CAC staff organises a day of outreach to the peripheries

PENAMPANG – The staff of Catholic Archdiocesan Centre here organised a day of outreach to the peripheries in conjunction with the Year of Mercy on 10 Oct 2016.

Divided into six groups of six each (group 5 has seven) after the Corporal Works of Mercy, they went out to their respective destinations after being sent off by Abp John Wong.

Group 1 (Feed the Hungry & Give Drink to the Thirsty) visited 11 poor families: four in Tamparuli, five in Sugud, one in Limbanak and one in Kobusak, bringing with them clothings and foodstuffs.

Groups 2 (Clothe the Naked) and 3 (Shelter the Homeless) combined to visit Kg Pisang Inanam.  They subdivided into three groups with four members each so that they could reach more families.

Group 4 (Visit the Sick) managed to visit four bedridden people in different areas.  One said she felt she was shown mercy rather than the other way round at the warmth reception they were given by the sick.

Group 5  (Visit the Imprisoned) including three from LJCCC went to the Holy Family Residence for Senior Citizens Papar.  Run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, the residence was opened in 1987.  Currently,  it has 35 residents (12 men, 23 women) with ages ranging from 68 to 104.  They are looked after by a staff of 13 including two Sisters.  The running of the home depends much on contributions from NGOs and residents’ family members who can contribute to their upkeep.

The group took time to trim the hair of some of the women as well as to clean and cut their toenails and fingernails before serving them lunch.

Group 6 (Bury the Dead) went to visit and pray for those buried at Mile 4.5 Catholic Cemetery Jalan Penampang Lama before going to condole with three bereaved families – two in Kolopis and one in Pogunon.  Earlier a week ago or so, they went to the funeral of the nephew of one CAC staff.

Many of the staff expressed afterwards that they had learnt much from this one-day outreach to the poorer members of society.