Category Archives: Feb 2018

January 17, 2018 will forever be etched in the memories of the staff and students of NTA School for Refugee Children as they welcomed the US Ambassador to Malaysia, Her Excellency Madam Kamala Shirin Lakhdir.

The ambassador took a personal interest in the young students. She spoke to each one of them saying how proud she was of their determination to obtain a good education and their perseverance in spite of adversity. “No matter the situation, you continue to persevere and do your best to obtain an education,” said Her Excellency.

In return, the students, having overcome their initial shyness, surrounded the ambassador and were more than happy to show off their creative skills using lego building blocks and other crafts.

After spending a considerable time with the students and staff, the ambassador and her entourage, which included her Political Secretary Mr Andrew Leyva, Political Specialist Mr Brian Yap and Economic Section Office Management Specialist, Ms Meghan Connolly, adjourned to the NTA PieceWorks Training Centre, also in Alor Setar.

The ambassador was impressed with the Centre that had been set-up with the funds received when NTA was awarded the prestigious Julia Taft Award in 2016. The Julia Taft Fund supports community-based projects that provide sustainable assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons, vulnerable migrants and stateless persons.

At NTA Pieceworks Training Centre, the ambassador met the current advanced training candidates and, here too, she spent time speaking to the ladies, understanding where they had come from, their struggles and their aspirations. She also distributed the certificates of completion and baking starter kits to the candidates for completing the Baking 101 course and sampled some of the cakes that the ladies had just finished baking and decorating.

Madam Kamala ended her two-hour visit by speaking to the Board of Directors of NTA about the current refugee situation in the northern region and what else can be done to not only address their plight, but to assist these communities to once again gain the confidence to live an independent life.

The New Thessalonian Apostolate (NTA) is a Catholic missionary organisation which was founded 23 years ago as an Association of the Faithful. It was fully recognised by Bishop Sebastian Francis in 2017 and was placed directly under the Titular of the Roman Catholic Church.

NTA runs a number of programmes and initiatives to help and empower disadvantaged communities, including NTA schools for refugee children, free medical clinics, maternity care, vaccinations for infants, advisory centres, emergency aid and various other programmes, besides running different formation programmes for the local parishes. NTA PieceWorks is the nonprofit social enterprise arm of NTA. It was founded to support NTA’s goals of helping the vulnerable through empowerment and capacity building.

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online

KENINGAU – Over 200 catechists gathered at Katedral St Francis Xavier here to celebrated Catechetical Sunday on 28 Jan 2018.

Bishop Cornelius Piong presided at the Mass themed Chirst our Hope.

He reminded those present that  parents are their children’s first catechists and not the parish catechists.  The reminder is in line with the diocesan silver jubilee theme: Christ-centred families in a God-fearing culture with strong faith and social responsibility.

The diocese has 236 catechists with 54 new ones.  They renewed their commitment before the bishop and the people during the Mass. – Feabiah Sandar

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

KENINGAU – The Filipino community celebrated the Feast of Santo Nino (Holy Infant) at the Katedral St Francis Xavier here on 21 Jan 2018.

In its fourth year, the theme of the celebration was “Let the children come to me.”

Father John Emerson Tepait of Masbate City Philippines presided at the Mass on Sunday afternoon.

The event began with the procession of the statue of the Santo Nino from the entrance of Dataran Solidariti to the cathedral.

In his homily, the priest said that the yearly celebration of Sto Nino “always reminds us of who we were and what we were before. No matter what we have become or what have we accomplished, we are always reminded of our humble beginnings. As a child, we want no more than attention, love, care, simple things and everything for us becomes fulfilling and complete.”

He said the theme is an invitation to be aware of the parents’ important role in the lives of their children. Jesus, he continued, raised the dignity of children by rebuking the disciples as they hindered the children from coming closer to Him.

Parents, he added, need to let their children know always of their pride, love, value in them because  “if we don’t do it, they will grow up without proper mental and spiritual orientation.”

The priest said that if a child feels loved, he will have great self-esteem.  It also lessens the chances of  “your kids becoming aggressive, anti-social and having other behavioural problems. While adolescents might be embarrassed at the physical affection, there should always be words of support and empathy to take its place. Parents should spend quality time with their children. Discipline them with love and affection.”

Cherilyn Rondidas, chairperson of the KFSX Filipino Pastoral Committee (FPC) and the vice chairperson of Persatuan Kababayan Sabah (PKS), expressed her gratitude Bishop Cornelius Piong for allowing the community to celebrate the event.

