tmd – Page 27 – Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu

LifeTeen camp focuses on what makes a hero

KG NATAI, TELIPOK – When one mentions the word ‘hero’, what comes into mind? Superman? Captain America?

What makes a hero? What does it take to become one? Almost four hundred youths gathered for a weekend to answer these questions and discover the hero in them. With the theme “JPII: Unleash the Hero in You”, this year’s Life Teen Camp was a combination of adrenaline-pumping activities and spiritual revival.

With much anticipation, participants set off for Adventure Cultural Village (ACV) at Kampung Natai, Telipok on 22 Mar 2014. After an hour’s long journey, we arrived at our destination. Despite the warm weather, everyone was in high spirit especially when they saw tents set up for them and the clear, running river! Participants were given a sneak peek of the exciting adventures lined up for them by Terence Dolinting, the director of ACV. During the night, the lay speaker, Alvin Teoh from Kuala Lumpur caught our attention with his personal and inspiring stories while touching on the topic of self identity. Using our Camp Saint, Blessed John Paul II as a model, he explained that we are destined for greatness if only we do the will of our Great God. We went to bed that night ready to take on tomorrow’s obstacles.

Pioneer Malaysian media educationist elected Signis vice president

ROME – Pioneer Malaysian media educationist Lawrence John Sinniah (aka Eljay) was elected on 1 Mar 2014 a vice president of Signis, the World Catholic Association for Communication.

He will serve for four years (2014-2017) in the Signis Board of Directors led by incoming president Gustavo Andújar of Cuba. The other vice president is Frank Frost of the USA.

The new Signis board was elected at the end of the Signis World Congress (SWC) held in Rome from 25 Feb to 1 March. The theme of SWC was Media for a Culture of Peace: Creating Images with the New Generation.

Brother Ben marks 60 years as Mill Hill Missionary

BUNDU TUHAN – It has been sixty years since Brother Benedict Martin Snoeren mhm, fondly known as Bro Ben, made his final profession as a lay brother of the Mill Hill Missionary Society.

In gratitude of his missionary work, the community of St Pius X Parish, Bundu Tuhan, where he has been serving for the last 57 years, celebrated his diamond jubilee with a Eucharistic celebration, followed by dinner at the Kinabalu National Park on the feast of the Solemnity of St Joseph Mar 19. It was a most significant day indeed as St Joseph is also the patron saint of the Mill Hill Missionaries.

SSC Likas holds Lenten retreat on healing

LIKAS – A Lenten Retreat was held at St Simon Church Likas 20-23 Mar 2014 on “The Most Excellent Healing”.

The Retreat was conducted by the team from Putri Karmel comprising of Sr Maximillian Soon, Sr Geraldine, Sr Roswita, Brother Bosco and Brother Evan.

The talks focussed on the nature and effects of the 7 capital sins: Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Gluttony, Covetousness, and Lust, which are great spiritual blocks that inhibit our relationship with God and one another.

Bishop Pedro Arigo pays courtesy call on Archbishop John Wong

KOTA KINABALU – Bishop Pedro Arigo of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, accompanied by 7 priests, 3 sisters and 3 church volunteers arrived at Kota Kinabalu 25 Feb 2014 for a four-day study tour. During his stay in Kota Kinabalu, he paid a courtesy call on Archbishop John Wong. The visitors were also able to participate in the ordination ceremony of Fr Michelly Kiun on Feb 26 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Karamunsing.

Putatan church is 25% completed

KOTA KINABALU – Members of the Church building committee of St Catherine Laboure Church, Putatan (originally named as St Catherine of Siena) made a courtesy call on Archbishop John Wong at his office Feb 19. The group includes Fr Fundes Motiung, rector of Stella Maris Church, assistant rector, Fr Tony Mojiwat, chairman of the building committee, Stephen Sondoh, Dr Tan Jun Kwan and other church’s consultants, and the contractor.

First Malaysian conferred knighthood by Pope Francis

ROME, Feb 27, 2014: The Holy Father today conferred the title Knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Sylvester, Pope and Martyr, (one of the five Orders of Knighthood awarded directly by the Pope) on a Malaysian for his contributions to social communication.

Augustine Loorthusamy, the outgoing president of Signis (World Catholic Association for Communication), is the first Malaysian to receive this prestigious award from Pope Francis.

Over 700 celebrate inaugural IWD in KK Archdiocese

KOTA KINABALU (CS) – Over 700 Catholic women gathered to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) for the first time in Kota Kinabalu on 8 Mar 2014.

International Women’s Day, held globally on Mar 8 each year, celebrates the economic, political and social achievements of women in the past, present and future. It is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. The first IWD was held in 1911.

Layman gives perspective on the marriage game

Catholics are being rather deliberately prodded toward frenzy by media coverage of Pope Francis’ desire for more effective pastoral care of those who are divorced and remarried. Here is an excerpt from Dr Jeff Mirus’ brief examination on the pastoral-doctrinal issue:

“A high-ranking Churchman has emphasised that the status of divorced and remarried Catholics ‘should be looked at with a merciful eye’, which means changing the pastoral practice which bars couples in this ‘status’ from receiving Communion.

Vatican 2 documents meant for the heart as well as the head – Final Part

It was often the Popes who helped lead the renewal: Pius X introduced the idea of frequent communion, at a time when most Catholics were overly concerned with the idea of sin and so only went to communion once a year. Then, Pius XII restored the Easter Triduum – the Vigil, for instance, had been performed early on Holy Saturday morning and very few people took part. The vernacular also began to make itself felt and the practice grew up of reading the Scriptures at Mass in the local language – after they had been officially read in Latin during the Mass. Lay apostolates also began to appear, such as the Young Christian workers and the Legion of Mary etc. – showing new ways of “being Church”. Also, the 19th cent had also seen an upsurge of missionary movements, Mill Hill being one, and with this came the importance of the lay catechist. All this and more had begun to show the inadequacy of the Tridentine Church discipline and customs, when faced with the cultures of Asia, Africa and South America. New answers were needed to the questions thrown up by these and many other happenings – and the Council fathers set out to address them.