2000 pilgrims from Penampang enter Holy Door at Limbahau

PENAMPANG –  Over 2000 faithful from the various zones under St Michael Penampang Parish assembled at the parish compound here for a pilgrimage to the Holy Door at Holy Rosary Limbahau on 6 July 2016. Some of the pilgrims have come from as far as 40 km  to take part in the pilgrimage organized by the parish pastoral council.

Felix Santos of Guunsiing-Novunsu Catholic Community shared that he experienced an inner joy and a deep sense of healing on entering the Door of Mercy.

Chairman of Sukang-Madpai Zone Francis Lee opined that it was good to see so many people making the same pilgrimage during this once-in-a-lifetime special Jubilee of Mercy, and desiring to receive the indulgence made possible by the Church.

However, Thomas Mumpin of the Penampang Zone reckoned that each individual would have to evaluate one’s own experience according to one’s spiritual perspective of the event, but shared the common feeling of joy in the presence of such an impressively large crowd.

For Franciscan Sr Dariah Ajap, she acknowledged that the huge crowd of pilgrims created long queues that tested one’s patience, to enter the Holy Door. Prayer preparation before the pilgrimage, listening to short catechesis from the leader, plus the virtue of patience provided the help one needed to make a good pilgrimage. On reflection, to pass through Heaven’s Door would not be easy either! Though she has had several Holy Door experiences, she discovered that there was always something new that God would reveal about oneself.

The Holy Door pilgrimage was part of the elaborate parish day programme for the parish family of St Michael Penampang comprising nine zones. Other activities included a  novena, a movie night focusing on the family, exhibition by the different zones, and culminating with a pastoral visit by Archbishop John Wong on July 26.

This special day also coincided with the 18th anniversary of the sacerdotal ordination of Fr Fundes Motiung, parish priest of St Michael Penampang. The pilgrims adjourned to Fr Augustine Amandus Hall for a time of fellowship of celebration and thanksgiving for the gift of Fr Fundes. – SOCCOM Penampang