Parish. The new parish has over 30 longhouses and a few schools under its jurisdiction.

Photograpy – Bishop Richard Ng and Jason Kho
Story by – Bishop Richard Ng

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article reproduced from Dioccese of Miri

KUCHING — The Catholic Singles Women Ministry (CSWM), formed in August 2016, headed by their spiritual advisers Father Jerome Juleng and Sister Marie Celine SSFS, had their first retreat themed ‘Daughters of Light’ on 18 -19 November 2017. 

Wendy Louis, the speaker, is the Executive Secretary of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Office, Singapore. She has been a formator and trainer for over 20 years. Her rich experiences in working with various church organisations and speaking from the perspectives of a lay person yet in total conformity with church teachings, makes her a good speaker.

Wendy took the 55 retreatants to a new level of understanding of what it means to be beloved Daughters of Light. She shared on how to be a light to others and how to exercise the common priesthood in daily life. In other words, how to be Church with a mission.

She opened the minds and hearts of the participants to the tender gaze of God and helped them experience the joy and fruitfulness of the single life and to be a gift to others.

Wendy reminded all that there are challenges in every state of life. Nevertheless, the singles can stay engaged and connected in their lives with God through contemplative prayer, a ministry of presence and a culture of love and service.

Each lay ministry in the church must embody the four hallmarks of the church: One (united to the parish), Holy (God centred), Catholic (being inclusive) and Apostolic (servant leadership).

Retreatants were also given time for self-reflection and personal resolution.

Father Albert Jacobse MHM who presided over CSWM first anniversary Mass and the Sunday Mass preached on using one’s talents for the good of others. He reminded the daughters of light to always walk in the light of God.

The feedback from the retreatants was very positive and encouraging.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

SIBU – Catholics in the central region of Sarawak are mourning the loss of one of their longest-serving priests, Father David Bingham, who passed away peacefully on 27 Jan 2018 in England. He was 86.

News of his passing was conveyed by Mill Hill Missionaries to the Catholic Church here.

The late Fr Bingham had served as priest in the region for over 40 years.

A parishioner, Clement Chieng, gave thanks for Fr Bingham’s work in Sarawak.

Augustine Siaw said the late Fr Bingham had been an outstanding missionary for many years in the Sibu Diocese.

According to a statement from Mill Hill Missionaries, Fr David Bingham was born in Nakuru, Kenya, on 7 April 1931 to Francis Dennis and Mary Bingham.

Fr David’s father served as an engineer in the Royal Navy and the family settled in Kenya where they took up farming.

Fr David received his secondary education with the Benedictines at Ampleforth from 1944 to 1949.

After performing compulsory military service, he studied in Cambridge University where he obtained a BA in History in 1956.

He then got a job with a shipping line in Singapore where he first made contact with people from Malaysia.

In his memoirs, Fr David wrote that through his contacts with the Church in Singapore, his Catholic faith had been strengthened and the first stirrings of a vocation to the priesthood made themselves felt.

Eventually, he applied for admittance to the formation programme of the Mill Hill Missionaries.

After a bridge-year in Osterley, he entered the Mill Hill formation programme in Roosendaal for studies in Philosophy.

In 1961, he entered St Joseph’s College, Mill Hill, to study Theology.

On 1 May 1964, he took the Perpetual Oath and the following year, on July 10, he was ordained a priest in Westminster Cathedral.

He received an appointment to Malaysia, where he taught for two years in Sarikei followed by two years of mission work in Kanowit.

He was transferred to Simangang in 1971 and served there for some five years.

Subsequently, Fr David worked in the missions of Bintangor, Julau, Sibu, and Song.

Altogether, Fr David spent 46 years working in Sarawak.

He learnt the Iban language, reportedly with a pronounced English accent, as well as a little Hokkien.

In May 2005, Fr David started working in the British region and in October 2014, he took up residence in the Mill Hill Missionaries retirement home in Freshfield. Liverpool.

