1st October: Celebrating the feast of St Therese of Lisieux and the month of the Holy Rosary

By Romeo Barintang

St Mary’s Cathedral Sandakan: The 1st of October celebrates the Feast of St Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower of Jesus and marks the beginning of the month of the Holy Rosary. Furthermore, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Patron saint of St Mary’s Cathedral, therefore a special mass was held to commemorate and seek their intercession.

Sr. Regina led the Rosary Prayer

Before the mass, a rosary prayer was held at the grotto outside the church where parishioners gathered as Sr Regina led the rosary prayers for the evening. After the rosary prayer, they entered the cathedral for the Eucharistic celebration with Bishop Julius, Fr. David and Fr. Christopher celebrating the mass.

Bishop mentioned in his homily that the church is sick and in need of prayers; that the church has lost its direction. The prelate urged the people to pray individually or in a group, for the church and all the people around the world for the sins committed throughout the centuries, with the same invitation from Pope Francis’ message to all the faithful of all the world “to pray the Holy Rosary every day, during the entire Marian month of October, and thus to join in communion and in penitence, as the people of God, in asking the Holy Mother of God and Saint Michael  Archangel to protect the Church from the devil, who always seeks to separate us from God and from each other. Inviting them to conclude the recitation of the Rosary with the ancient invocation “Sub Tuum Praesidium” (see below),  and with the prayer to Saint Michael Archangel(see below) that he protect us and help us in the struggle against evil (cf. Revelation 12, 7-12)”  excerpt from Pope Francis’ homily, 11 September at Santa Marta Chapel, Rome.

Finally, the prelate shared a story on the reading when Jesus took a young child and show to the 12 disciples “that the least among us is the greatest in the Kingdom of God”. Both St Therese and the Blessed Virgin Mary perfectly fit in their childlike humility and abandonment to God.

Sub Tuum Praesidium: We fly to thy protection, O holy Mother of God, despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin, Amen.

Saint Michael, Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.