Kuala Penyu hosts vocation promotion day

KUALA PENYU – St Peter Bundu here hosted the promotion of vocation to the priesthood on Vocation Sunday, 17 Apr 2016.

Fifty young people registered themselves for the programme: 18 teenage boys, 14 younger boys and 18 teenage girls. Fr Wilfred Atin, director of KK Archdiocesan Vocation Promotion Team, facilitated the Vocation Sunday programme  together with 16 aspirants and two IY seminarians. Also helping them on that day were some members of Friends of St John Vianney (FSJV).

The Sunday Mass was celebrated by parish priest Fr Boniface Kimsin and concelebrated by Fr Wilfred.   In his homily, Fr Wilfred stressed that Jesus is the Good Shepherd who takes care of his sheep wholeheartedly. Taking from the readings, he said that there are only a few shepherds but many sheep, referring also to the number of priests as compared to parishioners in Sabah.

He added that the priesthood is not without difficulties, yet the will to serve God’s people with joy and honesty must prevail. He concluded that the Church needs more priests to shepherd God’s people.

The vocation talk was delivered by Fr Wilfred after the Mass.  He explained the stages of priestly formation, which begins with English year in CAC, Initiation year in St Peter’s College KK, and so forth. He emphasised on the need to score Band 4 for MUET exam during the English year, in order to be able to proceed to Initiation year.

Realising that not all young people are called to the priesthood, he urged those who do not have the calling to be an agent to promote the vocation to others.

Benjamin Mijis, 19, from Kg Gorowot was happy that Vocation Sunday was in St Peter Bundu. Out of his own will, he attended and said he gained more understanding about the priesthood. He hoped to answer the call when he has finished his pre-university. – Ricki Boy