MEETING WITH THE MIGRANTS

Sr Chatarina RGS

Tawau : Sr. Chatarina RGS, a  Good Shepherd sister from the Diocese of Ruteng, Flores, Indonesia and Imaculata Kurniasanti, a social worker for migrant and a partner of the Good Shepherd were in HTC Tawau to give a talk to around 170 Indonesian migrant workers in the parish hall on 22ndAugust 2010 after the BM mass.

 Sr Barbara RGS and Imaculata

One of the purpose of the talk was to raise awareness of the presence of a women crisis center in Sandakan, set up recently in the Diocese  by the Good Shepherd Sisters, under the invitation of Bishop Julius Gitom. 

A referring center has also been set up in the Holy Trinity  Parish under Sr. Barbara RGS, assisted by Ms Alisen.

The centre offers a safe haven and temporary shelter for women and girls in crisis situation and that also include human trafficked persons and migrants.

Most of the migrant workers came from Flores, many of whom came here without proper documents, leaving their families behind. They are often exploited as a source of cheap labour with poor living conditions. Those with children born here are also deprived of proper education.

 In addition, Sr Chatarina also took the opportunity to update them on the recent development, back home in Indonesia. 

"Indonesia is not the same now' she said. "It is a much more developed place with many areas being opened up for oil palm cultivation". 

With the skill and knowledge they acquired here, she encouraged them to return to Indonesia to cultivate their own land. She also encouraged them to learn enough to converse in English as foreign tourists are increasing in numbers back home.

The talk ended with a session on questions and answers.

Julita Domingo

Roadshow SHOUT Camp

Please click this link


By
SHOUT Camp Organizing Committee


BORANG ONLINE

HLI's 17th Asia-Pacific Congress on Faith, Life and Family

From: Ligaya Acosta 

Subject: Fw: HLI'S 17th ASPAC

To: "Dr. Ligaya Acosta" 

Date: Monday, 2 August, 2010, 2:08 AM

Dear Rev. Fathers, Sisters, and Brothers and Sisters in GOD's vineyard, I am sending herewith the formal invitation letter to HLI's 17th Asia-Pacific Congress on Faith, Life and Family together with the Registration Form and Programme, which as I have emailed you earlier, will be held in Manila, Philippines in November this year. Please fill up the Registration form and return to me on or before  August 30, 2010, to be assured of reservation.  As usual, I guarantee you that this year's ASPAC will be an event to remember. For further information, please don't hesitate to email me.  Please also feel free to share this invitation to our friends who may be interested to attend the congress. I ask for your prayers that this year's congress will again be blissful and spirit-filled. I look forward to seeing you all for this biggest pro-life event of the year in Asia and Oceania. With all my love and best regards, ligaya _______________________ Dr. Ligaya A. Acosta Executive Director Human Life International-ASIA/OCEANIA Email:  hli.asiaoceania@gmail.com/ligaya_acosta@yahoo.com Mobile:  +63-919-874-0570 *** INVITATION LETTER *** REGISTRATION FORM *** BROCHURE (FRONT) *** BROCHURE (INSIDE) *** Please click to enlarge / to print. Thank you.

Demolition work to the former St Mary's Convent Primary School

Sandakan : The former St Mary’s Convent Primary School , situated at Church Hill Road, is to give way to the proposed Diocesan Pastoral cum Worship Centre. The two storey wooden building was built in 1954 and in 1998 was relocated to Mile 2 ½, Labuk Road.

The school, which is the first all girls school in the then British North Borneo, traces its history back to 1891 – a history of some 119 years. It was the Franciscan Missionaries of St Joseph who came with the foresight to provide education to the local girls and they built a simple attap-roof wooden building which came into operation on the 5^th November 1891.

During WW2, the building was razed to the ground. It was rebuilt in 1954. Over the years, the school flourished and became one of the most prominent mission schools providing excellent education to thousands of girls. Today, the popular school building has to make way for a Diocesan project.

The Diocesan Pastoral cum Worship Centre project headed by John Pang, is preparing the site for the construction of the said project to take off sometime next month. Demolition work to the building and site clearance was arranged and supervised by John Pang. The site is 80% cleared and will be ready by first week of September.

