SPC closes 2022 Academic Year, bidding farewell to rector

By Seminarian Lincoln Lee

KUCHING — St Peter’s College (SPC) Major Seminary 2022 academic year came to a close with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Wojciech Załuski, Apostolic Nuncio to Malaysia with con-celebrants, Kuching Archbishop Simon Poh and the clergy of St Peter’s College.

Archbishop Simon Poh in his homily thanked the SPC lecturers, staff and seminarians for their contributions throughout the year.

He gave his blessings to the seminarians, as they would be doing their pastoral attachments to various parishes during the holidays. He reminded the seminarians to imitate St John the Baptist in humility and simplicity, focusing always on Jesus.

He then advised the seminarians that the parishes will be extremely busy post-covid, therefore to always be faithful to their prayers and to bring everything to the presence of God in the atmosphere of prayer. He concluded his homily in thanking Fr Nicholas Ng for his service as he ends his term as SPC’s Rector.

To mark this changing of the guard, there was a symbolic handing over of SPC’s Key during the Mass to the new incoming Rector, Fr Patrick Heng, whose tenure will come into effect on 1 January 2023.

Prior to the final blessing, Archbishop Wojciech took a few moments to share his experience during his time as a seminarian and imparted the blessings of the Holy Father to the parents, families, parishes and community of the seminarians as they return home for the holidays. He similarly advised the seminarians to always be faithful to their vocation, state of life and prayers despite being on holiday.

Following the Eucharistic celebration, the invited guest, clergy, staffs and seminarians adjourned for dinner to celebrate the closing of the academic year. It was a bittersweet celebration, as the seminary bid farewell to Fr Nicholas Ng, and at the same time welcomed the incoming Rector Fr Patrick Heng.

In thanking Fr Nicholas for his contribution, SPC student Caput, Seminarian George Vaithynathan expressed his gratitude for Fr Nicholas’ years of service in forming the clergy of Malaysia.

“Fr Nicholas has formed many generations of Catholic priests now serving throughout the country,” said Vaithynathan.

“We are very grateful to Fr Nicholas for all his hard work and his guidance to all of us in SPC. His gentle prayerful ways will be greatly missed by all of us,” he added.

During the dinner, SPC’s Key Magazine for the year 2022 was officially released, and copies were presented by Fr Patrick Heng to commemorate Archbishop Wojciech’s inaugural visit to SPC.

Copies of the magazine were also distributed to the students and those present.

The evening concluded with the granting of a special holiday to the seminarians by the Apostolic Nuncio, on the occasion of his inaugural visit to the seminary.