On the occasion of his golden jubilee as a priest in 2015, it was noted that Fr Bingham had “great energy, an enquiring mind and a good sense of humour. “

In July 2001, he was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his mission work.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU – Over the weekend celebrating Catechetical Sunday on 27-28 Jan 2018, parish catechists of Sacred Heart Cathedral (SHC) here and Church of Mary Immaculate (CMI) Bukit Padang were commissioned for service for another year.

Parish catechists refer to the volunteers serving in Faith Formation (Sunday School) and Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA).  Some of them also serve in the Children’s Liturgy of the Word (CLOW).

Thirty-seven were commissioned by Father Max Hontor at the English Sunset Mass Jan 27 while on the next day 61 were commissioned at the Chinese Mass and 80 at the BM Mass both by Father Paul Lo.  Four were commissioned at CMI by Fr Hontor at the 9 am English Mass.

Earlier, on Jan 18, all the parish catechists prepared themselves for the event with a short programme of Holy Hour at the cathedral and reflection-group sharing at the parish centre.

The theme for this year was Christ our Hope who places his hope in us.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

KOTA KINABALU – Eight boys serving at the English Mass of the Church of Mary Immaculate Bukit Padang attended the first formation session at the Daughters of St Paul Convent here on 27 Jan 2018.

The session, conducted by Pauline Sister Laura Anggie and Matthew Ian, 23, who works as a pilot in a local company, dealt with the history, role, and function of the altar ministry.

Follow up session on Feb 10 will touch on understanding the sacred objects and vestments while the third session on March 17 will be on understanding the liturgy, the principle of ceremony during a solemnity, a feast, a memorial and an optional memorial.

Commissioning of the altar servers – with ages ranging from 12 to 23 – will be done at the 9 am Mass on Sunday Mar 18.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

 

KUNDASANG – The Sabah Heilbronn Ecumenical Partnership (SHEP) will mark its 10th anniversary in September this year.

The partnership was signed on 26 Sept 2008 between the Protestant Church of Sabah (PCS), the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia-Sabah (BCCM), the Roman Catholic (RC) Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, the RC Diocese of Keningau and the RC Diocese of Sandakan, together with the RC and Protestant churches of Heilbronn, Germany.

Towards this noble purpose, about 30 church leaders and believers who are in support of the Partnership celebrated The Partnership Day in Jabez Resort, Kundasang, on 12-13 Jan 2018.

Among the highlights of the event were dinner, praise and worship, opening prayer, sermon, sharing, speech, intercessory prayer, benediction and group photo, as well as discussions and fellowship among the participants.

On the second day of the event, the group started off with breakfast and prayer, followed by SHEP committee meeting, a visit to the Agape Centre for stateless children before the gathering dispersed.

The goals of the Ecumenical Partnership are to mutually experience and live the mission of Christ as brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, as well as to share in the joys and sufferings of humankind.

Apart from that, the movement also hopes to learn from each other and to strengthen one another when and where it is necessary.

Among those who attended the celebration were Chairman of SHEP, Dr Paul from PCS, Rev Michael Yin (BCCM Ranau), Bro Peter Lee,  Father Thomas Yip, Father Stanley Matakim, Father Michael Modoit, Father Rudolf Joannes and Rev Dean Poiter from BCCM.

In 1982, an ecumenical study group from Heilbronn, Germany visited Malaysia. It was initiated by Dr Karl Rennstich, a Protestant missionery formerly serving the Rungus community in Kudat and Mr Werner Reiter, the Executive Secretary of the Catholic Centre for Education Work. Dr Rennstich was at that time attached to the Office of Mission and Ecumenical Relations of the Protestant Church in Heilbronn.

A direct consequence of this visit was the first ‘return visit’ when a group of Christians from East and West Malaysia was invited to participate in a Mission Festival in Heilbronn in 1984. Since then, there has been cordial and meaningful contacts between the churches of both countries. A second ecumenical study group from Heilbronn visited Malaysia in 1986. Subsequently such mutual visits were organised once in two years.

