SANDAKAN – More than 2,000 faithful thronged St Mary’s Cathedral to celebrate Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Lenten season Mar 5.
The main Cathedral, both the left and right extended wings and the choir loft were fully occupied, with many more standing throughout the mass at the frontage. They came in full faith to celebrate Ash Wednesday, remembering Him through sacrifice.
SANDAKAN – The Malaysian Catechetical Commission, a pastoral assembly for common action and cooperation on catechetical matters between the Dioceses in Malaysia, held its annual meeting at the Sandakan Diocesan Pastoral Centre Feb 25-27, 2014.
14 members of the Commission, comprising bishop, clergy, religious and lay leaders coming from across all dioceses in Malaysia and Brunei attended the annual event, hosted by the Diocese of Sandakan. Out of the nine arch/dioceses in Malaysia, eight were represented. Brunei came in as observer.
KOTA KINABALU (CS) – The statistics for this year is 7 more students than last year. This year saw 12 young men being accepted for aspirancy at the Catholic Archdiocesan Centre (CAC), which is also known as the Intensive English Year, while 12 were accepted for the Initiation Formation House at the IY (Initiation Year).
As is the tradition, the opening of the Academic Calendar for both the CAC and IY Year 2014 was marked with a concelebrated Mass at the IYFH Chapel Feb 17, presided by Archbishop John Wong.
SANDAKAN – World Day for Consecrated Life (WDCL) was celebrated in St Mary’s Cathedral Parish Feb10, 2014 at St Joseph’s Church.
The Eucharist was presided over by Fr Philip Muji and concelebrated by Fr Simon Kontou. More than 100 parishioners turned up to celebrate with the Religious.
Prior to this, a 3-day prayer (Triduum) beginning Feb 4, in preparation for the occasion, was led by the three different congregations serving in the parish. The Brothers of St Gabriel led the first day of the Triduum at St Mary’s Hostel, followed by the Good Shepherd Sisters on the second day at St Joseph’s Church, and the last day by the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception at St Mary’s Chapel.
SANDAKAN(CS).- 14 members of the Diocesan Youth Apostolate (DYA) together with its Spiritual Adviser, Spiritual Assistant and a lay adviser gathered at a prominent hotel in Sandakan on Saturday, Jan 11 for a thanksgiving fellowship to celebrate Christmas and New Year. They have served a term of three years and would need to discern about recommitting for the next three-year term. Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom was the guest of honor.
Initiation Year student, Elvost Lunchi, shares …
This vocation is a gift from God – a very wonderful gift, and one that is full of mystery. The beauty of this call, which comes from God, can never be exactly described in words. The desire and sense of being in formation, which I believe is a journey guided by God Himself, continues to blossom and flourish as time passes.
God calls whosoever He chooses and whensoever He wants. His call is a life-changing experience which can never be replaced by anything else. He reveals things in His own time, and this is what I want to share in this little sharing of my journey.