25 years into community life (SYCC)

Sandakan: The Star of Yahweh Covenant Community (SYCC) of St Mary’s Cathedral Parish celebrated its 25th anniversary yesterday, 30th September 2009 with a dinner reception at Kenalanmu restaurant attended by some 200 members of the community, friends and well wishers. Also in attendance were Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom, Fr Thomas Makajil, the rector of St Mary’s Cathedral, Fr Paul Lo, the assistant rector, the religious sisters and members of the Cathedral Parish Pastoral Council. Twenty altar servers were privileged to be invited to the said function.

The function was also organized to give honor and tribute to the priests and to promote the priestly vocation among the young.

Henry Solibun, the founding member of SYCC presented a brief talk on beautiful quotations and reflection on the priestly vocation. After which, there was an LCD presentation on the journey of life of Bishop Julius, Fr Thomas and Fr Paul. They were then presented with gifts as an appreciation of their priestly ministry.

Michael Lee, the presiding elder of SYCC bade a warm welcome to all in attendance and urged everyone to be always mindful to pray and support the Bishop, all the priests and seminarians especially so during the ‘Year of the priest’. He also hoped that the young altar servers will be inspired of what they would witness at the events of the said function.

Michael went on to say that SYCC has been around for 25 years. The community was formed on 19th August 1984 where the pioneers and now the current elders made the covenant to live a righteous life.

He shared that within the 25 years span, they had gone through the thick and thin of community lifestyle with much joy and sorrow, success and failure, satisfaction and frustration in building the kingdom of God among its members. He is confident that with the grace of God, the community will always be around.

Bishop Julius commended the organizing committee for the effort taken to celebrate the occasion with a difference, not just a celebration among its members but giving a thought to the priests and showing concern for the Church.

He asked everyone present, to pray for more young people that they may respond to the call to serve in the vineyard of the Lord