She also expressed her gratitude to the organising committee for their efforts and commitment and to all generous sponsors for their support in making the celebration a memorable one.

She added that the FPC has set up a relief fund to help fellow Filipino members in times of bereavement, critical sickness and other calamities. Each family member may contribute RM10 – 20 to the fund.

Rondidas, a Malaysian-born Filipino, said it took time for her to figure out how to organise the event and wished the community to continue to grow in faith in Jesus.

She also thanked the Sandakan Filipino Pastoral Group for their presence in support of the celebration.

After the Mass, parishioners joined in the procession of the Infant Jesus from the church entrance to the Dataran Solidariti Hall where a lunch of traditional local and Filipino dishes was served.

Guests included members of Filipino communities of St Mary Sandakan, St Theresa Tambunan, Holy Cross Toboh, Holy Spirit Sook, and St Valentine Beaufort.

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU – One of the pioneer Pauline Sisters in Malaysia died of pneumonia in St John of God Hospital Pasay City Philippines on 1 Feb 2018.  She was 84.

Born on 3 May 1933 in Iloilo, Lilia del Rosario entered the congregation of the Daughters of St Paul in Pasay City in 1956 after finishing secondary school.  She made her first profession in 1960, taking the name of Sister Rosaria.  After her final profession in 1965, she was sent to the newly opened community in Brickfields Kuala Lumpur (1965-1967).  After two years she was sent to Jesselton/Kota Kinabalu (1967-1969), and posted again to West Malaysia, this time in Petaling Jaya (the community moved from Brickfields to Petaling Jaya in 1969) where she stayed until 1972.

The Daughters of St Paul has two phases of foundation in Sabah (North Borneo before 1963); the first from 1961-1971 and the second from 1989 onwards.

“I stayed six years and seven months in Malaysia and I thank God for the many blessings I have received in the mission which strengthened my Pauline vocation,” Sr Rosaria wrote in the souvenir magazine commemorating the golden jubilee of the congregation in Malaysia in 2015.

Back in the Philippines she served in Iloilo, Pasay City, Bacolod, Zamboanga, and Naga.

When diagnosed as suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, she was transferred to the wing reserved for the sick and the elderly sisters in Pasay City.  But her illness did not rob her of her smile, her kindness and her attitude of gratitude toward everyone.

In late January 2018, she went down with pneumonia which made it necessary for her to be admitted to the hospital and it was there that she ended her earthly pilgrimage and entered into eternal rest on Thursday night at 11:50 pm.

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

PENAMPANG – Kota Kinabalu Archdiocese celebrated World Day for Consecrated Life (WDCL)  quietly on 2 Feb 2017, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, at the Woori Jib St Francis Xavier Home run by the Korean Clerical Society of the Most Holy Trinity of Mirinae (SST) at Kg Potuki here.

The annual observance, organised by the Council of Religious headed by Pauline Sister Christine Henry Sundin, took place at the covered open hall.

Archbishop John Wong presided over the Mass which was concelebrated with Father Wilfred Atin, Father Thomas Madanan, and the three Korean priests Father Leo Choi, Father Lawrence Kim and Father Andrew Kim.

Around 200  faithful turned up for the celebration including around 60 men and women religious, members of secular orders, seminarians and lay people.

In his homily, and later in his impromptu address to the religious after Mass, the prelate (citing Pope Francis) touched on the event as an encounter with the Lord, which he hoped they had prepared themselves well through the preceding triduum of prayer at the Carmelite Chapel Karamunsing.  He also assured them of his prayers.

He then reminded them that this event is an outflow of the liturgical celebration – Presentation of the Lord – the faithfulness of the Lord in coming to meet his people in the temple.  He remarked that he was happy to see familiar faces, several of whom have celebrated their silver, ruby, golden or even diamond anniversaries of religious professions.

The renewal of consecration by the religious present took place after the homily.  The prelate accepted it and gave his blessing.

In her address, Sr Christine touched a bit on the WDCL history and thanked all those present for their participation, the Korean community in particular, for hosting the event.

After the Mass, all the people adjourned for a simple reception at the dining hall and on the outside grounds.

In the archdiocese, there are currently four men religious institutes (La Salle Brothers, Gabrielite Brothers, Marist Brothers. Holy Trinity Clerical Society) and four women congregations (Carmelite Nuns, Daughters of St Paul, Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and the Religious of the Good Shepherd).  The three secular institutes are the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites, Ordo Francisanus Saecularis, and Institute of Our Lady of the Annunciation.