In August 1990, formal agreements were signed to seal the partnership. Bishop Thu En Yu of BCCM and Bishop John Lee of the Catholic Church were the signatories from Sabah while the Heilbronn side was represented by Gerhard Berroth, President of the District Synod, and Dean Mohler of the Catholic deanery of Heilbronn.

On 23 Sept 2016, a delegation of 11 SHEP members from Sabah paid a return visit to Heilbronn, Germany to keep with the tradition of visiting one another. – Clarence G Dol

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

 

LIMBANAK – St Aloysius Limbanak hosted the 7th Red Mass of the Legal Fraternity on 27 Jan 2018.

The event began with the entrance procession from the gate of the attendees in full robe.

Archbishop John Wong presided at the Mass.

Over 50 legal practitioners – mostly lawyers,  a judge and three judicial officials from the Kota Kinabalu High Court – attended the event, including some family members and others.

In his homily, Abp Wong called on those present to seek for wisdom and guidance from on high  in their work.

In her speech after the Mass, Mdm Ruth Marcus, coordinator of the Sabah Catholic Lawyers Association (SCLA), reminded those present that the association was the brainchild of Abp Emeritus John Lee and was formed in 2012 primarily to bring Catholic lawyers to pray together, occasioned by the Lina Joy case.

She said that the association will continue to provide free legal counselling on various issues affecting the Catholic faith such as IC discrepancies, unilateral conversion of minors, and apostasy cases.

Marcus informed those present that the association plans to organise a conference on interreligious dialogue with people of diverse faiths similar to that she attended in Beirut Lebanon in October 2017.

At the same time, she proposed the idea of some representation from the Catholic lawyers to sit on the National Unity Consultative Council to assist the council by providing feedback and recommendation on the National Harmony Bill.

She said the association also hopes to organise a retreat for Malaysian Catholic lawyers soon.  The immediate plan, however, is to compile the names of Catholic lawyers and re-structure the programme better.

In his turn, after giving some words of encouragement, Abp Wong announced that he has appointed Father Paul Lo as the spiritual adviser of the association.

The event ended with lunch at the Fr Jud Hall below the church.

 

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Mgr John Wong Soo Kau, Archbishop of Kota Kinabalu, issued a statement for Chinese Catholics around the world to mark the end of the Year of the Rooster and the start of the Year of the Dog on 16 February.

In his address, the prelate said “let us be filled with hope and faith for this New Year, because we know that God is with us and He will surely bless us and lead us.”

In Chinese, the barking of a dog (wang wang) sounds like the character that corresponds to the word “prosperous” (wang). Wang is also the pronunciation of the word hope (in Mandarin).

Playing on the meaning of these words, Mgr Wong reminded the faithful not to put their hopes for the new year in the ephemeral joy of material goods.

“[L]et us not put our focus and hope solely in prosperity and wealth,” he writes. “Jesus has come into the world to bring us new perspectives, broaden our vision, and change our thoughts and values, especially in terms of our behaviour and moral values. He has come to bring us life eternal.”

“Brothers and sisters,” he adds, “we know that we cannot attain true peace and happiness from wealth and pleasures of the world, but from a purpose-filled life”.

“[A]s the saying goes: The foundation of happiness stems from reaching out to others. For this reason, true happiness comes from serving and giving, not wealth.

“On top of that, a fulfilling life is not measured by how much we own, but by how much we have given, like Jesus who has lived his whole life in loving and serving, the total gift of self.”

In ending his message, the prelate calls on Catholics not to lose heart in times of difficulty and to put their trust in the support of Christ.

” We are bound to encounter many failures, difficulties, pains, trials, temptations and disappointments. Whatever it is, we are called to be courageous, striving continuously because Jesus is with us always. He will never abandon us. These trials and experiences will enrich our lives, leading us to a wonderful and fulfilling journey.”

 

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online