Over the weekend of 21^st and 22^nd August, some 30 volunteers from the BECs of Taman Indah, Taman Merak, Taman Fajar and individuals gathered at the site to lend a hand in the clearing work. The coming together of the members of BECs is a sign of growth in unity and close interaction, which could project community witnessing.

BECs continue to be the major source of renewal at the grassroots level. This expression of church at the base is a genuine experience of communion and participation.

There may be differences in thought among members, but there will be unity in action, for the motivating force of BECs is service.

ds

Retret Katekatikal Paroki Telupid

TELUPID – Pengalaman yang diperolehi semasa mengikuti retret selama 2 hari merupakan satu peluang yang dinanti-nantikan oleh para pembimbing  Komiti Katekatikal Paroki Telupid.

Retret yang bermula 20 Ogos lepas dan berakhir pada Ahad, 22 Ogos menerima penyertaan 25 pembimbing terdiri dari luar stasi.

Paroki Telupid mempunyai  5 Zon dengan  22 luar stasi. Terdapat 40 peratus jalan raya stasi  ini tidak berturap dan sukar dilalui apabila musim tengkujuh. 

Program pembuka tirai retret ini adalah membawa para peserta mendalami pertanyaan ‘apakah realiti Katekatikal di Paroki dan stasi’ yang mengupas persoalan setiap pembimbing dalam bengkel pertama.

Pada hari kedua, ceramah bertajuk ‘Panggilan Seorang Katekis dan Kepentingannya di dalam Pelayanan Gereja’ telah disampaikan oleh Sr. Appolonia Gumpu, fsic.

“Inisiasi Kristian Dewasa (IKD) dan contoh Katekesis’ yang disampaikan oleh Sr. Veronica Kanduang, fsic, dan seterusnya membawa kepada ‘Perkongsian Laporan Hasil Mesyuarat Komisi Katekatikal Malaysia di Sibu, Sarawak sebelum ‘Perbincangan Katekesis Pertemuan IKD', selepas itu.

Dalam ucapan perasmian pembukaan di hari pertama, Fr. Marcellinus Pongking selaku Paderi Paroki turut bangga dengan komitmen yang diberikan oleh para peserta yang sanggup datang dari jauh semata-mata mahu mendalami ilmu dan pengetahuan pelaksanaan tugas dan peranan sebagai pembimbing.

Kordinator Komiti Katekatikal Paroki, Richard Lobinjang turut menyampaikan ucapan terima kasih kepada Kordinator Katekatikal Keuskupan Sandakan kerana sudi menemui para pembimbing dan memberi semangat baru terutama kepada pembimbing baru.

Oleh:

Lawrence M.

SOCCOM Paroki

CATECHETICAL COMMISSION KK Archdiocese: Teologi Misi dan Penginjilan

CATECHETICAL COMMISSION KK Archdiocese: Teologi Misi dan Penginjilan: "Teologi Misi dan Penginjilan Disampaikan oleh Fr. Boniface Kimsin Pengerusi Komisi Kateketikal Malaysia Pembimbing Retret Kateketikal Dios..."

SYCC of St Mary's Cathedral celebrates its 26th Anniversary

Sandakan: The Star of Yahweh Covenant Community (SYCC) commemorated its 26th anniversary with a thanksgiving mass at 7.30pm, Thursday 19th August 2010 in the St. Mary’s Cathedral Chapel. The Community is a group of lay Catholics, whose members bind themselves to one another and to the group, and made the covenant to live a righteous life.

Michael Lee

Michael Lee, the presiding elder of SYCC in his sharing said that the day was special not just an occasion for celebrating the SYCC anniversary but also to witness members pledging their re-commitment to start anew and become a shining star that God intends them to be.

Recalling the past 26 years in the community, he thanked and praised God that the community is still around, running a race as what St. Paul did. He had his share of strengths and weaknesses, of lights and darkness. Yet despite his flaws, he pressed on to the goal and bore great fruits.

He went on to say that being in brotherhood and sisterhood for such a long time, they have established a bonding love and commitment with one another and they have learnt to accept one another weaknesses and faults.

He ended his sharing by quoting Pope John Paul II in his address to the brotherhood of Covenant Community in Rome that says the Covenant Communities are the great spiritual resources to the Church and to all humanity. He called upon the members to live up to the calling and serve one another with God’s love for the glory of God. 