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

In his message dated 2 Feb 2018, Kuala Lumpur Archbishop Julian Leow, chairman of the Executive Committee of the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM), urges continued prayer for Pastor Raymond Koh and other missing persons in Malaysia.  Below is the full text of his message:

As we approach the first anniversary of the violent abduction of
Pastor Raymond Koh from the streets of Petaling Jaya on 13 February
2017, the Christian Federation of Malaysia urges churches and
Christians to continue to look to God in prayer and to seek a closure
to this dastardly act on a servant of God.

Let us in the coming days go before Almighty God to make
intercession before Him that Pastor Raymond Koh may be found and
be reunited with his family. Let us remember his beloved wife
Susanna and his dear children Jonathan, Esther and Elizabeth in our
prayers. That they be given great endurance and patience, be filled
with the love of God and the peace which transcends all human
understanding and find strength in their joy in the Lord is our fervent
cry.

We call on the authorities to complete with all urgency and diligence,
all investigations into finding Pastor Raymond Koh and also Amri
Che Mat, Joshua Hilmy and his wife Ruth Sitepu.

Hopes that investigations by the authorities could be assisted by facts
established by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia
(Suhakam) upon the conclusion of their inquiry into the abduction of
Pastor Raymond Koh were dashed when the inquiry into his
disappearance was brought to an abrupt halt once Suhakam was
informed that a person had been charged for criminal kidnapping and
abduction. Not being accompanied by any information as to the
whereabouts of Pastor Raymond Koh, the arrest did not however
alleviate the anxieties of many with regard to his well-being.

We remain nonetheless hopeful that as it continues to probe the
disappearances of Amri Che Mat, Joshua Hilmy and his wife
Ruth, Suhakam will be able to elicit facts to assuage the fears and
concerns of many Malaysians struggling to understand how and why
fellow Malaysians can suddenly disappear and not be found for such
extended periods of time.

Signed,
Archbishop Julian Leow Beng Kim,
Chairman and the Executive Committee,
The Christian Federation of Malaysia.

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Article reproduced from Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

Photography  and events story  reported  by  Alfred Wong

The Lun Bawang Tribes -compiled by Ben Chang

The Majority of the Lawas community is mainly consisted of the Lun Bawang tribes. The Lun Bawang (formerly known as Trusan Murut or Southern Murut) is an ethnic group found in Central Northern Borneo. In the Malaysian state of Sarawak, the Lun Bawang (through the term Murut) are officially recognised by the Constitution as native of Sarawak and are categorised under the Orang Ulu people;  Historial records show that they are the indigenous tribe native to the highlands of North Kalimantan (Krayan, Malinau, Mentarang and Long Bawan), Brunei (Temburong District), southwest of Sabah (Interior Division) and northern region of Sarawak (Limbang Division).

Lun Bawangs were mostly animist before the 1920s. During these early times, the Lun Bawangs were a dangerous tribe, always on the war path, looking for heads of their enemies.Taking of heads was an indication of someone’s bravery, and maidens love such heroes.The Brooke Adminstration regarded the Lun Bawangs as one of the fiercest and the worst of all the tribes they ever attempted to pacify. The Brooke administration would not permit other people to go up among the tribe for fear of being killed because these natives were fierce headhunters. When they left their old life ways and belief and embraced christianity, the Lun Bawang became the cleanest and the best tribe of Sarawak. Today, many Lun Bawang are highly educated.

The great transformation

The Brooke administration had recorded in the museum journals that the Lun Bawang house had been found to be the cleanest in Sarawak, after being regarded as the dirtiest. It was an indication of the great spiritual transformation taking place among the remaining Lun Bawang who survived the various epidemics that swept their region between 1900 to 1910.

When Hudson Southwell and his friends built themselves a small hut in Sepangah, Limbang in 1928, a group of spiritualy hungry Lun Bawang visited them and became the first Lun Bawang from Trusan/Lawas to become Christians. These individuals went back and a great transformation swept the Lun Bawangf villages- they threw away their old ways, their rice wine and everything and any rituals connected with animism and ancient cultures. No other tribes in Borneo had done such before.

Further conversions continued under the rule of the White Rajahs (Vyner Brooke) in Sarawak. Christian missionaries (particularly of the Borneo Evangelical Mission) had better accessibility to the Lun Bawang settlements in the interior and highlands, and proceeded to preach Christianity to the Lun Bawang people.

