BEC of Taman Indah Jaya organizes Block Rosary

Sandakan : The month of May is traditionally dedicated to Blessed Virgin Mary in many cultures. May is considered the season of the beginning of new life. There are many ways to celebrate this particular devotion.  The important thing is that Mary be honored in a special way. 

The Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC) of Taman Indah Jaya, one of the biggest housing estates in Sandakan and located some 6.5 kilometers from the town center held a month long block rosary. The number of families offering to host the block rosary far exceeded the number of days in the month of May so those who offered but yet to be visited will be visited in October. The younger members were keen to be involved and it is a good sign that the faith could be passed on unto them.

Family members taking their pledge

 Block Rosary seeks to bring into a neighborhood the basic building blocks of society; a love of our fellow men, based on the life of Christ, as found in the mysteries of the Rosary. It seeks to achieve a unity of mind and soul in the oneness of Christ. 

Sr Maria Dipal RGS in one of the Block Rosary

 Peace be with you!

 Salam damai!

 The month long block rosary devotion and experience had brought members of the BEC of Taman Indah Jaya ever closer to Jesus through Mary for praying together makes the neighbors stay together. It brings Christ in our midst, ( “Where two or three are gathered together, there am I in the midst of them,” Matt.19:20) It gathers and unites people. It enhances the relationship of members and brings other inactive members into the fold.

Younger members actively involved in the devotion

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LAWATAN KE 'SAGA' BERSAMA BELIA SEIMAN

SANDAKAN,11 April : Seramai 30 orang belia TRBR( Tim Rakan Belia Remaja) menyertai lawatan ke SAGA semasa cuti minggu . Lawatan ini bertempat di Batu.4, Bandar Indah dan dibimbing oleh Rev. Fr.Paul Lo dan Sr.M.Lilian fsic. SAGA atau dikenali sebagai Sandakan Aids Support Group Association bertujuan membolehkan masyarakat umum mengenali penyakit HIV/AIDS dengan lebih dekat dan membuka peluang kepada pesakit mendapatkan bantuan agar mereka tidak tersisih.

Lawatan ini dimeriahkan dengan penyertaan belia JCC. Lawatan bermula dengan sambutan pihak SAGA yang turut disertai oleh Sdri.Lilian Pang, Sdra Chung C.H. dan Sdri. Donna Mathew. Seterusnya, ceramah disampaikan oleh Doktor Sindhu yang bertugas di Hospital Duchess of Kent dan sebagai staf sukarelawan SAGA juga.

Dalam ceramah tersebut, Doktor Sindhu memberi pengetahuan tentang HIV & AIDS dari aspek perbezaan namanya, cara mengelakkan, dan cara jangkitan berlaku. Ini dapat membantu belia memahami dengan lebih luas kesan-kesan HIV/AIDS.

Seterusnya, setelah mendengar ceramah HIV/AIDS, sedikit pengenalan tentang SAGA yang disampaikan oleh Doktor Faizal, juga seorang doktor dari Hospital Duchess Of Kent. Beliau berkata, jika seseorang yang kita kenali, adalah HIV positif, sekurang-kurangnya layanilah mereka seperti biasa dan jangan mengadili mereka. Sebaliknya, banyakkan doa, lawat, bersalam, berinteraksi, memberi sokongan dan tunjukkan keprihatinan yang amat mereka perlukan.

Dengan itu, belia yang berumur 18 tahun ke atas dipelawa menjadi sukarelawan SAGA. Maklumat selanjutnya, boleh diperolehi melalui blog: sandakansaga.blogspot.com.Selepas selesai ceramah, program disusuli dengan jamuan ringan dan sessi bergambar

Miriam Lee

Bidding farewell to Fr Paul Lo

Sandakan : Fr Paul Lo, the assistant rector of St Mary’s Cathedral is scheduled to leave Sandakan for Rome, sometime in June to further his study in Scripture.

Some 500 faithful of the Cathedral, attended a farewell dinner, organized by the Cathedral Parish Council yesterday, Friday, April 30th 2010 at the Parish Hall. Also in attendance were Bishop Julius D Gitom, Fr Thomas Makajil, rector of the Cathedral, Deacon David Garaman and the religious sisters of the FSIC and RGS.