Phillip Mosinoh

Philip Mosinoh, one of the founding members of SYCC shared that the ups and downs in the community life is part and parcel of a journey of faith in the covenant community and through practice of prayerful life, have strongly united them in the community.  

Mary Lee reading the letter from Alice Chew

Alice Chew, a single mother of eight, who is currently working in Singapore, recommitted herself to the community through her letter to the presiding elder. She wrote that the Covenant Community through its ladies cell group and formation talks, were her actual training ground for her spiritual life. She acknowledged that in difficult times, the brothers and sisters were there to support her. Indeed, she added that they are her family in Christ and will rejoin the Covenant Community on her return to Sandakan.

Fr. Thomas Makajil

In his message, the Rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral Father Thomas Makajil congratulated the community for the past 26 years of serving one another, serving the Lord and serving the communities through the bond of brotherhood and sisterhood.

“By the act of re commitment or re consecration of oneself to the Lord, in spite of all the challenges and difficulties, will draw us closer to one another and to God in order to fulfill the great mission of Christ.” said Fr. Thomas. 

Fellowship

The event concluded with a dinner fellowship at the Cathecetical room.

 

Dallius LL

Parish Soccom

S.H.O.U.T CAMP 2010

Apa???

S – Suarakan H – Hatimu O – Oh Belia U – Untuk T – Tuhan

S. H. O. U. T juga bermaksud teriak ataupun menyuarakan sesuatu perkara yang memerlukan perhatian segera agar hal-hal tersebut kedengaran jelas oleh semua orang.

Untuk apa???

Tujuan utama khemah ini diadakan:-

• MENDENGAR (80 %)

• MELIHAT

• MERENUNG

• MEMBERI RESPON

akan keperluan belia pada zaman globalisasi hari ini.

Melalui program ini, Tim Kerasulan Belia Paroki Sandakan (TKBPS) berharap dapat mewujudkan Buku Perancangan Pastoral Belia Paroki Sandakan di mana buku ini menjadi Panduan Pastoral bagi setiap Agen-agen Pastoral di seluruh Paroki.

Buku ini amat penting kerana ia adalah ‘HATI dan SUARA-SUARA BELIA’.

(Dipetik dari bahagian pengenalan dalam kertas kerja S. H. O. U. T Camp yang disediakan oleh Airene A. Gumanas, Koordinator , Kerasulan Belia Paroki Sandakan.)

Open to youth at age range 13 and above. This is the time for YOU-th to come, listen and know what is happening in today's youth life in the world especially Sandakan Parish. Eucharistic will be the MAIN focus in this camp! Don't miss this chance!

Preparations:

1)          Roadshow & Briefing

Date: 22 August 2010, Sunday

Time: After BM Mass

Venue: St Mary's Cathedral and

              St Paul's Church, Ulu Dusun

Program:

(i)                          Registration for Shout Camp

(ii)                       Praise and Worship

(iii)                    Be With YOU-th

(iv)                     * Census

*All parishioners especially YOUTH (teenagers, students, working youth, unemployed youth, parents, single mother @ father, single @ married youth) are invited to fill up the Census Form. The Organizing Committee will approach you to get the necessary information. Please give your support.

Bidding Farewell to our German Friends

Sandakan : Ecclesiates 3:1 - 'There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven'. Truly, the six German participants from Heilbron, who were here in Sandakan on 14th August 2010 were hosted to a farewell dinner reception, on Tuesday evening, 17th August 2010 at Wisma Basel.

All six German guests, putting up with host families had the opportunity to be exposed to the local cultures. Their stay, which was over a weekend, allowed them to experience the Eucharistic celebration in the Roman Catholic Church and the worship service of the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia.

The delegates were taken to a tour of the town, which among others, included the famous 'Orang Hutan Rehabilitation Centre, the Rainforest Discovery Centre and the Central Wet Market.

The Chairman of the Church Council of BCCM Sandakan, Vun Soon Chong and the Chairman of the St Mary's Cathedral Parish Pastoral Council, John Baptis  in their addresses, touched on the importance of ecumenism. The Sabah-Heilbron Ecumenical Partnership program, with the regular exchange of ecumenical visits from both sides had not only strengthened the partnership itself but paved the way for a closer working relationship within the Churches in Sabah.

