By Julie Lim
KUALA LUMPUR — The mission of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM) in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur has come to a completion. The remaining three religious sisters who are residing in Port Klang will be missioned to Ipoh and Taiping. This marks an end to the presence of the FMDM sisters in the archdiocese after 32 years.
Throughout their mission in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, the FMDM sisters had provided educational support, counselling services and health care clinics to various ministries such as the youth, family life, migrant workers, the homeless, and the poor. They reached out to people of all races, faiths and background. The sisters were also actively involved at the Church of St Anne, which their community belongs to.
In appreciation for the contributions of the FMDM sisters, and to bid them farewell, the Church of St Anne organised a thanksgiving Mass, followed by a farewell dinner at the Stella Maris Community Centre recently. Archbishop Julian Leow presided over the Mass. Concelebrants were St Anne’s parish priest, Fr David Arulanantham, former parish priest, Fr Lawrence Andrew, SJ, and Fr Michel Dass.
Sr Angelin Gnanapiragasam, FMDM said, “The FMDM sisters responded to the Lord’s invitation to the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur and have now completed what the Lord had set us to do. As missionaries, we need to move on to where the Lord is calling us to be and to serve next. Our journey towards completion was done in the spirit of discernment, having to put aside all selfishness, attachments and face reality.”
Sr Angelin clarified that the FMDM sisters are not leaving the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur due to a lack of vocations.
“I am confident that our FMDM pioneering sisters, sisters who served in Port Klang and who had since passed away, as well as all FMDM sisters present, will agree that the zeal for the Father’s House ignited within us for the past 32 years has now brought us all to a place of peace, gratitude and surrender to God.”
She added that the sisters are humbled and grateful for having been given the opportunity to serve the community in Port Klang. “Our life and mission in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, especially with the parishioners of the Church of St Anne, had enriched us and taught us to remain steadfast in our love and commitment to Jesus Christ.”
Sr Angelin also expressed gratitude to Archbishop Julian, the clergy and religious. She specially remembered the late Anthony Soter Cardinal Fernandez who had welcomed the FMDM sisters into the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur in 1990.
She also noted that the late Deacon AP Thomas had never failed to render his support for the sisters.
Archbishop Julian said, “The FMDM Sisters had come to the archdiocese, they responded to the needs of the people and served the community well. However, that chapter has now come to a close. I pray that the legacy of the FMDM Sisters will inspire many others to ‘pick-up and pass on the baton’ by caring and being concerned for the everchanging needs in the community.
“I wish our beloved Sisters courage and wisdom as they discover new horizons to nourish the lives they touch,” he added.
Fr David said that the FMDM Sisters have become friends to many of the parishioners, and have been a strong support to many. “The Sisters were present to parishioners and to all peoples in the vicinity. Many know them by name and are saddened that they are leaving. I give thanks to God for the gift of the FMDM Sisters in our home here in Port Klang.”
After the thanksgiving dinner, many parishioners and well-wishers were seen expressing their appreciation and saying goodbye to the Sisters. The tears welling up in their eyes were a testament that the Sisters had touched their lives profoundly in many ways.
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