Franciscan Sr Alphonsus Low called to eternal life

KOTA KINABALU – Sister Alphonsus Low of the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception (FSIC) was called to eternal life on 26 Sept 2017, a few days short of her 79th birthday.

She was admitted to KPJ on Monday Sept 25 due to breathing difficulty and died peacefully around 10:20 am the next day.

She was born in Singapore on 29 Sep 1938 as Daisy Low Cheng Neo.

She entered Postulancy on 5 Aug 1961 in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) and received the habit and the religious name of Sr M Alphonsus when she entered the novitiate on 11 Feb 1962.  After taking her first vows on 11 Feb 1964, she went for formal teachers’ training.

In her 53 years, she had been fully involved in education and caring for boarders, while at the same time giving much of her time in service to the Stella Maris Parish Tanjung Aru as Extraordinary Communion Minister, Spiritual Director of the Legion of Mary and the intercessory group.

She also played a proactive role as Secretary General of the Congregation in 1981 and as Councillor for two terms in 1987 and 1993 during which time she was entrusted in securing grants from the state government for various projects of the Congregation.

In 1999, Sr Low almost succumbed to Melioidosis.

It is not clear whether her infection had to do with her diabetic condition. According to doctors, the single most important risk factor for developing severe melioidosis is diabetes mellitus.

As she struggled with her life while on drug therapy at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), the entire Congregation prayed for her recovery. God answered their prayers when the former Principal of SM Stella Maris sprang back to life, defying near death.

She lived on to celebrate her golden jubilee in October 2014.

The lying-in-state is at Stella Maris Hostel Tanjung Aru Monday-Thursday Sept 26-28.  The funeral will be on Friday Sept 29 at 10 am at Stella Maris Church Tg Aru before the body is brought for burial at Mile 4.5 Catholic cemetery Jalan Penampang Lama.