The participants, with Eva and Catherine both Catholics, playing the flute and the guitar respectively, presented two beautiful songs in German and one farewell song in Latin. Part of the farewell song, translated, sound as follows;

I hope that the Lord will be with you,
and hold you in His hands,
Would the road lead us together,
Till we meet again, someday, somewhere

Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom, presented souvenirs to the Roman Catholic delegates while Vun Soon Chong presented the same to the Evangelican-Lutheran delegates.

Eva Anding, one of the delegates,   a teacher by profession has this to say, 'I am indeed very grateful to have come to Sabah. The people are very hospitable. Though, from a far away foreign land, I feel very much at home. I am really amazed on how the Catholic faithful of St Mary's Cathedral come together to put up such a tremendous fund raising bazaar. It is an eye opener to me.'

Catherine has this to share, 'I suppose we came at the right moment. We joined the local people in the celebration of the Parish Feast Day. We attended the Outdoor mass of the Feast of Assumption.We enjoyed the Parish Bazaar and the Choral Festival. It's just marvelous!'.

They left for Bundu Tuhan, yesterday morning, 18th August 2010 where they will meet the other members from Kudat for an evaluation of their exposure.

ds

ST MARY'S CATHEDRAL PARISH CHOIR FESTIVAL 2010

Sandakan: “The One Voice! One Praise to God” is the ultimate highlight of the St Mary’s Cathedral Parish Choir Festival 2010 held on Sunday, 15^th August. The evening event, coincided with the Parish Feast Day, attended by more than 200 parishioners and guests from Heilbron, Germany. 

John Baptist, the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) Chairman, in his welcoming address commended the organizing committee, headed by Michael Lai for a job well done. The event was truly joyful and meaningful, held in conjunction with the Parish Feast day celebration. The event marked the very first choir festival in the parish since the elevation of St Mary’s Church to the status as a Cathedral.

He said, ‘Merely by taking part in the festival, you are already winners in the vineyard of the Lord.’

He urged all choir groups to perform in the spirit of celebrating rather than competing with each other. He also hoped that all the composed song will find its ways to the hymnal book. 

Rev Fr. Thomas Makajil, the rector of St Mary's Cathedral graced the official launching of the 1^st St Mary’s Cathedral Parish choir festival, followed by an Opening Prayer. 

The festival, held in the Parish Hall, started at 7.30pm. It began with the non-composed category song by 3 choir groups, followed by the composition category on the theme ‘Serve one another with God’s Love’ with 5 groups participating. During the interval, the audience was entertained by guest singers (Jennifer and Rueben) from the archdiocese of KK.

John and Virginia Koh

In appreciation to a wonderful couple, John and Virginia Koh for being instrumental in bringing progress and development to the choir in St Mary’s Cathedral Parish, they were presented with gifts and certificates. May their selfless contribution in the choir,  set an example to the younger generation.

The winner for the non composition song category went to the Taman Rimba Youth Choir (St Mark’s Church) and the best choir group performance was awarded to Fancy Mixing of Nurses (St. Joseph Church). The overall champion for the event this year went to the Star of Yahweh Covenant Community (SYCC) which will represent the Cathedral Parish to the 3^rd Diocesan Anniversary Celebration which will be held in Lahad Datu on the 15^th October.

Taman Rimba Youth Choir (St Mark’s Church)

Fancy Mixing of Nurses (St. Joseph's Church)

Star of Yahweh Covenant Community (SYCC)

The winning group consists 15 members, the oldest being 60 years and the youngest 13 years.  Their choir leader, Eva Surono shared that it took them 2 weeks to compose the song and more than 10 times, practicing to blend their vocal into harmony. The Fancy mixing of Nurses, being the second best choir, will also be given the privilege to  participate in the presentations during the Diocesan Anniversary Celebration in Lahad Datu.

The Sandakan Choir Festival ended with a note from Fr Thomas that the event might stir the interest of parishioners, especially the youth, to contribute their musical gifts and talents to the glory of God. The two main aspects of music  in our Catholic worship are to help make the liturgy more truly beautiful and truly sacred for the most holy purpose.

The event concluded with a closing prayer by the rector at exactly 10.30 pm.
 
Dalius LL
Sandakan Parish Soccom.