Sunday School Recollection

Vocation awareness by Sr Maria Dipal rgs

Sandakan : As usual for the past many years, the Sunday School facilitators once again organised a recollection day for some 60 candidates preparing for the 1^st Holy Communion and Sacrament of Confirmation on 3 September 2011 at the Parish Hall. There were 6 topics presented by various speakers.

The participants enjoyed very much during ice breaking and bonding session led by our Anna Teresa Peter Amandus, a lot of laughter and fun. Anna is our Diocesan Youth Apostolate Coordinator. During two of the sessions led by Anna, she highlighted to the participants how much God loves us as His children in his image. She also addressed the most wanted to know subject, Boy-Girl Relationship. She gave many good examples as well as exercise to trigger the participants’ thoughts for reflections.

While Sr Maria Dipal, RGS reflected on the vocation awareness. She brought to light that everyone has a call by God be it a teacher, a lawyer, a doctor, a religious nun, depending on each person’s gifts and charisma. One must discharge his / her duties in their vocation with justice and fairness accordingly to the church teachings and living a good Christian life. She also stressed that most people are called to be married and to have children, while others are called to be religious nun, priest or single. She also briefly introduced her religious order and the charisma of Good Shepherd Sister.

Our Assistant Rector, Fr Philip Muji, gave a talk on Reconciliation and Eucharist. Prior to the start of the talk, a video clip produced by the Sacred Heart Cathedral Youth was shown to the participants. Though the time frame of the video clip was less than 20 minutes, it deliberated on God’s creation, sins, salvation, Eucharist as well as our duty as Catholic.

The Chairman of the Catechetical Committee, Mr Pius Gorohom gave a talk on Holy Spirit, emphasizing on the Sacrament of Confirmation. The participants, particularly the candidates preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation, were being reminded of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the gift of the Holy Spirit that they will be receiving during the Sacrament in October 2011.

The weather was rather warm in the afternoon when Angela Yen gave a brief tour in and around St Mary's Cathedral. Nevertheless, some of the participants’ faces were evidently awe-inspiring when Angela unveiled the European imported marble altar table (inside the Cathedral) to show them a small cut on the table which has an engraved cross where it is believed a saint’s relic is being placed. However, nobody knows who the saint is as the secret died with Fr Anthony Mulder who was the priest who built this very Cathedral which was consecrated by Bishop Bius in 1961. She also briefly described the contributions by various past parish priests over the years from building of the grotto to the parish hall and the catechetical centre.

The recollection ended with a closing prayer and tea break.   


Catechetical Committee