Cathedral parish hosts AD Migrants Sunday a second time

KOTA KINABALU –  Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish (SHCP) here hosted the archdiocesan-level observance of the World Migrants, Itinerants and Refugees Sunday for a second time on 16 Oct 2016.

The observance kicked off with a catechesis by Fr Ambrose Atang, Spiritual Adviser of the AD Human Development Commission, at the Sacred Heart Parish Centre Kota Kinabalu on Oct 9.

A video clip on migrants was screened before the catechesis.

Members of the Indonesian and Filipino communities from Inanam,  Kota Kinabalu, Manggatal, Papar, and Telipok took turns in showcasing their traditional and modern cultural dances and chorals.

Archbishop John Wong presided at the culminating Mass at the cathedral.  Fr Ambrose and Fr Max Hontor (Sp Adviser, SHC Parish Human Development Committee) concelebrated the Mass.

In attendance also were the officials of the AD Human Development Commission.

The Prayer of the Faithful was done in different languages including Korean, Tagalog, Iban, Timorese, and Chinese.

This was followed by a fellowship at the parish centre marked by lunch,  six cultural performances, sharing of experiences by a Sarawakian, an Indonesian and a Filipino, and raffle draws.

Participants came from Bundu Tuhan, Dontozidon, Inanam,  Kobusak, Kopungit, Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu, Manggatal, Papar,  Penampang, and Telipok.

While the Universal Church marks Migrant Sunday on the third Sunday of January yearly with a theme, this year’s theme being Migrants and Refugees Challenge Us. The Response of the Gospel of Mercy, the Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei has declared September to be Migrant Month with each diocese observing it on a Sunday of its own choice.

It was only in 2014 that the KK Archdiocese decided to observe it at archdiocesan level, once in two years.