Ziarah Tempatan ~ KKD Paroki St Mary, Sandakan Sempena Tahun Iman

Leonnie Degallucion

Sandakan : Sempena dengan tahun iman, FSIC telah menganjurkan Ziarah Tempatan untuk ahli-ahli Komuniti Kristian Dasar Paroki St Mary pada 13hb – 16hb September,2013. Seramai 42 orang telah menyertai program ziarah ini termasuk dua orang religius sister, Sr Apollonia fsic dan Sr Callista fsic yang telah menjadi pembimbing ziarah tersebut. 13 kawasan telah dijadikan destinasi ziarah yang bermula dari Katedral St Mary Sandakan dan berakhir di Carmelite Monastry, Kota Kinabalu.

 St. Mary’s Cathedral Sandakan.

Carmelite Monastry, Kota Kinabalu.

 Sacred Heart, Kota Kinabalu

 Stella Maris Church, Tanjung Aru

Grotto St. Michael Penampang

   Gereja St. Michael, Penampang      

Shrine of St. Theresa Tambunan

Hari Pertama Misa Kudus Selebran Fr. Jimsy. Pace Bane Retreat Centre. Papar

   Shrine of Msgr Watcher, Pace Bene, FSIC, Retreat Centre, Papar

   Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Limbahau, Papar. 

  Memorial of Msgr Watcher, di Gereja Katolik St. Anthony, Tenom.   

 A visit to the actual site where Msgr Watcher was killed 
~ Sapong, Tenom. 

Album Kenangan Bapa Uskup Keningau + Rt. Rev. Cornelius Piong
dan Penziarah dari Keuskupan Sandakan di Diocesan Retreat Centre, 
Tatal,  Keningau.

 Gereja Katolik Holy Cross (Salib Suci) Toboh, Tambunan

Persiapan awal telah diadakan dengan mengadakan triduum untuk semua peserta yang telah dipimpin oleh Sr Apollonia fsic pada 10-12 September. Melalui ziarah tempatan ini, pengalaman mengenali dan mengetahui sejarah agama Katolik bertapak dan berkembang di Sabah dan mendalami iman setiap peribadi para ziarah melalui iman dan perbuatan yang telah ditunjukkan para misionari semasa membawa agama Katolik di Sabah.

Ziarah ini sempena dengan Tahun Iman mampu memberi inspirasi yang baik kepada setiap peziarah. Disamping meneguhkan iman ia juga satu proses menyucikan diri.

山打根圣玛莉主教座堂信德年讲座

美里李国兴主教于9月13日至15日前来山打根圣玛莉主教座堂主持信德年讲座。讲座主题为信德，分为两个系列。系列一的讲题有"什么是信德？"、"亚巴郎的信德"及"耶稣，信德的首创者与完善者"。系列二也有三个讲题，分别为"生命是一个属神的战争"、"天主的全副武装"以及"释放：该怎样作？该如何祈祷？"。

讲座中，李主教不断地强调，基督是基督徒信德的中心。基督徒的信德以耶稣基督为明示的对象，与基督的个人关系。而宗教性的信德是仅在于相信尊敬万能的一位至高者的层面。教宗本笃十六世：“信德存在着与基督密切的关系，我们是基督徒除非我们与基督相遇。”如果没有这震动的相遇，基督徒信仰变成没有灵魂的宗教传统仪式。真正的信德源自天主的启示，因此必须归向基督。“若要接触耶稣，首先必须要被圣神所触动。”〈天主教教理683.4号〉因有原罪，人不能救自己，没有能力自己寻找天主。罪恶中的我们必须接受天父派遣的圣神，让圣神转化，双目常注视着信德的创始者和完成者耶稣，持续地让圣神嘘气圣化，以便耶稣可以占据我们“你们住在我内，我也住在你们内。”（若15:4），不再作冷漠的主日教友，而能在圣神内度一个真实的基督化生活。进而以此信德及悔改的行动进入耶稣属神的国度。

在第二系列讲座中，李主教让我们了解精神世界的真实。因着原罪的关系，人的生命从一开始就是一个神战。神战是魔鬼和邪灵对抗地上的人类。这是由天使的堕落，始于天上而来到世界的战争。我们的身体是我们与魔鬼的战场，罪恶驻留在我们的内心深处，我们无法克服罪恶和魔鬼，除非藉着主耶稣基督，唯有在基督内和偕同基督，魔鬼才能被征服。魔鬼作为世界的元首，它无处不在，它是我们的致命敌人，它正利用它所有的势力引领我们远离天主送我们入地狱。因此，我们务必穿上天主的全副武装，在头上戴上救恩的盔、在胸前披上正义的甲、在腰间束上真理的带、在脚上穿上和平福音的鞋、左手拿起信德的盾牌、右手拿起圣神的利剑（天主的话）、并以属神的祈祷，为能在邪恶的日子能够抵得住魔鬼的阴谋，并在获得全胜之后，仍屹立不倒。（参阅默12:7-12，弗6:10-18）最后李主教为我们讲解「释放事工」的一般背景和所应具备的条件。