 Our Cathedral's promising Emcees

Fr Lo who hails from Kudat, was send to Sandakan on 1st July 2005, immediately after his diaconate ordination. He was ordained priest on 10th December 2005 at St Peter’s Church, Kudat and was then posted to the then St Mary’s Church as the assistant parish priest.

 Fr Lo, singing along with the Chinese Youth, 'Friends'

He is competent in Chinese, Bahasa Malaysia and English. He blends well in the three language speaking community. He is instrumental in forming the ‘green group’ in the Cathedral to protect the environment, fulfilling part of the social teaching of the Catholic Church. He is vocal in taking up environmental issues.

Touched and moved by the presence of so many people, Fr Lo shared of the process of his priestly formation through his involvement in and acceptance by the community. In his 5 years as a priest, he strongly believed in the spirit of teamwork in building up the Church.

‘I find joy and a sense of fulfillment in serving the people of God here in Sandakan. Liken to a love relationship, Sandakan is and will always be my first love’, he said.

‘I shall count myself successful, only if, any among you, young people respond to the call to the priestly or religious vocation’, he added.

In between meals, there were presentations by the various church groups.

The Catholic Women’s Apostolate presented a very touching presentation by taking on a song ‘Till We Meet Again’ Part of the lyric reads as follows;

May the Good Lord bless and keep you

Whether near or far away

May you find the long awaited day, today

May your troubles be small ones and

Your fortunes ten times ten

May the Good Lord bless and keep you

Till we meet again .

Fr Paul joined the Parish Youth on stage to sing ‘If we hold on together’ sending a clear message to the people on the importance of togetherness in the journey of faith, hope and glory.The youth picked Numbers 6:24-26 to bid him farewell, which reads 'The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.....'

In winding up the night, Bishop Julius said, ‘Fr Paul’s departure to Rome might be a sad occasion but I believe it is not a lost, it is an investment that he will return as a more successful, matured and effective priest in the near future.’

John Baptis, PPC Chairman, presenting a gift to Fr Lo

A gift from Fr Thomas Makajil, rector of the Cathedral to Fr Lo

Farewell and bon voyage to you, Fr Paul. Good luck good health. God bless you. That’s all our hearts can say. Bye and till we meet again.

Bishop Julius bidding farewell to Fr Lo

Goodbyes are not forever
Goodbyes are not the end
They simply mean I'll miss you
Until we meet again

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Another testimony by a neophyte from St Mary's Cathedral, Sandakan

My name is Rachel Gillian Rose Bryant Hernaez.  I am thirteen years old.  It has been about a year now, since I joined this RCIA class.

 

My friends and my family always encourage me to become Catholics.    I decided to join the RCIA because I do not know about Christianity and I was curious about the religion. 

Testimony by another neophyte from St Mary's Cathedral, Sandakan

My name is Jamie T. Era.  I am writing on my journey of faith from the day I joined RCIA till now.

Life to me was meaningless and empty before I joined the RCIA.  The foolishness of life was  part of my daily routine.  I spent my money and time in drinking alcohol, gambling and doing unnecessary things to ruin my own life.  Life to me then was money and greed to keep my life style.  I was in anger most of the time, giving miseries to my self and others.

Members of the Catholic Nurses Guild make a visit to St Mary's Hostel

 Sandakan : The Catholic Nurses Guild (CNG) led by Chairperson Agnes Gaduka, Matron Jocelyn Angar and 15 other members visited St Mary's Hostel on Saturday, 10th. April 2010.

'Saya adalah anak Tuhan'

Sandakan – Kerasulan Belia Paroki Katedral St Mary telah mengadakan Rekoleksi Belia untuk team kali kedua bermula pada Februari 13hb hingga 15hb, 2010 bertempat di Pusat Retret, Ulu Dusun. 

A big do for CNY celebration at St Mary's Cathedral, Sandakan

Sandakan : The Chinese Pastoral Committee (CPC) of St Mary's Cathedral Sandakan organized a subscribed CNY dinner at the Cathedral Parish Hall on Sunday, 21st February 2010.

Bishop Julius celebrates Ash Wednesday at St Mary's Cathedral

Sandakan : All parishes throughout the Diocese of Sandakan celebrated Ash Wednesday Masses which also included the distribution of ashes to the faithful on 17th February 2010.

Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom celebrated the bi-lingual Mass (English and Malay) in the evening at St Mary’s Cathedral with an overwhelming attendance. The Cathedral was packed with many, having to stand at the entrance and the open space outside, throughout the celebration.