Labuan parish marks feast day with procession

LABUAN – Blessed Sacrament Parish marked its feast day with a Eucharistic procession on 3 June 2018, Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Over 2000 faithful took part in the procession from the church to the multipurpose hall and back to the church. Archbishop Wong explained why there was a need for leading the procession.

He said: “To us as Catholics, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is a living testimony of our faith where we follow Jesus as his children.  We walk and follow him in displaying the practice of our faith in love, tolerance, humility, and devotion to the Sacrament.”

The occasion also marked the annual pastoral visit of the Archbishop John Wong to the parish who came a day earlier.

The prelate’s visit included a meeting with the Pastoral Council and coordinators of the various parish ministries, where the main discussion was centred on the necessity of a resident priest for the island parish.  The expressed need was made in tandem with the growth of the local Catholic population, as well as the need for an extension for the existing Church building.

The Sacrament of Confirmation was conferred upon 90 candidates, 23 from the English class and 67 from the BM class during the Mass, which was concelebrated with parish priest, Msgr Primus Jouil.

After Mass, the parishioners adjourned to the hall for a fellowship with ceremonial cutting of three cakes: one for the confirmands, one for the parish feast day and one was a surprise birthday cake to celebrate the archbishop’s birthday on June 6.

Archbishop Wong was happy with the feedback on the commitment and cooperation between the parish groups.

To the faith community, he shared the concern of a dwindling Catholic population, and encouraged bigger families.   He also called on the parish to look into the needs of the Catholic students from the island’s higher learning institution.

Msgr Jouil took the opportunity to remind the parishioners that they are the only Church/parish in the State with the name of Blessed Sacrament.  “We should give witness to our family members and others in our belief that the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is a living testimony of Jesus giving his life for our salvation.” – Gerard Lean