KUCHING — 1 October saw the celebration of the Feast of St Theresa of Lisieux and the start of the Rosary month. Some 100 families and children gathered before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament Church as children the world over to commemorate the call of Our Lady to the little shepherds of Fatima 93 years ago.
With her small angelic voice Bethany, 10 years old called out to everyone, “we are gathered here today because of what our late beloved Holy Father Pope John Paul II told thousands of children gathered in Fatima, Portugal. He said Our Lady needs you to be like the little shepherds of Fatima. She needs you to console Jesus, who is sad. He needs your prayers and your sacrifices to help change the world”. Walter Law, 9 years old added, “We need to begin to make sacrifices just like the Angel of Peace taught the little shepherds, to entrust our lives to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray the rosary, and to visit Jesus often in the Most Blessed Sacrament”. He exclaimed enthusiastically, “We can do this! The Immaculate Heart of Mary is counting on us to help her to lead the world back to Jesus, so let’s begin! Right here, right now!” The adults spontaneously joined the children of 4 to 12 leading the hour and in prayer.
The first event started last year in Blessed Sacrament Church in response to the call of Children of the Eucharist of the World Apostolate to Fatima to gather children in Eucharistic adoration. Fr Antoine Thomas, the author of realpresence.org wrote: “after many years of leading Holy Hours for children, I can tell you the benefits are numerous for both children and their families: Children who previously had only the weekly experience of Mass, discover that the Host is actually the person of Jesus, mysteriously hidden. They develop a greater interest in the mysteries of our Faith and the liturgy of the Mass. They understand – more than other children of their age who have not experienced Eucharistic Adoration – the relationship between the gift of the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus and His sacrifice on the Cross out of love for mankind. They become much more aware of the various degrees of sin and seem very eager to receive the sacrament of Confession often. Families accompanying their children witness a growing desire for peace and forgiveness within the family. And so dear people, please learn to encourage children to live in this spirit of adoration at all times, both in the presence of Our Eucharistic Lord and in the everyday activities of life, living in the spirit of Nazareth with Mary”.
It is hoped that this little event will be spread to all corners of the Archdiocese of Kuching in years to come.
Stella Sayang