主教也提醒我们藉此信德年良好机会省问，我们所相信和教导的是否是耶稣要我们去相信和教导的，我们有必要找到真理，因为“真理必会使你们获得自由。”（若8:32）他也提醒福传不只是带人进教会，更重要的是带人认识主耶稣。

主内一家庆团圆

山打根圣玛莉主教座堂华文协调委员会于2013年9月16日(星期日)主办一年一度的中秋晚会。

     该晚会于当天晚上7时30分在堂区活动中心举行。我们非常感谢Thomas神父、 两位修女和堂区委员会主席Petrick Seah抽空出席盛会，使当晚的场面倍添色彩。

     晚会在本堂主任司铎Thomas神父华带领开始祈祷后掀开序幕。华协主席陈仪鸣兄弟致欢迎词后，Thomas神父也应邀致词。接着，来宾们享用茶点。当晚的茶点以煲乐方式进行，各类应节的食品如月饼和花生、本地水果、炒粉面和菜肴，让来宾们食指大动。

     唯美中不足的是，当晚的一场倾盆大雨使灯笼游行未能如期进行。为迎合各民族，当晚的猜灯谜比赛特别以中、英文出题，即各有十五题灯谜，让来宾们选择其中的十题作答。除此之外，主办当局也特别为出席的孩子们设计了趣味游戏，让孩子们乐在其中。
       

    颁发猜灯谜比赛的奖品于优胜者过后。主办当局也特别准备了问答比赛予在场的来宾们，专考IQ的问题让来宾们绞尽脑汁。该晚会于晚上9时15分, 在结束祈祷和Thomas神父的祝福下圆满结束 。

My Personal Sharing and Reflection

A Reflection by Sunday Samuel Work, IFFAsia Batch-7
(Sunday who hails from the Paitan Missionary Area, Sandakan is currently pursuing a one year formation program in IFFAsia, Quezon City, Philippines and is expected to graduate on 24th November 2013)

During my first few months here in IFFAsia, we were taught to build strong foundation of faith and prepare ourselves to be primary initiator on facing the challenges of the church through series of sessions. For the first phase, we went through the human module that helps us to deeply understand ourselves, explore our inner-selves, discover our talents. We were also taught on tips about building relationship bonds with others. We experienced a 'Weekend Retreat Towards a New Life' that really helped us to discern, think and have a break to re-look at our inner journey and to have time to talk with God.  All of these really led to spiritual renewal and preparation of oneself for the Holy Week. Likewise, we joined the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by conducting a Faith Walk. It was a long walk with very precious purpose for each and everyone.

Children play on the streets as there is no space for recreational facilities. 

            As we continue to journey in community living, the Social Immersion as part of our Social Module helped us a lot to understand what community really is. Not only by knowing its complexity and to know its profile, it is also important for me to experience the love, care, kindness and hospitality that we shared among us, the host parish and our foster families. Through these, it gave me an impact and to dig deeper about understanding society, in all aspects and appreciating the people who were involved in the program. We continued to feed ourselves with knowledge and compassion to the society as we started to study about the principles and perspectives about social development. By applying what we have experienced and learned, we are now making a Developmental Action Plan that would help our community to enhance their lives and empower every individual in the light of our Lord.

Payatas, the dumpsite in MetroManila - children live by the streets

Moreover, Spiritual and Pastoral Modules were also given to us so that we could have an integral formation in order to become better Christian servant-leaders. We finally share and attest our knowledge, skills and attitude when we conducted our Professional Internship. As I prepare and discern, I have asked myself, if I am really going to achieve my objectives? Do I really have the character to be a lay pastoral worker?  I need all the formation, the grooming to be more confident in my mission as I return home to my parish where I will serve the parish as a whole and the youth ministry in particular.

Furthermore, I felt that I may achieve my objective through sociological skills in the actual application of knowledge and work in the community. A parish-based work is truly pastoral work. This is not just sitting and holding a pen inside the office but the opportunities to interact with the people on ground. I know deep in me that service is also a journey. Moreover, not only as pastoral work, but I could also open myself for the social realities that are visible in the ecclesial community of the Parish. Serving the poor and the marginalized allows me to serve Christ himself. I realized that this internship is truly and fully pastoral work.