Lun Bawang Culture
Today The Lun Bawang tribe is referred by some visitors as one of the most hospitable people they came into contact.In the 1960’s and 1970’s, when they were still living in long houses, any visitor will be invited for breakfast, lunch or dinner as many times as there are families in the long house.For instant, if there are 30 different families in the long house, the visitor or visitors would be invited to eat 30 times.The visitor will be given food to bring when he leaves.In the not so distant past, any one can go up a long house and stay there for the night and they will be taken care of by the long house inhabitants

The Lun Bawang community has a unique culture- the culture of giving. That is why they are very hospitable to visitors. In the not so distant past,they give ration to travellers who put up for the night or two. They are known for giving gifts of all kinds to friends who visit them- an act of good will and gratitude and good heart.You see this culture during wedding ceremony where gifts were exchanged between the families. Those gifts are given by relatives as a show of love and support to their kin. Well their generosity is not only about the giving things but also in helping. They help in any function. In a wedding party, friends come to cook, to do all kinds of work to help the family concern.That is why such festivities are full of joy.

Today the Legacy continues…………….. 

A remarkable event happened on 17th December 2017 when Right Reverend Bishop Richard Ng blessed the new 450 capacity St Martin Church, Lawas.

The idea to build a new church on the existing location of old St Martin Church, Lawas was mooted by Right Reverend Bishop Richard Ng in January 2017 during his pastoral visit to the parish.  The 54 years old wooden church was built in 1964 by Philipino parishioners, constructed primarily of timber with some brick partitions to adjoining extensions added over the years.

The main structure was in bad state of decay and partly infested with termites to the columns and wooden ceilings.  A decision was reached to demolish the existing church and build a new church on existing footprint and increase two side wings for additional internal space.

The existing church was demolished in March 2017 and the new substructural works for the extended wings were completed in April 2017 for a new 6000 square foot church to be erected.

It was decided that the new church was to be built using Amcan IBS building system to be cost effective and faster completion time.  The external cladding is colourbond steel and finished internally with gypsum board.  The main church ceilings is mild steel strip ceilings.  The wall framing of the new church is galvanized steel framing.

Construction of the new church began in May 2017 and by November 2017 the main building including an annex toilet block has been completed and ready for fit-out of the main church fittings and fixtures including lightings and PA system.

The new church comprise of a 4000 square foot main church hall with 2000 square foot at the rear of the building comprising of a meeting room, priest room, Sacristy and two toilet/bath rooms.  There is also  a confessional room and a PA control room at the side of the church.  Externally there is a short walkway linking to the adjacent toilet block for parishioners.

At this juncture, the parish caretaker house is under construction and expected to complete in March 2018.  This caretaker building can also double as house for visiting priests and others.

It was an exciting day for 200 children from seven homes who were treated to an evening of fun and games.

The Miles of Smiles 2 Mission, organised by the parish of St Francis of Assisi, is its second edition. This time, it was organised by the BECs headed by BECCOT chairperson Christine Danker.

The mission was to spread the Joy of the Gospel to the little ones from various orphanages in Cheras and Kuala Lumpur.

The day began at 1.00pm with 70 volunteers from various language groups and BECs gathered at the Pudu Ulu Recreational Park to set up and plan the fun day for the children.

The children, between the ages of 4 to 18, were divided into three groups — pre-school, primary and secondary for the various games and activities organised by their respective group volunteers.

The pre-schoolers had a warm up followed by a mini telematch before they were given an arts and crafts activity.

The primary school children enjoyed an egg on spoon race, passing the rubber band with a straw, passing the hula hoop through a chain of hands, rolling the ball and other similar games.

Meanwhile, the secondary, school children enjoyed a friendly football game where Yayasan Sunbeams won 6 – 1 against the boys from Rumah Xavier and several volunteers from the SFA home team.

Finally, the children were treated to yummy food and ice cream.

Christine thanked all the volunteers who put up a great show despite the threatening weather throughout the day.

“Although the weather was unpredictable, by God’s grace and the prayers of everyone here, we managed to organise a fun evening for the children,” she said.

As the children left the park, they received small tokens from volunteers and a small party pack courtesy of Wendy’s.

Heartfelt thanks to our parish pastor, the volunteers and sponsors for showing and sharing the marvellous love of God for His children in the little ways.

Article reproduced from Herald Malaysia online