神父，修女与教友一同庆祝中秋节

EDWARD KOH SOCCOM TAWAU

(斗湖讯）一年一度的華人传统文化中秋节晚會順利的在15/09/2013斗湖聖三天主堂成功举办。晚上7.30pm節目開始前，约莫200位教友络绎不绝涌入礼堂一同庆祝中秋赏月吃月饼。當晚的節目 有歌唱，剝柚子比賽，猜燈謎，燈籠比賽以及辛运抽奖。節目雖然不多，可是大家都很融入的參與遊戲，玩的不亦乐乎。这次的燈籠比賽孩子們以环保的概念自制出缤纷色彩的燈籠。有一番别出心裁的设计。让所有教友叹为观止，悦目赏心。感谢主让一切活動圆满结束。在這短短兩個小時的聚会，主的恩典让我们投入他的懷抱，共同慶祝主給予 我們一個平安美好佳節的夜晚。愿主的平安常與我們同在。

Diocese of Sandakan organizes 2nd Staff Recollection ~ 2013

Article by DSst

Photos by Bell

Sandakan : 33 Diocesan and Parish staff from across the four parishes gathered at the Diocesan Retreat Centre, Ulu Dusun some 50 km from the town for the 2-day 2^nd annual staff recollection on 15^th and 16^th September. The aim of which is to boost staff morale in working in a church setting, providing effective service to the people of God. It provided space and a wonderful opportunity for all to strengthen relationship bonds.

The first day, 15^th September started with the Opening Mass presided over by Fr Dr Charles Chiew from the Diocese of Keningau. In his homily he shared on the ‘twin parables’ of the lost sheep and the lost coin. The shepherd and the woman set aside everything to look for the one lost sheep and the one lost coin respectively. Likewise the Lord will search for the lost soul until he finds him. He does not forget us and never abandon us. As members of the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12) we are to carry on the mission, to lend our shoulders to the lost to lean on. As members of the Diocesan and Parish staff we are to be living witnesses and win souls to the Lord. If this happens, there would be much rejoicing.

Anna Teresa of the Diocesan Youth Office facilitated the ‘ice breaker’ session with two highly interactive games and songs; ‘I want to know a little of you’ and the ‘ripple effect’. The fun games were engaging and set the environment to one that was conducive with walls broken and bridges built.

Fr Charles spoke on ‘Lay Spirituality’ which is a call to holiness within the context of family life, the neighborhood, work place, community and parish life. ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy’ ~ Lev. 19 : 1-2). 

He continued to share on the word ‘Sacrament’ touching on;

• Jesus ~ the first Sacrament
• The Church ~ the Sacrament after Jesus death and resurrection
• The Christian community as a Sacrament
• Becoming a Sacrament to others and its many challenges

The following day, 16^th September was the session on ‘Scatter and Gather’ facilitated by Francis Tan of the Diocesan Pastoral Office. Citing several examples from the Bible, even the closest members of Jesus became an obstacle to others to seek Him. Participants shared on Pope Francis’ homily on 25^th May on the Gospel reading from Mark 10 in which the disciples rebuked people who were bringing children to Jesus. The prelate’s preaching appealed to all not to create the 8^th Sacrament ~ The Sacrament of ‘Pastoral Customs’. The small group discussion and the sharing session touched on how as Church employees (frontier-man) reach out to make parishioners welcomed when they seek for assistance.

Sr Maria Dipal rgs of the Good Shepherd Sisters facilitated the session on ‘Communication and the Spirit of Team Building’. She started her session with a dynamic team game, ‘Protecting a team member from being lured away by Satan’ and ‘Closing the door to Satan’.

Effective communication is a vehicle to build an efficient team for the provision of good service to all people of God. Her session touched on the recipe for interaction, verbal and body language communication, challenges and hindrances to effective communication and what the Bible says about communication.

The Closing Mass was presided over by Bishop Julius. The prelate in his homily said that the theme for the day’s readings focus on ‘Prayer and Faith’. Faith will grow, increase and be strengthened through prayers. Faith is an inseparable condition for prayers. Jesus works through people of faith. Church employee must relate faith to their work to bring out excellence in performance for the Lord and unto His Glory. The contribution by each employee as ‘hand and feet’ of the pastor is significant in bringing about the fragrance of the Church.

The prelate added, ‘Your 2-day stay in gathering opens the door for self improvement through the input sessions from the facilitators. Your bonding will move you to be a stronger formed team with better understanding for improved and productive service’.

In conclusion, the prelate said, ‘Today is significant for it marks the 50^th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia. Let’s pray for our leaders that they be given the wisdom to propel the nation to greater heights where the people will continue to enjoy peace, stability and prosperity.  Pray for the Lord’s blessing for our Diocese. Pray for our Church leaders, especially the priests and myself that we stay healthy and remain faithful in our vocation, shepherding the flock.’